How to Choose the Right Phlebotomy Training Program near Fairless Hills Pennsylvania
Enrolling in the ideal phlebotomist training near Fairless Hills PA is a critical first step toward a rewarding career as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a daunting task to investigate and compare all of the training alternatives that are available to you. However it’s important that you do your due diligence to ensure that you receive a superior education. In fact, many prospective students begin their search by considering two of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are location and cost. Another factor you may consider is whether to attend online classes or commute to a nearby campus. We’ll review more about online schools later in this article. What’s important to keep in mind is that there is much more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than finding the closest or the cheapest one. Other variables including reputation and accreditation are also significant considerations and must be part of your decision process also. To assist in that effort, we will provide a list of questions that you should ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are evaluating to help you select the best one for you. But before we do that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and then continue our discussion about online classes.
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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 phlebotomy tech or phlebotomist is. The short definition is a health care professional who draws blood from patients. We will provide more details later. So of course anyone who selects this profession must be able to handle needles and blood. And if you are anxious in hospitals or other Fairless Hills PA medical facilities, well this profession may not be right for you. And then there are the patients. Phlebotomists tend to work around anxious people who hate needles or having their blood drawn. And because most health care facilities are open around the clock, you may be expected to work weekends, nights and, you guessed it even on holidays. But if you don’t mind working with the needles and blood, 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 Career Description
A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, draws blood from patients. While that is their primary responsibility, there is in fact far more to their job description. Before drawing a blood sample, a phlebotomist has to confirm that the instruments being employed are sterile and single use only. After collection, the sample must be correctly labeled with the patient’s information. Next, paperwork needs to be properly completed to be able to track the sample from the point of collection through the laboratory testing process. The phlebotomist then transports the blood to either an an outside lab facility or an in-house lab where it may be screened for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. Many phlebotomists in fact work in Fairless Hills PA labs and are in charge of making certain that samples are tested correctly using the highest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t enough duties, they might be asked to instruct other phlebotomists in the drawing, transport and follow-up process.
Where do Phlebotomists Work?
The quickest response is wherever patients are treated. Their workplaces are numerous and diverse, including Fairless Hills PA medical clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities, or blood banks. They may be charged to collect blood samples from patients of all ages, from babies or young children to seniors. Some phlebotomy techs, depending on their training and their practice, specialize in collecting blood from a certain type of patient. For instance, those practicing in an assisted living facility or nursing home would solely be collecting blood from elderly patients. If they are practicing 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 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 furnish phlebotomist training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program typically takes less than a year to complete and offers a basic education together with the training on how to draw blood. It offers the quickest route to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not exclusively a phlebotomist degree, will provide training to become a phlebotomy tech. Available at junior and community colleges, they typically take 2 years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as accessible and as a four year program provide a more comprehensive background in lab sciences. After you have finished your training, you will probably want to be certified. Although not required in most states, most Fairless Hills PA employers require certification prior to 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 some states that do call for certification prior to practicing as a phlebotomy tech, like Nevada and California. California and a few other states even require licensing. So it’s essential that you enroll in a phlebotomy training program that not only offers a superior education, but also readies you for any licensing or certification exams that you are required or elect to take.
Phlebotomy Online Classes
First, let’s resolve one possible mistaken belief. You can’t get all of your phlebotomy training online. A significant component of the course of study will be practical training and it will be conducted either in an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility. A large number of courses also require completion of an internship prior to graduation. But since the non-practical portion of the training may be attended online, it could be a more convenient alternative for some Fairless Hills PA students. As an additional benefit, some online classes are more affordable than their on-campus counterparts. And some expenses, for instance those for textbooks or commuting, may be minimized as well. Just verify that the online phlebotomy school 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 receive a premium education with this approach to learning. If you are dedicated enough to study at home, then attaining your degree or certificate online might be the right choice for you.
Questions to Ask Phlebotomy Colleges
Now that you have a basic idea about what it takes to become a phlebotomist, it’s time to start your due diligence process. You may have already chosen the type of program you want to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we previously mentioned, the location of the college is important if you will be commuting from Fairless Hills PA in addition to the cost of tuition. Maybe you have opted to enroll in an accredited phlebotomist online program. Each of these decisions are a critical component of the procedure for choosing a phlebotomy school or program. 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 colleges you are looking at prior to making your final selection.
Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to Your State? As earlier discussed, each state has its own regulations for practicing as a phlebotomist. Several states call for certification, while a few others mandate licensing. Each has its own requirement regarding the minimum hours of clinical training performed before working as a phlebotomist. As a result, you may have to pass a State Board, licensing or certification exam. Therefore it’s very important to enroll in a phlebotomist program that fulfills the state specific requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be practicing and prepares you for any examinations you may be required to take.
Is the School Accredited? The phlebotomist school and program you enroll in should be accredited by a reputable regional or national 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 aside from an assurance of a quality education. To begin with, if your program is not accredited, you will not qualify to sit for a certification exam administered by any of the previously listed certifying organizations. Next, accreditation will help in getting loans or financial assistance, which are typically unavailable for non-accredited programs. Finally, graduating from an accredited school can make you more desirable to future employers in the Fairless Hills PA job market.
What is the College’s Ranking? In numerous states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomy schools, so there are those that are not of the highest caliber. So in addition to accreditation, it’s essential to check the reputations of any schools you are looking at. You can begin by requesting references from the schools from employers where they place their graduates as part of their job assistance program. You can research online school reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. You can also check with several Fairless Hills PA 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 Pennsylvania school licensing authority and ask if any complaints have been submitted or if the colleges are in total compliance.
Is Plenty of Training Included? To begin with, check with the state regulator where you will be practicing to find out if there are any minimum requirements for the length of training, both classroom and practical. As a minimum, any phlebotomist program that you are looking at should furnish no less than 40 hours of classroom training (most require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything lower than these minimums may signify that the program is not comprehensive enough to offer adequate training.
Are Internships Sponsored? Find out from the schools you are considering if they have an internship program in partnership with area healthcare facilities. They are the ideal means to obtain hands-on clinical training frequently not obtainable on campus. As an additional benefit, internships can assist students develop contacts within the local Fairless Hills PA healthcare community. And they look good on resumes also.
Is Job Placement Help Provided? Landing your first phlebotomist position will be much easier with the assistance of a job placement program. Ask if the colleges you are looking at offer assistance and what their job placement rate is. If a school has a high rate, meaning they place most of their students in positions, it’s an indication that the college has both a good reputation as well as a large network of professional contacts within the Fairless Hills PA medical community.
Are Class Times Conveniently Scheduled? Finally, it’s important to make sure that the ultimate college you choose provides classes at times that will accommodate your hectic schedule. This is particularly true if you choose to continue working while going to school. If you can only go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Fairless Hills PA, check that they are available at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend part-time, confirm it is an option as well. And if you have decided to attend online, with the practical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be fulfilled within your schedule. And find out what the make-up policy is in case you have to miss any classes due to illness or emergencies.
Accredited Phlebotomy Training Program Fairless Hills PA
How Long To Become Phlebotomist Fairless Hills Pennsylvania
Making certain 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 go into the selection of a premium school. Phlebotomy certificate or degree programs are available in a wide range of academic institutes, such as community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide a wide assortment of courses in medical care and health sciences. Training program offerings can vary somewhat across the country as each state has its own criteria when it concerns phlebotomist training, licensing and certification. The most critical point is that you must carefully research and compare each college before making your ultimate selection. You originally came to this website due to an interest in How Long To Become Phlebotomist and to get more information regarding Train To Be Phlebotomist. However, by asking the questions that we have provided, you will be able to fine tune your options so that you can select the best phlebotomist program for you. And with the proper education, you can reach your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Fairless Hills PA.
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Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania
Fairless Hills as it is known today began in 1951 when developer Danherst Corporation began erecting prefabricated homes built by Gunnison Magichomes, Inc. Gunnison was a wholly owned subsidiary of U.S. Steel. The development was financed by U.S. Steel with a loan of $50 million. It was named in honor of Benjamin Fairless, then president of U.S. Steel, which operated the "Fairless Works" plant which employed most of Fairless Hills' homeowners at the time.[2]
As of the 2010 census, Fairless Hills was 85.2% White, 3.7% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 5.6% Asian, 0.1% some other race, and 1.6% were two or more races. 3.6% were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry. 8.4% of the population were foreign-born.[6]
As of the 2000 census, there were 3,220 households, out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.8% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.15.
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