How to Select the Right Phlebotomist Training Program near Dansville New York
Enrolling in the ideal phlebotomist school near Dansville NY is an important initial step toward a rewarding career as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a challenging task to analyze and compare each of the school alternatives that are available to you. Nevertheless it’s vital that you do your due diligence to make sure that you receive a quality education. In reality, a large number of prospective students begin their search by looking at two of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are cost and location. Another option you might look into is whether to attend classes online or commute to an area campus. We’ll discuss a bit more about online classes later in this article. What’s important to remember is that there is much more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than finding the cheapest or the closest one. Other factors including accreditation and reputation are also important considerations and should be part of your decision process too. Toward that end, we will furnish a list of questions that you should ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are evaluating to help you choose the right one for you. But before we do that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and then resume our conversation about online schools.
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Should You Go to School to Become a Plebotomist?
Right out of the gate, not many people probably know what a phlebotomy tech or phlebotomist is. The short answer is a health care professional whose job is to draw blood. We will provide more details later. So naturally anyone who selects this profession must be comfortable with blood and needles. And if you are nervous in hospitals or other Dansville NY medical facilities, well this profession may not be the best choice for you. And then there are the patients. Phlebotomists routinely work around anxious people who don’t like needles or having their blood taken. And because many medical facilities are open 24 hours, you may be expected to work weekends, evenings and even on holidays. But if you don’t mind working with the needles and blood, and if you enjoy interacting with people and are compassionate and very patient, this may be the perfect profession for you.
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Phlebotomy Technician Job Description
A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy technician, collects blood samples from patients. Although that is their principal task, there is actually much more to their job description. Prior to collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist has to confirm that the instruments being used are single use only and sterile. Following the collection, the sample has to be correctly labeled with the patient’s data. Afterward, paperwork has to be properly filled out in order to track the sample from the point of collection through the lab 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. A number of phlebotomists in fact work in Dansville NY labs and are responsible for making certain that samples are analyzed correctly under the strictest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient duties, they can be called upon to instruct other phlebotomists in the collection, transport and follow-up process.
Where do Phlebotomists Work?
The easiest answer is wherever they treat patients. Their work places are many and varied, including Dansville NY medical clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, or blood centers. They can be assigned to collect blood samples from patients of all ages, from infants or young children to senior citizens. Some phlebotomy techs, depending on their practice and their training, specialize in collecting samples from a specific type of patient. For example, those practicing in an assisted living facility or nursing home would exclusively be drawing blood from elderly patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be drawing blood from mothers and newborns solely. On the other hand, phlebotomists working in a general hospital environment would be drawing blood from a wide variety of patients and would collect samples from different patients on a daily basis.
Phlebotomy Training, Certification and Licensing
There are basically two kinds of programs that furnish phlebotomy training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program typically takes less than a year to complete and provides a basic education as well as the training on how to draw blood. It provides the quickest means to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not specifically a phlebotomist degree, will include training on becoming a phlebotomist. Offered at junior and community colleges, they normally take 2 years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are less accessible and as a four year program provide a more extensive background in lab sciences. After you have completed your training, you will probably want to become certified. Although not required in the majority of states, most Dansville NY employers require certification prior to hiring technicians. A few of the principal certifying agencies include:
- National Phlebotomy Association
- National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
- American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP)
- American Medical Technologists (AMT)
There are some states that do require certification prior to practicing as a phlebotomy tech, including California and Nevada. California and a few other states even require licensing. So it’s imperative that you pick a phlebotomy training program that not only supplies a superior education, but also preps you for any certification or licensing exams that you are required or elect to take.
Online Phlebotomist Schools
To begin with, let’s resolve one potential misconception. You can’t obtain all of your phlebotomist training online. A good portion of the course of study will be practical training and it will be performed either in an approved healthcare facility or an on-campus lab. Many courses also require completion of an internship prior to graduation. But since the non-practical part of the training may be attended online, it can be a more convenient option for many Dansville NY students. As an added benefit, many online classes are less expensive than their traditional counterparts. And some costs, for instance those for commuting or textbooks, may be lowered as well. Just verify that the online phlebotomy college you select is accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization (more on accreditation later). With both the comprehensive online and clinical training, you can receive a superior education with this method of learning. If you are disciplined enough to study at home, then earning your degree or certificate online may be the right choice for you.
Topics to Ask Phlebotomist Programs
Since you now have a basic understanding about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomist, it’s time to initiate your due diligence process. You might have already selected the kind of program you wish to enroll in, whether it be for a degree or a certificate. As we mentioned earlier, the location of the school is significant if you will be commuting from Dansville NY in addition to the tuition expense. Possibly you have opted to enroll in an accredited online phlebotomist college. All of these decisions are a critical component of the process for choosing a phlebotomy program or school. But they are not the sole considerations when arriving at your decision. Following are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are reviewing before making your ultimate decision.
Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to Your State? As previously mentioned, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Some states call for certification, while a few others require licensing. Each has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum amount of practical training performed prior to practicing as a phlebotomy tech. As a result, you might need to pass a State Board, licensing or certification exam. Therefore it’s extremely important to choose a phlebotomy program that fulfills the state specific requirements for New York or the state where you will be working and readies you for all examinations you may be required to take.
Is the School Accredited? The phlebotomist school and program you enroll in should be accredited by a recognized national or regional accrediting organization, such as the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are many benefits to graduating from an accredited school aside from an assurance of a superior education. To begin with, if your program has not received accreditation, you will not be able to take a certification exam administered by any of the previously listed certifying organizations. Also, accreditation will help in obtaining financial aid or loans, which are typically not available for non-accredited schools. Finally, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited school can make you more attractive to prospective employers in the Dansville NY job market.
What is the Program’s Reputation? In numerous states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomy schools, so there are those that are not of the highest quality. So in addition to accreditation, it’s important to check out the reputations of any schools you are reviewing. You can start by requesting references from the schools from employers where they refer their graduates as part of their job assistance program. You can screen internet school rating and review services and solicit the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. You can even check with a few Dansville NY hospitals or clinics that you might be interested in working for and find out if they can provide any recommendations. As a closing thought, you can check with the New York school licensing authority and find out if any complaints have been filed or if the colleges are in total compliance.
Is Adequate Training Included? To begin with, check with the state regulator where you will be working to find out if there are any minimum requirements for the amount of training, both clinical and classroom. At a minimum, any phlebotomist 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 may signify that the program is not expansive enough to provide adequate training.
Are Internships Provided? Find out from the colleges you are considering if they have an internship program in collaboration with area healthcare facilities. They are the ideal way to obtain hands-on clinical training often not obtainable on campus. As an added benefit, internships can assist students develop contacts within the local Dansville NY health care community. And they are a plus on resumes as well.
Is Job Placement Support Provided? Finding your first phlebotomy position will be much easier with the support of a job placement program. Find out if the schools you are looking at offer assistance and what their job placement rate is. If a college has a higher rate, meaning they place most of their students in jobs, it’s an indication that the school has both a good reputation along with a large network of professional contacts within the Dansville NY health care community.
Are Class Times Conveniently Scheduled? Finally, it’s important to confirm that the final school you select offers classes at times that are compatible with your hectic schedule. This is particularly true if you decide to continue working while going to school. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Dansville NY, make certain they are offered at those times. Also, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure it is an option also. Even if you have decided to attend online, with the practical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be fulfilled within your schedule. And ask what the make-up protocol is should you need to miss any classes because of illness or emergencies.
Phlebotomy Programs Near Me Dansville NY
Part Time Drawing Blood Courses Dansville New York
Making sure that you enroll in the ideal phlebotomist training is an essential first step toward your success in this rewarding health care field. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that contribute toward the selection of a quality program. Phlebotomist certificate or degree programs can be found in a wide range of academic institutions, such as junior or community colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide a comprehensive assortment of courses in medical care and health sciences. Course offerings may vary slightly from state to state as every state has its own prerequisites when it pertains to phlebotomy training, certification and licensing. The most critical point is that you need to diligently research and compare each school prior to making your final decision. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Part Time Drawing Blood Courses and to get more information regarding Affordable Phlebotomy Tech Schools Near Me. However, by addressing the questions that we have presented, you will be able to fine tune your choices so that you can select the best phlebotomy college for you. And with the proper education, you can achieve your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Dansville NY.
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Dansville, Livingston County, New York
Dansville is a village in the town of North Dansville, with a small northern part in the town of Sparta in Livingston County, in western New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the village population was 4,719.[2] The village is named after Daniel Faulkner, an early European-American settler.[3]Interstate 390 passes next to the west side of the village.
Daniel Faulkner founded the village in 1795. This was land ceded by the Iroquois tribes to the United States after the Revolutionary War, as four of the tribes had been allies of the defeated British forces. When Livingston County was created, the village was included in the town of Sparta. Dansville became an incorporated village in 1845.
The Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad opened its mainline between Binghamton and Buffalo, high above Dansville, on September 17, 1882. The "Dansville Hill" was an impediment to heavy eastbound trains for 81 years, until the mainline was abandoned by the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad between Groveland and Wayland in late 1963. A portion of the right-of-way is now used as an access road to a cellphone tower, with has views looking westward down to Dansville and its surrounding area.
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