How to Choose the Best Phlebotomy Tech School near Sand Springs Oklahoma

Enrolling in the ideal phlebotomist training near Sand Springs OK is an important first step toward a fulfilling profession as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a difficult undertaking to investigate and compare each of the school options that are accessible to you. However it’s vital that you complete your due diligence to make sure that you get a superior education. In reality, most potential students begin the process by looking at two of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are location and cost. An additional option you might look into is whether to attend classes online or commute to an area campus. We’ll talk more about online classes later in this article. What’s important to remember is that there is far more to checking out phlebotomy training programs than finding the cheapest or the closest one. Other factors including reputation and accreditation are also significant considerations and need to be part of your selection process too. 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 select the right one for you. But prior to doing that, let’s address what a phlebotomist is and does, and then resume our conversation about online training.

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Should You Train to Be a Phlebotomy Technician?

First of all, not many people are likely to 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 decides to enter this profession must be able to handle needles and blood. And if you are not comfortable in hospitals or other Sand Springs OK medical facilities, well this job may not be the best choice for you. And then there are the patients. Phlebotomists routinely work with anxious people who hate needles or having their blood drawn. And because many medical facilities are open 24 hours, you may 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 helping people and are patient and compassionate, this could be the right job for you.

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Phlebotomy Tech Job Summary

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, collects blood samples from patients. While that is their principal function, there is in fact much more to their job description. Prior to collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist has to verify that the instruments being utilized are sterile and single use only. Following the collection, the sample has to be accurately labeled with the patient’s data. Next, paperwork needs to be properly completed in order to track the sample from the point of collection through the lab screening process. The phlebotomist then transports the blood to either an an outside lab facility or an in-house lab where it may be tested for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. A number of phlebotomists in fact work in Sand Springs OK laboratories and are in charge of making certain that samples are analyzed properly under the strictest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient duties, they can be required to train other phlebotomists in the drawing, delivery and follow-up process.

Where are Phlebotomists Employed?

The quickest response is wherever there are patients. Their work environments are numerous and diverse, including Sand Springs OK hospitals, medical clinics, long-term care facilities, or blood centers. They can be tasked to draw blood samples from patients of all ages, from babies or young children to senior citizens. A number of phlebotomy techs, based on their practice and their training, specialize in drawing blood from a specific type of patient. For instance, those working in a nursing home or assisted living facility would exclusively be drawing blood from elderly patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be drawing blood from mothers and newborns solely. In contrast, phlebotomists working in a general hospital setting would be drawing blood from a wide variety of patients and would collect samples from new patients every day.

Phlebotomy Technician Education, Licensing and Certification

There are basically two kinds of programs that provide phlebotomy training, which are degree and certificate programs. The certificate program normally takes under a year to finish and furnishes a general education along with the training on how to draw blood. It offers the quickest route to becoming a phlebotomy tech. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, even though it’s not exclusively a phlebotomist degree, will include training on becoming a phlebotomy tech. Offered at community and junior colleges, they usually take 2 years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are less accessible and as a 4 year program offer a more expansive foundation in lab sciences. After you have completed your training, you will probably want to get certified. Although not mandated in most states, a number of Sand Springs OK employers require certification prior to employing technicians. Some of the main 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 phlebotomy tech, including Nevada and California. California and a handful of other states even require licensing. So it’s important that you select a phlebotomy training program that not only offers a quality education, but also preps you for any licensing or certification exams that you elect or are required to take.

Online Phlebotomist Certificates and Degrees

First, let’s dispel one potential mistaken belief. You can’t get all of your phlebotomist training online. A good component of the curriculum will be practical training and it will be conducted either in an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility. Numerous courses also require completion of an internship in order to graduate. But since the non-practical part of the training may be attended online, it may be a more convenient alternative for some Sand Springs OK students. As an additional benefit, a number of online classes are less expensive than their on-campus competitors. And some costs, such as those for commuting or textbooks, may be lowered as well. Just make sure that the online phlebotomy program you choose is accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization (more on accreditation later). With both the comprehensive clinical and online training, you can obtain a superior education with this approach to learning. If you are dedicated enough to learn at home, then attaining your certificate or degree online may be the ideal option for you.

