How to Pick the Right Phlebotomy School near East Aurora New York

Enrolling in the ideal phlebotomy training near East Aurora NY is an important first step toward a rewarding career as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a daunting task to evaluate and compare each of the training options that are available to you. Nevertheless it’s important that you complete your due diligence to make sure that you get a quality education. In fact, most prospective students begin their search by considering two of the qualifiers that first come to mind, which are cost and location. An additional option you might consider 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 you need to keep in mind is that there is a lot more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than finding the closest or the cheapest one. Other factors such as accreditation and reputation are also important considerations and should 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 evaluating to help you pick the best one for you. But prior to doing that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and then resume our discussion about online training.

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Should You Go to School to Become a Phlebotomy Technician?

First of all, few people probably know what a phlebotomy tech or phlebotomist is. The short answer is a health care professional who draws blood from patients. We will provide more details later. So naturally anyone who chooses this profession must be OK around blood and needles. And if you are anxious in hospitals or other East Aurora NY medical facilities, well this job may not be right for you. And now let’s talk about the patients. Phlebotomy Technicians tend to work around anxious people who hate needles or having their blood drawn. And because many medical facilities are open around the clock, you will probably be expected to work weekends, nights and even on holidays. But if you don’t mind working with the needles and blood, and if you enjoy helping people and are compassionate and very patient, this may be the perfect job for you.

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Phlebotomist Job Description

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, collects blood samples from patients. Although that is their main duty, there is actually much more to their job description. Prior to collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist must confirm that the instruments being utilized are sterile and single use only. After collection, the sample must be accurately labeled with the patient’s data. Afterward, paperwork must be properly filled out in order to track the sample from the point of collection through the laboratory testing process. The phlebotomist then delivers the blood to either an in-house lab or to an outside lab facility where it may be screened for such things as infectious diseases, pregnancy or blood type. A number of phlebotomists in fact work in East Aurora NY labs and are in charge of making sure that samples are tested correctly under the highest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient duties, they might be called upon to instruct other phlebotomists in the collection, delivery and follow-up process.

Where do Phlebotomy Techs Work?

The quickest response is wherever they treat patients. Their work places are numerous and varied, such as East Aurora NY medical clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities, or blood banks. They can be tasked to collect blood samples from patients of all ages, from babies or toddlers to senior citizens. A number of phlebotomists, depending on their practice and their training, specialize in collecting blood from a certain type of patient. For instance, those working in a nursing home or assisted living facility would exclusively be collecting blood from senior patients. If they are working in a maternity ward, they would be collecting blood from mothers and newborns exclusively. In contrast, phlebotomy technicians working in a general hospital setting would be drawing blood from a wide variety of patients and would collect samples from new patients on a daily basis.

Phlebotomy Technician Training, Certification and Licensing

There are essentially two kinds of programs that furnish phlebotomy training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program generally takes under a year to complete and provides a general education along with the training on how to draw blood. It provides the quickest route to becoming a phlebotomy tech. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not exclusively a phlebotomist degree, will provide training on becoming a phlebotomist. Available at community and junior colleges, they typically require two years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are less accessible and as a four year program provide a more expansive background in lab sciences. When you have completed your training, you will probably want to be certified. While not required in most states, many East Aurora NY employers look for certification before employing technicians. A few of the primary certifying organizations include:

• National Phlebotomy Association
• National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
• American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP)
• American Medical Technologists (AMT)

There are some states that do call for certification prior to practicing as a phlebotomist, including California and Nevada. California and a handful of other states even require licensing. So it’s essential that you enroll in a phlebotomy training program that not only furnishes a superior education, but also prepares you for any certification or licensing examinations that you elect or are required to take.

Phlebotomist Online Classes

First, let’s resolve one potential misconception. You can’t get all of your phlebotomist training online. A good part of the course of study will be clinical training and it will be conducted either in an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility. Many courses also require completion of an internship in order to graduate. However since the non-clinical component of the training may be accessed online, it might be a more convenient alternative for some East Aurora NY students. As an added benefit, many online programs are more affordable than their on-campus competitors. And some expenses, including those for commuting or textbooks, may be lowered also. Just confirm that the online phlebotomy school you choose is accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization (more on accreditation later). With both the comprehensive clinical and online training, you can obtain a quality education with this means of learning. If you are disciplined enough to study at home, then earning your degree or certificate online may be the best option for you.

