How to Select the Right Phlebotomist Training Program near Stony Point New York
Choosing the ideal phlebotomist school near Stony Point NY is a critical initial step toward a rewarding profession as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a challenging task to analyze and compare all of the school alternatives that are accessible to you. However it’s important that you perform your due diligence to make sure that you obtain a superior education. In reality, many students begin the process by considering 2 of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are cost and location. Yet another factor you may consider is whether to attend online classes or commute to a local campus. We’ll talk a bit more about online classes later in this article. What you need to remember is that there is much more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than finding the closest or the cheapest one. Other variables such as reputation and accreditation are also significant considerations and should be part of your decision process as well. Toward that end, we will furnish a list of questions that you should ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are assessing 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 discussion about online schools.
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Should You Go to School to Become a Phlebotomy Tech?
First of all, few people probably know what a phlebotomist or phlebotomy technician is. The short definition 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 Stony Point NY medical facilities, well this job may not be right for you. And then there are the patients. Phlebotomists often work around nervous people who hate needles or having a blood sample taken. And because most health care facilities are open 24 hours, you will probably be expected to work weekends, nights and even on holidays. But if you don’t mind working with the blood and needles, and if you enjoy interacting with people and are patient and compassionate, this could be the right profession for you.
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Phlebotomist Career Description
A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, draws blood from patients. While that is their principal task, there is actually far more to their job description. Before drawing a blood sample, a phlebotomist needs to verify that the tools being employed are sterile and single use only. Following the collection, the sample needs to be correctly labeled with the patient’s data. Next, paperwork must be correctly filled out to be able to track the sample from the point of collection through the laboratory testing process. The phlebotomist then delivers the blood to either an an outside lab facility or an in-house lab where it may be screened for such things as infectious diseases, pregnancy or blood type. Many phlebotomists in fact work in Stony Point NY labs and are responsible for making sure that samples are tested properly utilizing the highest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient duties, they can be called upon to train other phlebotomists in the collection, delivery and follow-up process.
Where are Phlebotomists Employed?
The most basic answer is wherever they treat patients. Their workplaces are many and diverse, including Stony Point NY medical clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, or blood centers. They may be charged to collect blood samples from patients of all ages, from infants or toddlers to seniors. Some phlebotomy techs, based on their practice and their training, specialize in collecting samples from a particular kind of patient. For example, those working in a nursing home or assisted living facility would exclusively be collecting blood from older patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be collecting blood from newborns and mothers solely. On the other hand, phlebotomy technicians practicing in a general hospital environment would be drawing samples from a wide variety of patients and would collect samples from different patients every day.
Phlebotomy Training, Certification and Licensing
There are basically 2 types of programs that provide phlebotomy training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program typically takes less than a year to complete and provides a general education together with the training on how to draw blood. It offers the quickest means to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, even though it’s not specifically a phlebotomist degree, will provide training to become a phlebotomist. Available at junior and community colleges, they typically require two years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are less available and as a 4 year program provide a more comprehensive foundation in lab sciences. After you have finished your training, you will probably want to become certified. Although not mandated in the majority of states, most Stony Point NY employers require certification prior to employing technicians. A few 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 a few states that do require certification prior to practicing as a phlebotomist, such as California and Nevada. California and a handful of other states even require licensing. So it’s important that you choose a phlebotomist training program that not only offers a premium education, but also prepares you for any licensing or certification examinations that you elect or are required to take.
Online Phlebotomist Schools
To begin with, let’s resolve one likely mistaken belief. You can’t get all of your phlebotomy training online. A significant portion of the program of studies will be practical training and it will be conducted either in an approved healthcare facility or an on-campus lab. Many courses also require completing an internship prior to graduation. However since the non-clinical part of the training can be attended online, it might be a more convenient option for many Stony Point NY students. As an added benefit, many online classes are more affordable than their traditional competitors. And some expenditures, including those for textbooks or commuting, may be lowered also. Just make sure that the online phlebotomist college you choose is accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency (more on accreditation to follow). With both the comprehensive online and clinical training, you can receive a quality education with this means of learning. If you are dedicated enough to study at home, then earning your degree or certificate online might be the ideal choice for you.
