How to Pick the Right Phlebotomy Technician School near Louisburg North Carolina

Choosing the ideal phlebotomist school near Louisburg NC is an important initial step toward a rewarding profession as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a difficult undertaking to evaluate and compare each of the school options that are available to you. However it’s important that you perform your due diligence to ensure that you receive a quality education. In fact, many potential students start their search by considering two of the qualifiers that first come to mind, which are cost and location. An additional factor 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’s important to remember is that there is much more to checking out phlebotomy training programs than locating the cheapest or the closest one. Other variables including reputation and accreditation are also important considerations and should be part of your decision process also. To assist in that effort, we will provide a list of questions that you need to ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are assessing to help you choose the ideal one for you. But before we do that, let’s address what a phlebotomist is and does, and then continue our discussion about online training.

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Should You Train to Be a Phlebotomy Tech?

First of all, few people are likely to know what a phlebotomist or phlebotomy technician is. The basic definition is a health care professional who draws blood from patients. We will go into more depth later. So naturally anyone who selects this profession must be able to handle blood and needles. And if you are not comfortable in hospitals or other Louisburg NC medical facilities, well this job may not be the best choice for you. And now let’s talk about the patients. Phlebotomy Techs tend to work with nervous people who don’t like 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, 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 may be the perfect job for you.

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Phlebotomist Work Description

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, draws blood from patients. Although that is their main function, there is in fact much more to their job description. Prior to collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist needs to check that the instruments being used are single use only and sterile. After collection, the sample needs to be correctly labeled with the patient’s information. Next, paperwork has to be correctly completed in order to track the sample from the point 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 can be tested for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. Many phlebotomists actually work in Louisburg NC labs and are in charge of ensuring that samples are tested correctly using the strictest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient duties, they may be required to train other phlebotomists in the collection, transport and follow-up process.

Where do Phlebotomy Techs Practice?

The easiest answer is wherever there are patients. Their workplaces are many and diverse, such as Louisburg NC medical clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities, or blood banks. They may be tasked to collect blood samples from patients of of every age, from babies or toddlers to seniors. Some phlebotomy techs, based on their practice and their training, specialize in collecting samples from a specific type of patient. For example, those working in a nursing home or assisted living facility would solely be drawing blood from older patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be drawing blood from newborns and mothers exclusively. In contrast, phlebotomy technicians working in a general hospital setting would be drawing blood from a wide range of patients and would collect samples from different patients every day.

Phlebotomist Education, Certification and Licensing

There are basically 2 kinds of programs that offer phlebotomy training, which are degree and certificate programs. The certificate program typically takes less than a year to finish and offers a basic education together with the training on how to draw blood. It offers the fastest route to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, even though it’s not exclusively a phlebotomy degree, will include training on becoming a phlebotomy tech. Offered at community and junior colleges, they typically take 2 years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as accessible and as a 4 year program provide a more expansive foundation in lab sciences. After you have completed your training, you will probably want to become certified. While not mandated in most states, a number of Louisburg NC employers require 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 require certification prior to practicing as a phlebotomist, including California and Nevada. California and a handful of additional states even require licensing. So it’s important that you enroll in a phlebotomist training program that not only provides a superior education, but also readies you for any licensing or certification examinations that you are required or elect to take.

Online Phlebotomy Classes

To begin with, let’s resolve one potential mistaken belief. You can’t get all of your phlebotomy training online. A significant part of the curriculum will be clinical training and it will be performed either in an approved healthcare facility or an on-campus lab. Numerous courses also require completion of an internship in order to graduate. But since the non-practical part of the training may be accessed online, it may be a more convenient alternative for some Louisburg NC students. As an added benefit, many online classes are more affordable than their traditional competitors. And some expenditures, such as those for textbooks or commuting, may be reduced also. Just make sure that the online phlebotomy school you enroll in is accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency (more on accreditation later). With both the comprehensive online and clinical training, you can obtain a premium education with this means of learning. If you are dedicated enough to study at home, then obtaining your certificate or degree online might be the best option for you.