What to Ask Phlebotomy Programs

Since you now have a basic understanding about what it takes to become a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to begin your due diligence process. You might have already chosen the kind of program you want to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we previously mentioned, the location of the campus is relevant if you will be commuting from East Aurora NY in addition to the cost of tuition. Maybe you have opted to enroll in an accredited online phlebotomy college. Each of these decisions are an important part of the procedure for selecting a phlebotomy school or program. But they are not the sole concerns when arriving at your decision. Below we have provided a few questions that you should ask about each of the colleges you are looking at prior to making your final decision.

Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to New York? As earlier discussed, each state has its own laws for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Several states call for certification, while a few others mandate licensing. Each has its own requirement regarding the minimum hours of clinical training completed prior to working as a phlebotomy tech. As a result, you may have to pass a State Board, certification or licensing exam. Therefore it’s very important to choose a phlebotomy program that fulfills the state specific requirements for New York or the state where you will be practicing and prepares you for any exams you may have to take.

Is the College Accredited? The phlebotomist program and school you pick should be accredited by a recognized regional or national accrediting organization, such as the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are several advantages to graduating from an accredited program aside from an assurance of a quality education. To begin with, if your program has not received accreditation, you will not qualify to take a certification exam administered by any of the previously listed certifying agencies. Next, accreditation will help in securing loans or financial assistance, which are typically unavailable for non-accredited programs. Last, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited school can make you more desirable to potential employers in the East Aurora NY job market.

What is the College’s Ranking? In many states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomist schools, so there are those that are not of the highest caliber. So along with accreditation, it’s essential to investigate the reputations of any schools you are considering. You can begin by requesting references from the schools from employers where they place their graduates as part of their job placement program. You can research online school reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. You can also check with a few East Aurora NY clinics or hospitals that you may be interested in working for and ask 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 submitted or if the colleges are in full compliance.

Is Enough Training Provided? First, contact the state regulator where you will be practicing to learn if there are any minimum requirements for the amount of training, both classroom and practical. As a minimum, any phlebotomy program that you are reviewing should furnish no less than 40 hours of classroom training (most require 120) and 120 hours of practical training. Anything less than these minimums may signify that the program is not expansive enough to offer sufficient training.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask the schools you are considering if they have an internship program in collaboration with regional healthcare facilities. They are the ideal means to receive hands-on clinical training often not obtainable on campus. As an additional benefit, internships can help students develop relationships within the local East Aurora NY medical community. And they look good on resumes as well.

Is Job Placement Support Available? Landing your first phlebotomist position will be a lot easier with the support of a job placement program. Find out if the schools you are considering offer assistance and what their job placement rate is. If a school has a higher rate, meaning they place the majority of their students in jobs, it’s an indication that the program has both a good reputation along with a large network of professional contacts within the East Aurora NY medical community.

Are Classes Conveniently Scheduled? Finally, it’s critical to make sure that the final school you select offers classes at times that will accommodate your hectic lifestyle. This is particularly important if you opt to still work while attending school. If you can only attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near East Aurora NY, make sure they are available at those times. Also, if you can only attend part-time, verify it is an option as well. And if you have decided to attend online, with the clinical training requirement, make sure those hours can also be fulfilled within your schedule. And ask what the make-up protocol is in case you need to miss any classes as a result of emergencies or illness.

Phlebotomy Online East Aurora NY

Part Time Phlebotomy Tech Courses East Aurora New York

Making sure that you choose the right phlebotomist training is an important first step toward your success in this rewarding healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, there are multiple factors that contribute toward the selection of a superior program. Phlebotomy certificate or degree programs are offered in a wide range of academic institutions, including community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide an extensive assortment of programs in medical care and health sciences. Training program options can vary a bit from state to state as each state has its own requirements when it pertains to phlebotomist training, licensing and certification. The most important point is that you must carefully screen and compare each school before making your final choice. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Part Time Phlebotomy Tech Courses and to get more information regarding Low Cost Phlebotomy Schools Near Me.  However, by asking the questions that we have furnished, you will be able to fine tune your options so that you can select the right phlebotomist program for you. And with the proper training, you can achieve your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in East Aurora NY.

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