How to Enroll in the Right Phlebotomy School near South Ozone Park New York

Picking the right phlebotomy training near South Ozone Park NY is a critical first step toward a fulfilling career as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a daunting task to analyze and compare each of the school alternatives that are accessible to you. However it’s vital that you complete your due diligence to make certain that you get a quality education. In fact, most prospective students begin their search by considering 2 of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are cost and location. Yet another option you may consider is whether to attend classes online or commute to a local campus. We’ll talk more about online schools later in this article. What you need to remember is that there is much more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than locating the closest or the cheapest one. Other variables such as reputation and accreditation are also important considerations and must be part of your decision process as well. Toward that end, we will provide a list of questions that you should ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are evaluating to help you choose the best one for you. But before we do that, let’s address what a phlebotomist is and does, and then continue our discussion about online classes.

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Should You Choose a Career as a Phlebotomy Tech?

First of all, few people are likely to know what a phlebotomy tech or phlebotomist is. The basic answer is a health care professional whose job is to draw blood. We will go into more depth later. So naturally anyone who chooses this profession must be OK around needles and blood. And if you are not comfortable in hospitals or other South Ozone Park NY medical facilities, well this job probably is not the best choice for you. And then there are the patients. Phlebotomy Techs tend to work around anxious people who don’t like needles or having a blood sample drawn. And because many medical facilities are open 24 hours, 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 patient and compassionate, this may be the right job for you.

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Phlebotomy Technician Job Summary

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy technician, draws blood from patients. Although that is their principal task, there is actually far more to their job description. Before drawing a blood sample, a phlebotomist must verify that the tools being used are sterile and single use only. Following the collection, the sample needs to be accurately labeled with the patient’s data. Afterward, paperwork needs to be properly filled out in order to track the sample from the time 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 may be tested for such things as infectious diseases, pregnancy or blood type. A number of phlebotomists actually work in South Ozone Park NY laboratories and are accountable for ensuring that samples are analyzed properly utilizing the strictest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient responsibilities, they might be required to instruct other phlebotomists in the collection, transport and follow-up process.

Where do Phlebotomy Techs Work?

The easiest answer is wherever they treat patients. Their workplaces are many and varied, including South Ozone Park NY medical clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, or blood banks. They can be assigned to draw 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 blood from a certain type of patient. For instance, those practicing in a nursing home or assisted living facility would exclusively be drawing blood from older patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be drawing blood from mothers and newborns solely. On the other hand, phlebotomists practicing in a general hospital setting would be collecting blood from a wide range of patients and would work with new patients every day.

Phlebotomy Education, Licensing and Certification

There are basically two kinds of programs that furnish phlebotomist training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program generally takes under a year to finish and furnishes a general education along with the training on how to draw blood. It offers the quickest method to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not exclusively a phlebotomist degree, will include training on becoming a phlebotomist. Offered at junior and community colleges, they normally require 2 years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are less available and as a 4 year program furnish a more expansive background in lab sciences. After you have finished your training, you will probably want to get certified. While not mandated in the majority of states, many South Ozone Park NY employers require certification before employing technicians. Some 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 several states that do require certification in order to practice as a phlebotomist, like Nevada and California. California and a few additional states even require licensing. So it’s essential that you select a phlebotomy training program that not only supplies a superior education, but also readies you for any certification or licensing examinations that you are required or elect to take.

Phlebotomy Online Colleges

First, let’s resolve one likely misconception. You can’t obtain all of your phlebotomy training online. A good component of the course of study will be clinical training and it will be conducted either in an approved healthcare facility or an on-campus lab. Many courses also require completion of an internship in order to graduate. But since the non-clinical portion of the training may be accessed online, it could be a more practical alternative for some South Ozone Park NY students. As an added benefit, some online programs are less expensive than their on-campus competitors. 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 organization (more on accreditation to follow). With both the comprehensive online and clinical training, you can obtain a superior education with this approach to learning. If you are dedicated enough to learn at home, then attaining your degree or certificate online may be the best choice for you.

