How to Pick the Right Phlebotomy School near Bethel Park Pennsylvania

Picking the right phlebotomist training near Bethel Park PA is an essential first step toward a fulfilling career as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a challenging undertaking to analyze and compare each of the training alternatives that are available to you. Nevertheless it’s vital that you perform your due diligence to make certain that you get a quality education. In fact, many students begin the process by looking at two of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are location and cost. Yet another option you might consider is whether to attend classes online or commute to a nearby campus. We’ll talk a bit more about online classes later in this article. What’s important to remember is that there is a lot more to checking out phlebotomy training programs than finding the closest or the cheapest one. Other variables including accreditation and reputation are also significant considerations and should be part of your selection process too. 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 select the best one for you. But prior to doing that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and afterwards resume our discussion about online schools.

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Should You Choose a Career as a Phlebotomy Technician?

First of all, not many people are likely to know what a phlebotomist or phlebotomy technician is. The basic answer is a health care professional whose job is to draw blood. We will provide more details later. So naturally anyone who chooses this profession must be comfortable with needles and blood. And if you are nervous in hospitals or other Bethel Park PA medical facilities, well this job probably is not 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 their blood taken. And because most health care facilities are open 24 hours, you may be required to work weekends, evenings 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 perfect profession for you.

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Phlebotomy Technician Job Description

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, draws blood from patients. Although that is their primary duty, there is actually much more to their job description. Prior to drawing a blood sample, a phlebotomist must check that the tools being employed are sterile and single use only. After collection, the sample needs to be properly labeled with the patient’s data. Next, paperwork needs to be accurately completed to be able 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 can be tested for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. Many phlebotomists actually work in Bethel Park PA labs and are responsible for making certain that samples are tested properly under the strictest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient duties, they can be called upon to instruct other phlebotomists in the collection, transport and follow-up process.

Where do Phlebotomists Practice?

The simplest response is wherever there are patients. Their work places are many and varied, such as Bethel Park PA hospitals, medical clinics, long-term care facilities, or blood banks. They may be assigned to collect blood samples from patients of of every age, from babies or young children to seniors. A number of phlebotomy techs, based on their training and their practice, specialize in drawing 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 senior patients. If they are working in a maternity ward, they would be drawing blood from newborns and mothers exclusively. In contrast, phlebotomy technicians working in a general hospital environment would be drawing blood from a wide range of patients and would collect samples from new patients each 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 generally takes less than a year to finish and provides a basic education as well as the training on how to draw blood. It provides the fastest means to becoming a phlebotomy tech. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not specifically a phlebotomy degree, will incorporate training to become a phlebotomy tech. Offered at community and junior colleges, they normally take 2 years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are less available and as a four year program provide a more expansive background in lab sciences. After you have completed your training, you will probably want to get certified. While not mandated in the majority of states, most Bethel Park PA employers require certification before hiring technicians. A few of the key certifying agencies include:

• National Phlebotomy Association
• National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
• American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP)
• American Medical Technologists (AMT)

There are several states that do call for certification in order to practice as a phlebotomy tech, including Nevada and California. California and a few additional states even require licensing. So it’s important that you select a phlebotomy training program that not only furnishes a quality education, but also readies you for any certification or licensing exams that you are required or elect to take.

Online Phlebotomy Training

To begin with, let’s dispel one potential mistaken belief. You can’t get all of your phlebotomy training online. A significant part 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 completing an internship in order to graduate. However since the non-practical portion of the training may be accessed online, it can be a more practical option for many Bethel Park PA students. As an additional benefit, a number of online classes are more affordable than their on-campus competitors. And some expenses, for instance those for commuting or textbooks, may be lessened also. Just verify that the online phlebotomy school you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency (more on accreditation to follow). With both the comprehensive clinical and online training, you can obtain a superior education with this method of learning. If you are disciplined enough to learn at home, then obtaining your degree or certificate online may be the ideal option for you.

Points to Ask Phlebotomy Schools

Since you now have a basic idea about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to start 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 previously mentioned, the location of the campus is important if you will be commuting from Bethel Park PA as well as the tuition expense. Possibly you have decided to enroll in an accredited online phlebotomist school. All of these decisions are an important component of the process for picking a phlebotomy program or school. But they are not the sole concerns when arriving at your decision. Below we have provided a few questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are reviewing prior to making your final selection.

Is the Phlebotomy Program State Specific? As earlier discussed, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Some states require certification, while a few others mandate licensing. Each has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum hours of practical training performed before practicing as a phlebotomy tech. Consequently, you might have to pass a State Board, licensing or certification exam. Therefore it’s very important to choose a phlebotomist program that satisfies the state specific requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working and preps you for all examinations you may be required to take.

Is the Program Accredited? The phlebotomist program and school you select should be accredited by a respected regional or national accrediting agency, such as the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are a number of benefits to graduating from an accredited program in addition to an assurance of a premium education. First, if your program is not accredited, you will not qualify to sit for a certification examination administered by any of the previously listed certifying agencies. Also, accreditation will help in securing loans or financial assistance, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Finally, graduating from an accredited college can make you more desirable to prospective employers in the Bethel Park PA job market.

What is the School’s Reputation? In many states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomy schools, so there are those that are not of the highest quality. So along with accreditation, it’s important to check the reputations of any schools you are looking at. You can start by asking the schools for references from employers where they place their students as part of their job assistance program. You can screen online school reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. You can even talk to a few Bethel Park PA clinics or hospitals that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations. As a closing thought, you can contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority and ask if any complaints have been submitted or if the colleges are in full compliance.

Is Adequate Training Included? First, 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. As a minimum, any phlebotomist program that you are reviewing should provide no less than 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything lower than these minimums might indicate that the program is not expansive enough to furnish adequate training.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask the schools you are looking at if they have an internship program in collaboration with area medical facilities. They are the optimal means to receive hands-on clinical training typically not available on campus. As an added benefit, internships can assist students develop contacts within the local Bethel Park PA healthcare community. And they look good on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Help Available? Landing your first phlebotomist position will be a lot easier with the assistance of a job placement program. Inquire if the schools you are looking at offer assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a college has a high rate, meaning 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 Bethel Park PA healthcare community.

Are Classes Compatible With Your Schedule? And last, it’s important to verify that the ultimate school you select provides classes at times that will accommodate your hectic lifestyle. This is particularly true if you decide to still work while going to college. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Bethel Park PA, make sure they are offered at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify it is an option as well. Even 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 policy is should you need to miss any classes because of illness or emergencies.

Phlebotomy Classes Online Bethel Park PA

Best Phlebotomy Tech Colleges Bethel Park Pennsylvania

Making sure that you choose the ideal 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 premium college. Phlebotomy certificate or degree programs can be offered in a wide range of educational institutes, such as community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that offer a wide assortment of courses in healthcare and medical sciences. Program offerings may vary somewhat from state to state as every state has its own criteria when it concerns phlebotomy training, licensing and certification. The most critical point is that you need to thoroughly research and compare each program prior to making your final selection. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Best Phlebotomy Tech Colleges and to get more information regarding Phlebotomy School Online.  However, by addressing the questions that we have furnished, you will be able to fine tune your choices so that you can select the best phlebotomy college for you. And with the appropriate training, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Bethel Park PA.

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