Topics to Ask Phlebotomy Colleges

Since you now have a general idea about what it takes to become a phlebotomist, it’s time to initiate your due diligence process. You might have already selected 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 college is significant if you will be commuting from Louisburg NC as well as the cost of tuition. Maybe you have opted to enroll in an accredited phlebotomist online program. Each of these decisions are a critical part of the process for picking a phlebotomy school or program. But they are not the sole considerations when arriving at your decision. Below we have provided several questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are looking at prior to making your final decision.

Is the Phlebotomy Program Specific to Your State? As earlier discussed, each state has its own regulations for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Several states require certification, while a few others require licensing. Each has its own requirement regarding the minimum amount of practical training completed prior to practicing as a phlebotomy tech. Consequently, you might need to pass a State Board, licensing or certification examination. Therefore it’s extremely important to choose a phlebotomy program that meets the state specific requirements for North Carolina or the state where you will be working and preps you for any exams you may be required to take.

Is the College Accredited? The phlebotomist program and school you pick should be accredited by a highly regarded regional or national accrediting agency, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are several benefits to graduating from an accredited school in addition to a guarantee of a quality education. First, if your program has not received accreditation, you will not be able to take a certification examination offered by any of the previously listed certifying organizations. Next, accreditation will help in obtaining loans or financial assistance, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Finally, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited school can make you more desirable to prospective employers in the Louisburg NC job market.

What is the School’s Reputation? In many states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomy schools, so there are some that are not of the highest caliber. So along with accreditation, it’s imperative to check the reputations of all schools you are reviewing. 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 solicit the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. You can also contact a few Louisburg NC clinics or hospitals that you might be interested in working for and see if they can offer any recommendations. As a closing thought, you can check with the North Carolina school licensing authority and ask if any grievances have been filed or if the colleges are in total compliance.

Is Sufficient Training Included? To begin with, check with the state regulator where you will be working to learn if there are any minimum requirements for the amount of training, both clinical and classroom. At a minimum, any phlebotomy program that you are considering should provide at least 40 hours of classroom training (most require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything lower than these minimums might signify that the program is not comprehensive enough to provide sufficient training.

Are Internships Included? Ask the programs you are considering if they have an internship program in collaboration with regional medical facilities. They are the optimal means to receive hands-on practical training typically not provided on campus. As an additional benefit, internships can help students develop contacts within the local Louisburg NC healthcare community. And they are a plus on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Support Provided? Getting your first phlebotomy job will be a lot easier with the assistance of a job placement program. Ask if the colleges you are considering offer assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a college has a high rate, meaning they place the majority of their students in jobs, it’s an indication that the college has both a good reputation as well as a substantial network of professional contacts within the Louisburg NC medical community.

Are Class Times Conveniently Scheduled? Finally, it’s important to confirm that the final school you select offers classes at times that are compatible with your active schedule. This is particularly true if you choose to still work while attending college. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Louisburg NC, make sure they are offered at those times. Also, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure 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 find out what the make-up protocol is in case you need to miss any classes as a result of illness or emergencies.

Phlebotomy Training Cost Louisburg NC

How Can I Become A Phlebotomist Louisburg North Carolina

Making certain that you pick the most suitable phlebotomist training is an essential first step toward your success in this fulfilling health care field. As we have covered in this article, there are several factors that go into the selection of a quality college. Phlebotomist certificate or degree programs can be found in a number of academic institutions, including community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that offer a wide array of programs in medical care and health sciences. Training program offerings can vary slightly from state to state as every state has its own mandates when it concerns phlebotomist training, licensing and certification. The most critical point is that you must diligently evaluate and compare each school before making your final decision. You originally came to this website due to an interest in How Can I Become A Phlebotomist and to get more information regarding Phlebotomy Training School.  However, by asking the questions that we have provided, you will be able to fine tune your choices so that you can pick the right phlebotomist college for you. And with the appropriate training, you can achieve your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Louisburg NC.

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