How to Choose the Best Phlebotomy Technician School near Burnt Hills New York
Choosing the ideal phlebotomy school near Burnt Hills NY is an important initial step toward a rewarding career as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a daunting undertaking to evaluate and compare all of the school options that are available to you. However it’s necessary that you do your due diligence to make sure that you obtain a quality education. In fact, many prospective students begin the process by considering 2 of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are cost and location. An additional option you might look into is whether to attend online classes or commute to a nearby campus. We’ll discuss a bit more about online classes later in this article. What’s important to keep in mind is that there is much more to checking out phlebotomy training programs than locating the cheapest or the closest one. Other variables such as reputation and accreditation are also important considerations and must be part of your decision process also. Toward that end, we will furnish a list of questions that you should ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are reviewing to help you select the best one for you. But prior to doing that, let’s address what a phlebotomist is and does, and then resume our discussion about online schools.
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Should You Go to School to Become a Plebotomist?
First of all, few people probably know what a phlebotomy tech or phlebotomist is. The short answer is a medical professional who draws blood from patients. We will go into more depth later. So naturally anyone who decides to enter this profession must be comfortable with blood and needles. And if you are not comfortable in hospitals or other Burnt Hills NY medical facilities, well this job probably is not right for you. And then there are the patients. Phlebotomy Techs tend to work with nervous people who don’t like needles or having their blood taken. And because many medical facilities are open around the clock, you may be required to work weekends, nights and, you guessed it even on holidays. But if you can handle the hours and the blood and needles, and if you enjoy helping people and are compassionate and very patient, this may be the right job for you.
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Phlebotomy Tech Career Description
A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy technician, collects blood samples from patients. While that is their principal task, there is actually far more to their job description. Prior to collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist needs to check that the tools being used are single use only and sterile. Following the collection, the sample must be properly labeled with the patient’s data. Next, paperwork has to be properly completed in order to track the sample from the time of collection through the laboratory testing procedure. The phlebotomist then delivers the blood to either an an outside lab facility or an in-house lab where it can be tested for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. Many phlebotomists in fact work in Burnt Hills NY laboratories and are in charge of making sure that samples are tested properly utilizing the highest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t enough duties, they might be called upon to instruct other phlebotomists in the collection, transport and follow-up process.
Where are Phlebotomy Techs Employed?
The simplest answer is wherever patients are treated. Their work environments are many and varied, such as Burnt Hills NY hospitals, medical clinics, long-term care facilities, or blood centers. They can be charged to draw blood samples from patients of all ages, from babies or young children to seniors. Some phlebotomy techs, based on their training and their practice, specialize in drawing samples from a particular type of patient. For example, those practicing in a nursing home or assisted living facility would only be drawing blood from older patients. If they are working in a maternity ward, they would be collecting blood from mothers and newborns exclusively. In contrast, phlebotomy technicians practicing in a general hospital setting would be drawing blood from a wide variety of patients and would collect samples from different patients on a daily basis.
Phlebotomy Education, Certification and Licensing
There are essentially 2 types of programs that offer phlebotomist training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program generally takes under a year to complete and offers a basic education along with the training on how to draw blood. It offers the quickest means to becoming a phlebotomy tech. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not exclusively a phlebotomist degree, will provide training to become a phlebotomy tech. Offered at community and junior colleges, they usually require 2 years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as accessible and as a four year program furnish a more extensive foundation in lab sciences. After you have completed your training, you will no doubt want to become certified. Although not required in most states, many Burnt Hills NY employers require certification prior to employing technicians. Some of the principal certifying organizations include:
- National Phlebotomy Association
- National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
- American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP)
- American Medical Technologists (AMT)
There are several states that do require certification in order to practice as a phlebotomy tech, such as Nevada and California. California and a handful of additional states even require licensing. So it’s imperative that you select a phlebotomist training program that not only provides a superior education, but also readies you for any licensing or certification examinations that you are required or elect to take.
Phlebotomist Online Certificates and Degrees
To begin with, let’s resolve one likely mistaken belief. You can’t get all of your phlebotomist training online. A substantial component of the curriculum will be clinical training and it will be carried out either in an approved healthcare facility or an on-campus lab. A large number of courses also require completion of an internship prior to graduation. However since the non-clinical portion of the training may be attended online, it might be a more convenient alternative for some Burnt Hills NY students. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs are less expensive than their traditional counterparts. And some expenses, for instance those for textbooks or commuting, may be reduced as well. Just confirm that the online phlebotomist program you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency (more on accreditation to follow). With both the comprehensive clinical and online training, you can obtain a premium education with this method of learning. If you are dedicated enough to learn at home, then attaining your degree or certificate online may be the best choice for you.