Subjects to Ask Phlebotomy Programs

Since you now have a basic idea about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to begin your due diligence process. You might have already selected the kind of program you wish to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we mentioned earlier, the location of the campus is significant if you will be commuting from South Ozone Park NY as well as the cost of tuition. Maybe you have opted to enroll in an accredited phlebotomist online college. All of these decisions are an important component of the process for choosing a phlebotomy school or program. But they are not the only considerations when making your decision. Below we have provided a few questions that you should ask about all of the colleges you are considering before making your final decision.

Is the Phlebotomy Program Specific to New York? As previously mentioned, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomist. Several states call for certification, while a few others mandate licensing. Every state has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum hours of practical training completed before working as a phlebotomist. Consequently, you might need to pass a State Board, certification or licensing exam. Therefore it’s extremely important to select a phlebotomy program that complies with the state specific requirements for New York or the state where you will be working and prepares you for any exams you may be required to take.

Is the College Accredited? The phlebotomy school and program you choose should be accredited by a highly regarded national or regional accrediting organization, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are a number of advantages to graduating from an accredited program in addition to a guarantee of a superior education. First, if your program is not accredited, you will not qualify to sit for a certification exam offered by any of the previously listed certifying agencies. Next, accreditation will help in obtaining financial aid or loans, which are typically unavailable for non-accredited colleges. Last, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited school can make you more attractive to potential employers in the South Ozone Park NY job market.

What is the College’s Ranking? In a number of states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomy schools, so there are some that are not of the highest quality. So in addition to accreditation, it’s important to check out the reputations of any colleges you are reviewing. You can begin by asking the schools for references from employers where they place their graduates as part of their job placement program. You can screen online school reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. You can also talk to several South Ozone Park NY clinics or hospitals that you might be interested in working for and see if they can offer any insights. As a final 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 Adequate Training Included? First, contact the state regulator where you will be practicing to find out if there are any minimum requirements for the amount of training, both classroom and practical. At a minimum, any phlebotomy program that you are considering should provide no less than 40 hours of classroom training (most require 120) and 120 hours of practical training. Anything less than these minimums might indicate that the program is not comprehensive enough to furnish sufficient training.

Are Internship Programs Included? Ask the colleges you are looking at if they have an internship program in partnership with local healthcare facilities. They are the ideal means to get hands-on clinical training often not available on campus. As an added benefit, internships can help students establish contacts within the local South Ozone Park NY health care community. And they look good on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Finding your first phlebotomy job will be much easier with the assistance of a job placement program. Find out if the programs you are looking at provide assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a college has a high rate, meaning they place the majority of their students in positions, it’s an indication that the school has both an excellent reputation as well as a large network of professional contacts within the South Ozone Park NY health care community.

Are Class Times Offered to Fit Your Schedule? And last, it’s crucial to make sure that the final program you choose offers classes at times that are compatible with your active lifestyle. This is particularly true if you choose to continue working while going to college. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near South Ozone Park NY, make certain they are available at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend part-time, make sure it is an option also. And if you have decided to attend online, with the practical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And ask what the make-up protocol is in case you have to miss any classes as a result of illness or emergencies.

Phlebotomy Training Cost South Ozone Park NY

Blood Taking Courses South Ozone Park New York

Making sure that you pick the right phlebotomist training is an important first step toward your success in this gratifying healthcare career position. As we have covered in this article, there are several factors that contribute toward the selection of a superior school. Phlebotomist training programs are found in a variety of educational institutes, including community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide a comprehensive assortment of programs in medical care and health sciences. Training program offerings can vary slightly across the country as every state has its own prerequisites when it concerns phlebotomist training, licensing and certification. The most important point is that you need to thoroughly research and compare each program before making your final decision. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Blood Taking Courses and to get more information regarding Phlebotomist Technician Training.  However, by addressing the questions that we have presented, you will be able to fine tune your options so that you can pick the ideal phlebotomy school for you. And with the appropriate training, you can achieve your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in South Ozone Park NY.

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