How to Pick the Best Phlebotomist Training Program near Garner North Carolina

Selecting the ideal phlebotomy school near Garner NC is an important initial step toward a gratifying profession as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a difficult task to analyze and compare each of the school options that are accessible to you. However it’s vital that you perform your due diligence to make certain that you get a quality education. In reality, a large number of potential students start their search by looking at two of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are location and cost. An additional factor you may look into is whether to attend online classes or commute to a nearby campus. We’ll discuss more about online classes later in this article. What’s important to remember is that there is far more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than finding the cheapest or the closest one. Other factors including reputation and accreditation are also important considerations and need to 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 pick the best one for you. But prior to doing that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and then continue our conversation about online classes.

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Should You Go to School to Become a Plebotomist?

Right out of the gate, few people probably know what a phlebotomist or phlebotomy technician is. The short answer is a medical professional whose job is to draw blood. We will provide more details later. So naturally anyone who selects this profession must be OK around blood and needles. And if you are anxious in hospitals or other Garner NC medical facilities, well this job may not be right for you. And now let’s talk about the patients. Phlebotomy Technicians routinely work with anxious 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 required to work weekends, nights and, you guessed it even on holidays. But if you can handle the hours and the needles and blood, and if you enjoy interacting with people and are compassionate and very patient, this could be the right job for you.

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Phlebotomist Work Description

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, draws blood from patients. Although that is their principal function, there is in fact so much more to their job description. Prior to collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist needs to check that the tools being used are sterile and single use only. Following the collection, the sample must be correctly labeled with the patient’s information. Next, paperwork must be accurately filled out to be able to track the sample from the point of collection through the lab screening procedure. The phlebotomist then transports 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. Some phlebotomists actually work in Garner NC laboratories and are accountable for ensuring that samples are analyzed correctly under the strictest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t enough duties, they can be required to train other phlebotomists in the drawing, transport and follow-up process.

Where do Phlebotomists Work?

The easiest response is wherever there are patients. Their work environments are many and varied, including Garner NC hospitals, medical clinics, long-term care facilities, or blood centers. They may be charged to collect blood samples from patients of of every age, from babies or young children to seniors. A number of phlebotomists, depending on their training and their practice, specialize in drawing samples from a certain type of patient. For instance, those practicing in a nursing home or assisted living facility would only be drawing blood from senior patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be collecting blood from newborns and mothers exclusively. In contrast, phlebotomists practicing in a general hospital environment would be drawing samples from a wide variety of patients and would work with new patients every day.

Phlebotomist Training, Certification and Licensing

There are essentially two kinds of programs that provide phlebotomy training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program generally takes under a year to complete and offers a general education together with the training on how to draw blood. It provides the quickest method to becoming a phlebotomy tech. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not exclusively a phlebotomist degree, will incorporate training on becoming a phlebotomy tech. Offered at community and junior colleges, they normally require 2 years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as accessible and as a four year program offer a more comprehensive foundation in lab sciences. When you have finished your training, you will probably want to be certified. Although not required in most states, many Garner NC employers require certification before employing technicians. Some 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 a few states that do require certification prior to practicing as a phlebotomist, including Nevada and California. California and a few other states even require licensing. So it’s imperative that you choose a phlebotomist training program that not only provides a quality education, but also preps you for any certification or licensing exams that you elect or are required to take.

Phlebotomy Online Schools

First, let’s dispel 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 on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility. A large number of courses also require completing an internship prior to graduation. However since the non-clinical component of the training can be attended online, it may be a more practical option for some Garner NC students. As an added benefit, a number of online colleges are more affordable than their on-campus counterparts. And some expenditures, such as those for commuting or textbooks, may be lessened also. Just confirm that the online phlebotomist program you select is accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization (more on accreditation later). With both the extensive online and clinical training, you can obtain a superior education with this approach to learning. If you are disciplined enough to study at home, then earning your certificate or degree online might be the ideal choice for you.

Subjects to Ask Phlebotomist Schools

Since you now have a basic idea about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomist, it’s time to begin your due diligence process. You might have already picked the kind of program you intend to enroll in, whether it be for a degree or a certificate. As we mentioned earlier, the location of the school is important if you will be commuting from Garner NC in addition to the tuition expense. Possibly you have decided to enroll in an accredited phlebotomy online college. All of these decisions are an important component of the procedure for picking a phlebotomy program or school. But they are not the only concerns when arriving at your decision. Below we have provided several questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are reviewing before making your ultimate decision.

Is the Phlebotomy Program Specific to Your State? As mentioned previously, each state has its own regulations for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Some states require certification, while a few others require licensing. Each has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum hours of practical training performed prior to working as a phlebotomy tech. Consequently, you may need to pass a State Board, licensing or certification exam. Therefore it’s very important to choose a phlebotomist program that complies with the state specific requirements for North Carolina or the state where you will be practicing and readies you for any exams you may have to take.

Is the Program Accredited? The phlebotomy school and program you enroll in should be accredited by a recognized national or regional accrediting agency, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are a number of advantages to graduating from an accredited school in addition to an assurance of a superior education. To begin with, if your program is not accredited, you will not be able to sit for a certification examination administered by any of the previously listed certifying agencies. Next, accreditation will help in obtaining financial aid or loans, which are typically not available for non-accredited programs. Last, graduating from an accredited college can make you more desirable to prospective employers in the Garner NC job market.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In numerous states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomist 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 all schools you are reviewing. You can begin by asking the schools for references from employers where they place their students as part of their job assistance program. You can research internet school rating and review services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. You can even talk to some Garner NC clinics or hospitals that you might have an interest in working for and see if they can offer any recommendations. As a final thought, you can check with the North Carolina school licensing authority and find out if any grievances have been filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

Is Adequate Training Provided? To begin with, 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 provide at least 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything less than these minimums might indicate that the program is not comprehensive enough to furnish adequate training.

Are Internships Included? Ask the colleges you are considering if they have an internship program in partnership with regional medical facilities. They are the optimal way to get hands-on practical training often not obtainable on campus. As an additional benefit, internships can help students establish contacts within the local Garner NC medical community. And they are a plus on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Finding your first phlebotomy position will be much easier with the support of a job placement program. Inquire if the programs you are considering provide assistance and what their job placement rate is. If a school has a higher rate, meaning they place most of their students in positions, it’s an indication that the program has both an excellent reputation as well as a large network of professional contacts within the Garner NC medical community.

Are Classes Offered to Fit Your Schedule? Finally, it’s important to verify that the final program you choose offers classes at times that will accommodate your active schedule. This is especially true if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Garner NC, check that they are available at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend part-time, confirm it is an option also. Even if you have decided to attend online, with the clinical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And find out what the make-up procedure is should you need to miss any classes because of emergencies or illness.

6 Week Phlebotomy Course Garner NC

Online Phlebotomy Training Program Garner North Carolina

Making certain that you enroll in the right phlebotomy training is an essential first step toward your success in this fulfilling medical care field. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that contribute toward the selection of a quality school. Phlebotomy training programs can be offered in a wide range of academic institutions, including junior or community colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide a comprehensive array of programs in medical care and health sciences. Training program options may vary somewhat across the country as each state has its own mandates when it comes to phlebotomist training, licensing and certification. The most critical point is that you need to diligently screen and compare each program before making your final selection. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Online Phlebotomy Training Program and to get more information regarding Phlebotomy Career Training.  However, by addressing the questions that we have provided, you will be able to fine tune your choices so that you can select the right phlebotomist program for you. And with the appropriate education, you can reach your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Garner NC.

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