How to Choose the Right Phlebotomy Technician Training Classes near Greenville Pennsylvania
Choosing the right phlebotomy school near Greenville PA is an important initial step toward a rewarding profession as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a challenging task to analyze and compare all of the school alternatives that are accessible to you. However it’s necessary that you complete your due diligence to make sure that you obtain a quality education. In fact, many students start the process by considering two of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are cost and location. Yet another option you may consider is whether to attend classes online or commute to an area campus. We’ll discuss a bit 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 locating the closest or the cheapest one. Other factors such as accreditation and reputation are also important considerations and need to be part of your decision process too. To assist in that effort, we will furnish a list of questions that you need to 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 cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and then continue our conversation about online schools.
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Should You Go to School to Become a Phlebotomy Technician?
Right out of the gate, few people probably know what a phlebotomist or phlebotomy technician is. The basic definition is a health care professional who draws blood from patients. We will provide more details later. So naturally anyone who chooses this profession must be OK around blood and needles. And if you are not comfortable in hospitals or other Greenville PA medical facilities, well this job may not be right for you. And now let’s talk about the patients. Phlebotomy Technicians often work with nervous people who hate needles or having their blood taken. And because most health care facilities are open 24 hours, you will probably be expected to work weekends, evenings and, you guessed it 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 may be the right job for you.
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Phlebotomist Work Description
A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, collects blood samples from patients. While that is their main task, there is actually much more to their job description. Prior to drawing a blood sample, a phlebotomist has to verify that the instruments being employed are single use only and sterile. After collection, the sample has to be properly labeled with the patient’s information. Afterward, paperwork must be correctly filled out 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. Some phlebotomists actually work in Greenville PA laboratories and are in charge of making sure that samples are tested properly using the strictest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient duties, they might be called upon to train other phlebotomists in the collection, delivery and follow-up process.
Where do Phlebotomy Techs Work?
The most basic response is wherever there are patients. Their workplaces are numerous and diverse, including Greenville PA hospitals, medical clinics, long-term care facilities, or blood banks. They can be charged to collect blood samples from patients of all ages, from babies or toddlers to seniors. Some phlebotomists, depending on their practice and their training, specialize in drawing samples from a specific type of patient. For example, those practicing in an assisted living facility or nursing home would exclusively be collecting blood from elderly patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be drawing blood from newborns and mothers exclusively. On the other hand, phlebotomy technicians working in a general hospital environment would be collecting samples from a wide range of patients and would work with different patients on a daily basis.
Phlebotomy Technician Training, Certification and Licensing
There are essentially two types of programs that offer phlebotomy training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program generally takes less than a year to complete and furnishes a general education as well as the training on how to draw blood. It provides the fastest means to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not specifically a phlebotomy degree, will provide training to become a phlebotomist. Available at junior and community colleges, they typically take two years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are less accessible and as a 4 year program furnish a more comprehensive background in lab sciences. When you have completed your training, you will probably want to become certified. Although not required in the majority of states, a number of Greenville PA employers require certification before employing technicians. Some of the main certifying organizations 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 California and Nevada. California and a handful of additional states even require licensing. So it’s imperative that you pick a phlebotomist training program that not only provides a premium education, but also readies you for any certification or licensing examinations that you are required or elect to take.
Phlebotomy Online Training
To start with, let’s resolve one likely misconception. You can’t get all of your phlebotomy training online. A good portion of the curriculum will be clinical training and it will be performed either in an approved healthcare facility or an on-campus lab. A large number of courses also require completing an internship prior to graduation. However since the non-practical portion of the training can be accessed online, it might be a more practical option for some Greenville PA students. As an added benefit, some online schools are less expensive than their traditional competitors. And some expenditures, for instance those for commuting or textbooks, may be lessened also. Just verify that the online phlebotomist school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency (more on accreditation later). With both the extensive clinical and online training, you can receive a quality education with this approach to learning. If you are disciplined enough to learn at home, then obtaining your degree or certificate online might be the ideal choice for you.
