How to Choose the Best Phlebotomy Technician Training Classes near Huntington Mills Pennsylvania
Selecting the right phlebotomist school near Huntington Mills PA is a critical initial step toward a rewarding career as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a daunting task to analyze and compare all of the school options that are available to you. However it’s necessary that you complete your due diligence to ensure that you obtain a quality education. In fact, most students begin their search by looking at two of the qualifiers that first come to mind, which are location and cost. Yet another option you may look into is whether to attend online classes or commute to a local campus. We’ll talk more about online classes later in this article. What you need to keep in mind is that there is a lot more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than locating the cheapest or the closest one. Other factors including reputation and accreditation are also significant considerations and must 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 evaluating to help you choose the right one for you. But before we do that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and afterwards continue our conversation about online classes.
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Should You Go to School to Become a Phlebotomy Technician?
Right out of the gate, few people are likely to know what a phlebotomist or phlebotomy technician is. The basic definition is a medical professional whose job is to draw blood. We will provide more details later. So naturally anyone who chooses this profession must be able to handle blood and needles. And if you are anxious in hospitals or other Huntington Mills PA medical environments, well this job may not be right for you. And now let’s talk about the patients. Phlebotomy Technicians routinely work with anxious people who don’t like needles or having a blood sample taken. And because most health care facilities are open around the clock, you will probably be required 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 profession for you.
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Phlebotomist Career Summary
A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, draws blood from patients. Although that is their principal responsibility, there is actually far more to their job description. Prior to collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist must verify that the tools being utilized are sterile and single use only. After collection, the sample has to be properly labeled with the patient’s data. Afterward, paperwork has to be correctly completed in order to track the sample from the point of collection through the laboratory testing process. The phlebotomist then delivers 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. A number of phlebotomists actually work in Huntington Mills PA labs and are in charge of making sure that samples are tested correctly using the strictest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t enough responsibilities, they may be called upon to instruct other phlebotomists in the drawing, delivery and follow-up process.
Where are Phlebotomy Techs Employed?
The simplest response is wherever patients are treated. Their work environments are numerous and diverse, such as Huntington Mills PA medical clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, or blood banks. They can be charged to draw blood samples from patients of all ages, from babies or toddlers to seniors. A number of phlebotomists, based on their practice and their training, specialize in collecting blood from a particular kind of patient. For example, those practicing in an assisted living facility or nursing home would exclusively be collecting blood from older patients. If they are working in a maternity ward, they would be drawing blood from mothers and newborns solely. On the other hand, phlebotomy technicians practicing in a general hospital environment would be collecting samples from a wide variety of patients and would work with new patients every day.
Phlebotomy Technician Training, Licensing and Certification
There are essentially 2 kinds of programs that offer phlebotomy training, which are degree and certificate programs. The certificate program usually takes less than a year to finish and provides a basic education along with the training on how to draw blood. It provides the fastest method to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, even though it’s not exclusively a phlebotomy degree, will provide training on becoming a phlebotomist. Offered at junior and community colleges, they typically require two years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are less available and as a four year program furnish a more extensive background in lab sciences. When you have completed your training, you will no doubt want to get certified. While not mandated in the majority of states, many Huntington Mills PA employers require certification prior to employing technicians. A few of the key certifying organizations include:
- National Phlebotomy Association
- National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
- American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP)
- American Medical Technologists (AMT)
There are several states that do require certification prior to practicing as a phlebotomist, including California and Nevada. California and a few additional states even require licensing. So it’s imperative that you select a phlebotomy training program that not only provides a superior education, but also preps you for any licensing or certification examinations that you are required or elect to take.
Phlebotomy Online Schools
To begin with, let’s dispel one potential misconception. You can’t receive all of your phlebotomy training online. A good part of the program of studies will be practical training and it will be conducted either in an approved healthcare facility or an on-campus lab. A large number of courses also require completion of an internship prior to graduation. But since the non-practical part of the training may be accessed online, it might be a more convenient option for many Huntington Mills PA students. As an added benefit, many online schools are more affordable than their on-campus counterparts. And some expenditures, for instance those for commuting or textbooks, may be reduced also. Just make sure that the online phlebotomy school you choose is accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency (more on accreditation later). With both the extensive clinical and online training, you can obtain a quality education with this means of learning. If you are dedicated enough to learn at home, then obtaining your degree or certificate online might be the ideal option for you.