What to Ask Phlebotomist Schools

Since you now have a general idea about what it takes to become 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 school is relevant if you will be commuting from Sand Springs OK as well as the cost of tuition. Maybe you have decided to enroll in an accredited phlebotomy online program. All of these decisions are an important component of the process for selecting a phlebotomy school or program. But they are not the only concerns when arriving at your decision. Following are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the colleges you are considering before making your ultimate decision.

Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to Oklahoma? As previously mentioned, each state has its own laws for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Several states require certification, while a few others mandate licensing. Each has its own requirement regarding the minimum hours of practical training performed prior to practicing as a phlebotomist. As a result, you might need to pass a State Board, licensing or certification examination. Therefore it’s extremely important to select a phlebotomist program that meets the state specific requirements for Oklahoma or the state where you will be working and prepares you for all examinations you may be required to take.

Is the Program Accredited? The phlebotomy school and program you select should be accredited by a recognized regional or national accrediting agency, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are several advantages to graduating from an accredited program in addition to an assurance of a quality education. First, if your program is not accredited, you will not qualify to sit for a certification exam administered by any of the earlier listed certifying agencies. Next, accreditation will help in securing financial aid or loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited colleges. Last, graduating from an accredited school can make you more attractive to prospective employers in the Sand Springs OK job market.

What is the College’s Reputation? In numerous states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomist colleges, so there are some that are not of the highest quality. So along with accreditation, it’s important to check the reputations of all schools you are reviewing. You can start by asking the schools for references from employers where they refer their graduates as part of their job placement program. You can research online school rating and review services and solicit the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. You can even talk to a few Sand Springs OK clinics or hospitals that you may have an interest in working for and see if they can offer any recommendations. As a closing thought, you can check with the Oklahoma school licensing authority and find out if any grievances have been submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

Is Ample Training Included? To begin with, 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 phlebotomist program that you are reviewing should furnish no less than 40 hours of classroom training (most require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything lower than these minimums might indicate that the program is not comprehensive enough to furnish adequate training.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out from the colleges you are looking at if they have an internship program in partnership with local health care facilities. They are the ideal means to obtain hands-on clinical training often not obtainable on campus. As an added benefit, internships can assist students establish contacts within the local Sand Springs OK medical community. And they are a plus on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Getting your first phlebotomy job will be much easier with the help of a job placement program. Inquire if the programs you are considering provide assistance and what their job placement percentage 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 an excellent reputation as well as a substantial network of professional contacts within the Sand Springs OK health care community.

Are Classes Offered to Fit Your Schedule? And last, it’s critical to verify that the final school you select offers classes at times that are compatible with your busy schedule. This is especially true if you opt to still work while attending school. If you can only attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Sand Springs OK, check that they are offered at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify it is an option as well. And if you have decided to study online, with the practical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And find out what the make-up procedure is in case you need to miss any classes because of emergencies or illness.

How Long Does It Take To Become A Phlebotomist Sand Springs OK

Part Time Drawing Blood Colleges Sand Springs Oklahoma

Making sure that you pick the right phlebotomist training is an important first step toward your success in this fulfilling healthcare career position. As we have covered in this article, there are multiple factors that contribute toward the selection of a premium college. Phlebotomist training programs can be found in a wide range of educational institutes, such as community or junior colleges, vocational schools, and colleges and universities that offer an extensive range of programs in medical care and health sciences. Program offerings can vary slightly from state to state as each state has its own prerequisites when it comes to phlebotomy training, certification and licensing. The most important point is that you need to diligently research and compare each program prior to making your final choice. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Part Time Drawing Blood Colleges and to get more information regarding Affordable Phlebotomy Tech Programs.  However, by asking the questions that we have presented, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can pick the best phlebotomist school for you. And with the appropriate education, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Sand Springs OK.

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