Subjects to Ask Phlebotomy Colleges
Now that you have a basic idea about what it takes to become a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to begin your due diligence process. You may have already selected the kind of program you wish to enroll in, whether it be for a degree or a certificate. As we previously mentioned, the location of the college is relevant if you will be commuting from Greenville PA in addition to the cost of tuition. Maybe you have opted to enroll in an accredited online phlebotomist program. Each of these decisions are an important component of the procedure for selecting a phlebotomy school or program. But they are not the only considerations when arriving at your decision. Below we have provided a few questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are looking at prior to making your ultimate decision.
Is the Phlebotomy Program Specific to Your State? As previously mentioned, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomist. Several states call for certification, while a few others require licensing. Each has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum hours of clinical training completed prior to working as a phlebotomist. Consequently, you might have to pass a State Board, certification or licensing exam. Therefore it’s very important to select a phlebotomy program that fulfills the state specific requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be practicing and readies you for all exams you may have to take.
Is the Program Accredited? The phlebotomy school and program you pick should be accredited by a respected regional or national accrediting organization, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are several advantages to graduating from an accredited program aside from an assurance of a premium education. First, if your program has not received accreditation, you will not qualify to take a certification exam administered by any of the earlier listed certifying agencies. Also, accreditation will help in getting financial aid or loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Last, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited college can make you more attractive to potential employers in the Greenville PA job market.
What is the College’s Reputation? In a number of states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomist colleges, so there are those that are not of the highest caliber. So in addition to accreditation, it’s essential to investigate the reputations of all colleges 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 research online school reviews and rating services and solicit the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. You can even contact several Greenville PA clinics or hospitals that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations. As a final thought, you can contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority and find out if any complaints have been submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
Is Sufficient 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 at least 40 hours of classroom training (most require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything below these minimums might signify that the program is not comprehensive enough to furnish sufficient training.
Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask the programs you are considering if they have an internship program in partnership with local healthcare facilities. They are the ideal means to obtain hands-on practical training typically not available on campus. As an added benefit, internships can assist students establish relationships within the local Greenville PA health care community. And they are a plus on resumes as well.
Is Job Placement Help Provided? Finding your first phlebotomist job will be much easier with the assistance of a job placement program. Find out if the schools you are looking at offer assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a school has a high rate, signifying they place the majority of their students in positions, it’s an indication that the college has both an excellent reputation together with a large network of professional contacts within the Greenville PA medical community.
Are Class Times Available as Needed? And last, it’s important to make sure that the final college you pick offers classes at times that will accommodate your hectic lifestyle. This is particularly important if you decide to still work while attending college. If you can only attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Greenville PA, check that they are offered at those times. Also, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify it is an option also. And if you have decided to attend online, with the practical training requirement, make sure those hours can also be fulfilled within your schedule. And find out what the make-up procedure is in case you have to miss any classes as a result of illness or emergencies.
How Long Is A Phlebotomy Program Greenville PA
School For Phlebotomy Training Greenville Pennsylvania
Making certain that you enroll in the right phlebotomist training is an important first step toward your success in this rewarding health care career position. As we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that go into the selection of a premium school. Phlebotomy certificate or degree programs can be offered 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 healthcare and medical sciences. Course options can vary slightly from state to state as every state has its own mandates when it pertains 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 School For Phlebotomy Training and to get more information regarding How Long Is Phlebotomy Training. However, by addressing the questions that we have presented, you will be able to fine tune your options so that you can select the right phlebotomy school for you. And with the appropriate training, you can realize your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Greenville PA.
More Pennsylvania Bloody Wonderful Locations
East Greenville, Pennsylvania
In 1950 Hans and Florence Knoll moved the headquarters of their company Knoll (known for its modern furniture pieces by archiects and designers such as Mies Van Der Rohe, Eero Saarinen, and Harry Bertoia) to the town, where it remains today.[3][4]
As of the 2010 census, the borough was 93.7% White, 2.3% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 1.0% Asian, and 1.9% were two or more races. 3.3% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry [1].
As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 3,103 people, 1,124 households, and 805 families residing in the borough. The population density was 5,978.9 people per square mile (2,304.0/km2). There were 1,173 housing units at an average density of 2,260.1 per square mile (871.0/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.78% White, 0.90% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.90% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.64% of the population.
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