Questions to Ask Phlebotomy Colleges
Now that you have a basic understanding about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to initiate your due diligence process. You may have already decided on the type of program you wish to enroll in, whether it be for a degree or a certificate. As we mentioned earlier, the location of the college is important if you will be commuting from Huntington Mills PA in addition to the cost of tuition. Perhaps you have opted to enroll in an accredited phlebotomist online school. All of these decisions are a critical component of the process for selecting a phlebotomy program or school. But they are not the only considerations when making your decision. Following are several questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are looking at before making your final selection.
Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to Pennsylvania? As previously mentioned, each state has its own laws for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Some states require certification, while some others require licensing. Every state has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum amount of clinical training performed before working as a phlebotomy tech. Consequently, you might need to pass a State Board, certification or licensing examination. Therefore it’s very important to enroll in a phlebotomist program that meets the state specific requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be practicing and prepares you for all examinations you may have to take.
Is the Program Accredited? The phlebotomy program and school you choose should be accredited by a respected national or regional accrediting agency, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are several advantages to graduating from an accredited school in addition to an assurance of a superior education. First, if your program is not accredited, you will not be able to sit for a certification exam administered by any of the previously listed certifying agencies. Next, accreditation will help in getting loans or financial assistance, which are often unavailable for non-accredited colleges. Last, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited school can make you more desirable to future employers in the Huntington Mills PA job market.
What is the Program’s Ranking? In many states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomy colleges, so there are some that are not of the highest quality. So along with accreditation, it’s important to check the reputations of any 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 placement program. You can screen internet school reviews and rating services and solicit the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. You can also talk to a few Huntington Mills PA hospitals or clinics that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations. As a closing thought, you can check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority and find out if any complaints have been filed or if the colleges are in full compliance.
Is Sufficient Training Provided? To begin with, contact the state regulator where you will be working to find out if there are any minimum requirements for the amount of training, both clinical and classroom. As a minimum, any phlebotomist program that you are considering should furnish no less than 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything less than these minimums might signify that the program is not expansive enough to provide adequate training.
Are Internships Sponsored? Ask the programs you are reviewing if they have an internship program in partnership with local medical facilities. They are the ideal means to receive hands-on practical training often not available on campus. As an added benefit, internships can assist students establish relationships within the local Huntington Mills PA medical community. And they are a plus on resumes also.
Is Job Placement Support Available? Finding your first phlebotomist position will be much easier with the support of a job placement program. Inquire if the schools you are considering offer assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a college has a higher rate, signifying they place most 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 Huntington Mills PA medical community.
Are Class Times Compatible With Your Schedule? And last, it’s crucial to make sure that the ultimate program you choose offers classes at times that will accommodate your hectic lifestyle. This is particularly true if you opt to still work while attending college. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Huntington Mills 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. And if you have decided to attend online, with the clinical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And ask what the make-up policy is should you need to miss any classes as a result of emergencies or illness.
Phlebotomy Training Classes Near Me Huntington Mills PA
Where Can I Study Phlebotomy Huntington Mills Pennsylvania
Making sure that you choose the ideal phlebotomy training is an important first step toward your success in this rewarding health care career position. As we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that contribute toward the selection of a quality program. Phlebotomist training programs are offered in a number of academic institutions, such as community or junior colleges, vocational schools, and colleges and universities that offer a wide array of courses in healthcare and medical sciences. Course options can differ somewhat across the country as each state has its own prerequisites when it concerns phlebotomy training, certification and licensing. The most critical point is that you must diligently evaluate and compare each program prior to making your ultimate selection. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Where Can I Study Phlebotomy and to get more information regarding What Is A Phlebotomy Technician. However, by asking the questions that we have furnished, you will be able to fine tune your choices so that you can select the best phlebotomist program for you. And with the appropriate training, you can achieve your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Huntington Mills PA.
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Huntington Mills, Pennsylvania
Huntington Mills is located in the center of Huntington Township. The village is very small. The "center" of town is marked by a local mom-and-pop general store, the post office (built on the foundations of one of the old mills), an elementary school, doctor's office, Christmas tree farm, and the volunteer fire company. The town is bisected by one major road, PA 239, and two creeks (Kitchen Creek and Huntington Creek).
Farming is a major way of life in and around Huntington Mills. The milk farms, which proliferated only twenty years ago, are in considerable decline. Farmers have begun to prefer growing hay, tomatoes, and feed-corn. There are half a dozen Christmas tree farms within the township.
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