Subjects to Ask Phlebotomist Colleges
Since you now have a basic understanding about what it takes to become a phlebotomist, it’s time to initiate your due diligence process. You might have already selected the type of program you intend to enroll in, whether it be for a degree or a certificate. As we mentioned earlier, the location of the campus is important if you will be commuting from Stony Point NY in addition to the cost of tuition. Possibly you have decided to enroll in an accredited phlebotomist online program. All of these decisions are an important part of the process for selecting a phlebotomy program or school. But they are not the only concerns when arriving at your decision. Following are several questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are considering prior to making your final decision.
Is the Phlebotomy Program Specific to New York? As mentioned previously, each state has its own regulations for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Several states call for certification, while some others mandate licensing. Every state has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum hours of clinical training performed prior to practicing as a phlebotomy tech. Consequently, you may have to pass a State Board, licensing or certification exam. Therefore it’s very important to enroll in a phlebotomy program that satisfies the state specific requirements for New York or the state where you will be working and readies you for all exams you may be required to take.
Is the School Accredited? The phlebotomist program and school you choose should be accredited by a reputable regional or national accrediting organization, such as the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are several benefits to graduating from an accredited program aside from a guarantee of a quality education. To begin with, if your program is not accredited, you will not qualify to take a certification exam offered by any of the earlier listed certifying organizations. Next, accreditation will help in securing loans or financial assistance, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Last, graduating from an accredited college can make you more attractive to prospective employers in the Stony Point NY job market.
What is the School’s Reputation? In many states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomist schools, so there are some that are not of the highest quality. So along with accreditation, it’s essential to investigate the reputations of any schools you are considering. You can start by requesting references from the schools from employers where they place their graduates as part of their job assistance program. You can screen internet school rating and review services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. You can even contact a few Stony Point 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 grievances have been submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
Is Enough Training Provided? To begin with, contact the state regulator where you will be practicing to learn if there are any minimum requirements for the length of training, both clinical and classroom. As a minimum, any phlebotomy program that you are reviewing should furnish no less than 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything below these minimums might indicate that the program is not expansive enough to offer sufficient training.
Are Internships Provided? Find out from the programs you are considering if they have an internship program in partnership with area medical facilities. They are the ideal way to receive hands-on clinical training often not provided on campus. As an added benefit, internships can help students establish relationships within the local Stony Point NY medical community. And they are a plus on resumes as well.
Is Job Placement Support Provided? Finding your first phlebotomy job will be much easier with the support of a job placement program. Find out if the programs you are looking at provide assistance and what their job placement rate is. If a college has a higher rate, signifying they place the majority of their students in positions, it’s an indication that the program has both a good reputation along with a large network of professional contacts within the Stony Point NY health care community.
Are Class Times Compatible With Your Schedule? Finally, it’s important to confirm that the final program you pick offers classes at times that are compatible with your hectic schedule. This is particularly true if you choose to continue working while going to school. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Stony Point NY, make sure they are available at those times. Also, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, confirm it is an option as well. Even if you have decided to attend online, with the practical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And find out what the make-up policy is should you need to miss any classes because of emergencies or illness.
Phlebotomy Certification Course Stony Point NY
Phlebotomy Degree Online Stony Point New York
Making sure that you pick the ideal phlebotomist training is a critical first step toward your success in this gratifying medical care career position. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that contribute toward the selection of a quality program. Phlebotomist certificate or degree programs are found in a number of academic institutes, including community or junior colleges, vocational schools, and colleges and universities that offer an extensive assortment of courses in medical care and health sciences. Course offerings can vary a bit from state to state as each state has its own criteria when it comes to phlebotomy training, licensing and certification. The most critical point is that you need to diligently screen and compare each college prior to making your ultimate decision. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Phlebotomy Degree Online and to get more information regarding Accredited Local Phlebotomy Courses. However, by addressing the questions that we have provided, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can select the right phlebotomist program for you. And with the proper education, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Stony Point NY.
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Stony Point, New York
Stony Point is a triangle-shaped town in Rockland County, New York, United States. It is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. The town is located north of the town of Haverstraw, east and south of Orange County, New York, and west of the Hudson River and Westchester County. The population was 15,059 at the 2010 census.[3] The name of the town is derived from a prominent projection into the Hudson River.
The town is in the northeast part of the county. U.S. Route 9W, U.S. Route 202, and the Palisades Interstate Parkway are major north-south routes through the town. Stony Point is included in the North Rockland Central School District. It is the most rural out of the 5 towns in Rockland County.
During the American Revolution, the King's Ferry in Stony Point linked New York and the southern colonies with New England; it was used many times by General George Washington's Continental Army, and in 1781 Washington's French allies used it on their way to the Battle of Yorktown.
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