How to Choose the Best Phlebotomist Training Classes near Elon College North Carolina
Choosing the right phlebotomy technician school near Elon College NC is a critical first step toward a rewarding career as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a difficult task to investigate and compare each of the school alternatives that are available to you. However it’s important that you complete your due diligence to make sure that you obtain a quality education. In fact, most prospective students begin the process by considering two of the qualifiers that first come to mind, which are cost and location. An additional factor you may look into is whether to attend classes online or commute to a nearby campus. We’ll talk more about online classes later in this article. What’s important to remember is that there is much more to checking out phlebotomy training programs than finding the closest or the cheapest one. Other variables such as reputation and accreditation are also significant considerations and must be part of your selection process too. 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 select the ideal one for you. But prior to doing that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and afterwards resume our discussion about online classes.
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Should You Go to School to Become a Phlebotomy Tech?
First of all, few people are likely to know what a phlebotomist or phlebotomy technician is. The short answer is a health care professional who draws blood from patients. We will go into more depth later. So naturally anyone who chooses this profession must be comfortable with blood and needles. And if you are anxious in hospitals or other Elon College NC medical facilities, well this profession may not be the best choice for you. And now let’s talk about the patients. Phlebotomy Techs often work with nervous people who don’t like needles or having their blood taken. And because most health care facilities are open around the clock, you will probably be expected to work weekends, evenings and even on holidays. But if you don’t mind working with 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 Tech Job Description
A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy technician, draws blood from patients. Although that is their main function, there is in fact far more to their job description. Prior to collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist must confirm that the tools being employed are sterile and single use only. Following the collection, the sample needs to be accurately labeled with the patient’s information. Next, paperwork needs to be properly filled out to be able to track the sample from the time of collection through the lab testing procedure. 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 pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. Some phlebotomists actually work in Elon College NC labs and are responsible for ensuring that samples are analyzed properly utilizing the strictest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient duties, they can be asked to train other phlebotomists in the drawing, transport and follow-up process.
Where are Phlebotomy Techs Employed?
The most basic response is wherever they treat patients. Their work environments are many and diverse, such as Elon College NC medical clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities, or blood banks. They may be assigned to collect blood samples from patients of all ages, from babies or young children to senior citizens. A number of phlebotomists, depending on their practice and their training, specialize in collecting samples from a particular type of patient. For example, those working in a nursing home or assisted living facility would only be collecting blood from older patients. If they are working in a maternity ward, they would be collecting blood from mothers and newborns solely. On the other hand, phlebotomists practicing in a general hospital environment would be collecting samples from a wide range of patients and would collect samples from different patients each day.
Phlebotomist Education, Certification and Licensing
There are basically 2 kinds of programs that furnish phlebotomy training, which are degree and certificate programs. The certificate program typically takes less than a year to finish and offers a general education along 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, although not exclusively a phlebotomy degree, will include training on becoming a phlebotomist. Offered at community and junior colleges, they normally take two years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as available and as a 4 year program offer a more comprehensive background in lab sciences. When you have completed your training, you will no doubt want to get certified. While not required in most states, a number of Elon College NC employers require certification prior to hiring technicians. Some of the primary 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 call for certification prior to practicing as a phlebotomist, like Nevada and California. California and a few additional states even require licensing. So it’s imperative that you enroll in a phlebotomy training program that not only offers a quality education, but also readies you for any certification or licensing examinations that you elect or are required to take.
Phlebotomist Online Training
To begin with, let’s dispel one potential misconception. You can’t obtain all of your phlebotomist training online. A substantial 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. A large number of courses also require completion of an internship in order to graduate. However since the non-clinical part of the training can be accessed online, it could be a more convenient option for some Elon College NC students. As an added benefit, some online classes are less expensive than their traditional competitors. And some costs, such as those for commuting or textbooks, may be lowered also. Just verify that the online phlebotomist school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization (more on accreditation later). With both the comprehensive online and clinical training, you can receive a premium education with this means of learning. If you are dedicated enough to learn at home, then obtaining your degree or certificate online might be the right option for you.
What to Ask Phlebotomy Schools
Since you now have a general understanding about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to initiate your due diligence process. You may have already picked 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 college is important if you will be commuting from Elon College NC as well as the tuition expense. Possibly you have decided to enroll in an accredited phlebotomist online program. Each of these decisions are an important component of the process for picking a phlebotomy program or school. 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 looking at before making your ultimate decision.
Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to North Carolina? As mentioned previously, each state has its own laws for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Some states require certification, while a few others mandate licensing. Each has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum amount of clinical training performed prior to working as a phlebotomy tech. As a result, you may have to pass a State Board, certification or licensing examination. Therefore it’s extremely important to enroll in a phlebotomy program that complies with the state specific requirements for North Carolina or the state where you will be practicing and prepares you for any exams you may be required to take.
Is the Program Accredited? The phlebotomist school and program you choose should be accredited by a respected regional or national accrediting organization, such as the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are many advantages to graduating from an accredited school aside from a guarantee of a superior education. To begin with, if your program has not received accreditation, you will not qualify to sit for a certification exam offered by any of the previously listed certifying agencies. Also, accreditation will help in getting loans or financial assistance, which are typically unavailable for non-accredited schools. Last, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited college can make you more attractive to future employers in the Elon College NC job market.
What is the Program’s Reputation? In numerous states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomist schools, so there are those that are not of the highest quality. So along with accreditation, it’s important to investigate the reputations of any schools you are looking at. You can start by requesting references from the schools from employers where they place their students as part of their job placement program. You can screen internet school reviews and rating services and solicit the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. You can even talk to some Elon College NC hospitals or clinics that you may be interested in working for and see if they can offer any insights. As a closing thought, you can contact the North Carolina school licensing authority and ask if any complaints have been filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
Is Sufficient Training Provided? First, contact the state regulator where you will be working to learn if there are any minimum requirements for the length of training, both classroom and practical. At a minimum, any phlebotomy program that you are looking at 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 signify that the program is not expansive enough to provide sufficient training.
Are Internship Programs Included? Find out from the programs you are looking at if they have an internship program in collaboration with area medical facilities. They are the optimal way to get hands-on practical training often not obtainable on campus. As an added benefit, internships can help students establish contacts within the local Elon College NC healthcare community. And they look good on resumes as well.
Is Job Placement Help Provided? Finding your first phlebotomist job will be much easier with the support of a job placement program. Inquire if the colleges you are looking at provide assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a college has a high rate, signifying they place most of their students in jobs, it’s an indication that the college has both an excellent reputation along with a large network of professional contacts within the Elon College NC medical community.
Are Class Times Available as Needed? Finally, it’s crucial to make sure that the final college you select provides classes at times that will accommodate your active schedule. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Elon College NC, make certain they are offered at those times. Also, if you can only attend part-time, verify it is an option as well. Even if you have decided to attend online, with the practical training requirement, make sure those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And ask what the make-up policy is should you need to miss any classes as a result of illness or emergencies.
Colleges That Offer Phlebotomy Program Elon College NC
How Do I Become A Phlebotomist Elon College North Carolina
Making sure that you pick the most suitable phlebotomy training is a critical first step toward your success in this gratifying health care field. As we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that contribute toward the selection of a superior college. Phlebotomist training programs are found in a wide range of academic institutions, including junior or community colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide a wide range of programs in healthcare and medical sciences. Course options can vary slightly from state to state as every state has its own criteria when it concerns phlebotomy training, certification and licensing. The most critical point is that you need to thoroughly evaluate and compare each college before making your final choice. You originally came to this website due to an interest in How Do I Become A Phlebotomist and to get more information regarding Phlebotomy Training Near Me. However, by addressing the questions that we have provided, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can select the best phlebotomist college for you. And with the appropriate education, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Elon College NC.
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Elon, North Carolina
Elon /ˈiːlɔːn/ (formerly known as Elon College) is a town in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population as of the 2010 census was 9,419.[2] The town of Elon is home to Elon University.
Elon began in 1881 as a North Carolina Railroad depot in between the stations of Goldsboro and Charlotte, called "Mill Point” because it was envisioned to be a shipping point for area cotton mills. Locals called it “Boon’s Crossing.” Because of a growing population, a post office was built, which established a more permanent residency in 1888.[3]
In 1889, the local Christian Assembly created an institution for higher learning called the “Graham Normal College”. The founders of Elon College named the school “Elon,” because they understood that to be the Hebrew word for oak, and the area contained many oak trees.[3] The town was called "Elon College" until the college known as Elon College became Elon University. The town then changed its name officially to Elon.
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