Topics to Ask Phlebotomy Schools
Now that you have a basic understanding about what it takes to become a phlebotomist, it’s time to initiate your due diligence process. You may have already decided on the kind of program you intend to enroll in, whether it be for a degree or a certificate. As we previously mentioned, the location of the campus is relevant if you will be commuting from Burnt Hills NY as well as the tuition expense. Possibly you have opted to enroll in an accredited phlebotomy online college. All of these decisions are a critical part of the procedure for choosing a phlebotomy program or school. But they are not the only considerations when arriving at your decision. Following are several questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your final decision.
Is the Phlebotomist Program State Specific? As mentioned previously, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomist. Some states require certification, while a few others mandate licensing. Every state has its own requirement regarding the minimum hours of clinical training completed prior to practicing as a phlebotomy tech. As a result, you might have to pass a State Board, licensing or certification examination. Therefore it’s extremely important to enroll in a phlebotomy program that fulfills the state specific requirements for New York or the state where you will be working and readies you for any examinations you may have to take.
Is the School Accredited? The phlebotomist program and school you select should be accredited by a recognized national or regional accrediting agency, such as the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are a number of advantages to graduating from an accredited school in addition to an assurance of a premium education. First, if your program is not accredited, you will not qualify to take a certification examination offered by any of the previously listed certifying organizations. Also, accreditation will help in getting loans or financial assistance, which are often not available for non-accredited colleges. Finally, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited school can make you more attractive to future employers in the Burnt Hills NY job market.
What is the College’s Reputation? In a number of states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomy colleges, so there are those that are not of the highest caliber. So along with accreditation, it’s imperative to check the reputations of any schools you are reviewing. You can begin by requesting references from the schools from employers where they place their students as part of their job placement program. You can screen online school rating and review services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. You can also check with a few Burnt Hills NY clinics or hospitals that you may have an interest in working for and see if they can provide any insights. As a closing thought, you can check with the New York school licensing authority and find out if any grievances have been submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
Is Enough Training Included? To begin with, check with the state regulator where you will be working to learn if there are any minimum requirements for the length of training, both clinical and classroom. At a minimum, any phlebotomy program that you are reviewing should provide no less than 40 hours of classroom training (most require 120) and 120 hours of practical training. Anything lower than these minimums might indicate that the program is not comprehensive enough to offer adequate training.
Are Internship Programs Included? Find out from the colleges you are considering if they have an internship program in partnership with local healthcare facilities. They are the ideal way to get hands-on clinical training frequently not provided on campus. As an added benefit, internships can assist students establish contacts within the local Burnt Hills NY healthcare community. And they are a plus on resumes also.
Is Job Placement Support Provided? Landing your first phlebotomy position will be much easier with the help of a job placement program. Find out if the colleges you are looking at offer assistance and what their job placement rate is. If a college has a high rate, meaning they place the majority of their students in positions, it’s an indication that the college has both an excellent reputation together with an extensive network of professional contacts within the Burnt Hills NY healthcare community.
Are Class Times Conveniently Scheduled? And last, it’s important to verify that the final program you choose provides classes at times that will accommodate your busy schedule. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while attending college. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Burnt Hills NY, make sure they are offered at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, confirm it is an option as well. And if you have decided to study online, with the clinical training requirement, make sure those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And find out what the make-up protocol is in case you need to miss any classes as a result of emergencies or illness.
4 Week Phlebotomy Training Burnt Hills NY
Evening Phlebotomy Technician Programs Near Me Burnt Hills New York
Making sure that you pick the right phlebotomy training is an essential first step toward your success in this rewarding health care field. As we have discussed in this article, there are multiple factors that contribute toward the selection of a superior school. Phlebotomist training programs are available in a variety of educational institutions, such as community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that offer a comprehensive array of courses in medical care and health sciences. Course offerings may vary somewhat across the country as each state has its own mandates when it concerns phlebotomist training, licensing and certification. The most important point is that you need to carefully research and compare each school prior to making your ultimate choice. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Evening Phlebotomy Technician Programs Near Me and to get more information regarding Part Time Phlebotomy Tech Colleges. However, by asking the questions that we have provided, you will be able to fine tune your choices so that you can select the right phlebotomy program for you. And with the proper education, you can realize your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Burnt Hills NY.
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Burnt Hills, New York
The hamlet derives its name from the fact that the area was burned over at the time the first settlers arrived. The records of the Burnt Hills Baptist Church extend back to 1791. The father of the notorious Tory spy in the Revolution, Joseph Bettys, was an early settler, and "Bettys Tavern" is located just north.[3]
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