How to Find the Right Phlebotomy Technician Training Classes near Lemont Pennsylvania

Selecting the right phlebotomist training near Lemont PA is an important first step toward a rewarding career as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a daunting undertaking to evaluate and compare all of the school options that are accessible to you. Nevertheless it’s vital that you complete your due diligence to ensure that you obtain a superior education. In fact, a large number of prospective students start the process by looking at two of the qualifiers that first come to mind, which are cost and location. An additional option you might consider is whether to attend classes online or commute to a nearby campus. We’ll discuss more about online schools later in this article. What’s important to remember is that there is a lot more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than locating the closest or the cheapest 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 cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and then resume our discussion about online classes.

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Should You Become a Plebotomist?

Right out of the gate, not many people are likely to know what a phlebotomy tech or phlebotomist is. The basic answer is a medical 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 anxious in hospitals or other Lemont PA medical environments, well this job may not be the best choice for you. And now let’s talk about the patients. Phlebotomy Techs routinely work around anxious people who don’t like needles or having their blood taken. And because many medical facilities are open around the clock, you will probably be required to work weekends, nights and, you guessed it even on holidays. But if you can handle the hours and the blood and needles, and if you enjoy helping people and are compassionate and very patient, this may be the perfect profession for you.

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Phlebotomy Tech Career Description

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy technician, collects blood samples from patients. While that is their primary function, there is in fact far more to their job description. Prior to collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist needs to verify that the instruments being employed are single use only and sterile. After collection, the sample has to be correctly labeled with the patient’s data. Next, paperwork must be correctly completed in order to track the sample from the time of collection through the lab testing process. The phlebotomist then delivers the blood to either an in-house lab or to an outside lab facility where it can be screened for such things as infectious diseases, pregnancy or blood type. A number of phlebotomists actually work in Lemont PA labs and are in charge of making certain that samples are tested properly using the highest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient duties, they can be required to instruct other phlebotomists in the collection, delivery and follow-up process.

Where are Phlebotomy Techs Employed?

The most basic response is wherever there are patients. Their work environments are numerous and diverse, including Lemont PA hospitals, medical clinics, long-term care facilities, or blood banks. They can be tasked to collect blood samples from patients of of every age, from infants or young children to senior citizens. Some phlebotomy techs, based on their training and their practice, specialize in drawing blood from a certain kind of patient. For instance, those practicing in a nursing home or assisted living facility would only be collecting blood from elderly patients. If they are working in a maternity ward, they would be collecting blood from newborns and mothers exclusively. On the other hand, phlebotomists working in a general hospital environment would be drawing samples from a wide range of patients and would collect samples from new patients every day.

Phlebotomy Technician Training, Licensing and Certification

There are basically 2 kinds of programs that offer phlebotomist training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program usually takes under a year to finish and offers a general education as well as the training on how to draw blood. It offers the quickest method to becoming a phlebotomy tech. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, even though it’s not specifically a phlebotomy degree, will include training on becoming a phlebotomy tech. Offered at community and junior colleges, they typically require 2 years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as accessible and as a four year program provide a more extensive background in lab sciences. After you have completed your training, you will no doubt want to be certified. Although not required in the majority of states, most Lemont PA employers look for certification prior to employing technicians. A few 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 some states that do require certification prior to practicing as a phlebotomy tech, like Nevada and California. California and a few additional states even require licensing. So it’s essential that you enroll in a phlebotomy training program that not only supplies a premium education, but also readies you for any licensing or certification exams that you are required or elect to take.

Phlebotomist Online Certificates and Degrees

To begin with, let’s resolve one possible mistaken belief. You can’t obtain all of your phlebotomy training online. A good portion of the course of study will be practical 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-clinical part of the training can be attended online, it may be a more convenient alternative for many Lemont PA students. As an additional benefit, a number of online classes are more affordable than their on-campus competitors. And some expenditures, such as those for textbooks or commuting, may be reduced also. Just make certain that the online phlebotomist program you select is accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization (more on accreditation later). With both the comprehensive online and clinical training, you can obtain a premium education with this approach to learning. If you are disciplined enough to learn at home, then obtaining your certificate or degree online might be the best choice for you.

Subjects to Ask Phlebotomy Programs

Now that you have a basic understanding 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 want to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we previously mentioned, the location of the campus is significant if you will be commuting from Lemont PA in addition to the tuition expense. Perhaps you have opted to enroll in an accredited online phlebotomy college. All of these decisions are a critical part of the procedure for selecting a phlebotomy school or program. But they are not the only concerns when making your decision. Below we have provided some questions that you should ask about all of the colleges you are reviewing before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Phlebotomist Program State Specific? As earlier discussed, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Several states require certification, while a few others require licensing. Each has its own requirement regarding the minimum amount of clinical training completed prior to practicing as a phlebotomist. As a result, you may need to pass a State Board, licensing or certification exam. Therefore it’s extremely important to choose a phlebotomy program that fulfills the state specific requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working and preps you for any exams you may have to take.

Is the School Accredited? The phlebotomist program and school you enroll in should be accredited by a highly regarded 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 program aside from a guarantee of a quality education. First, if your program has not received accreditation, you will not be able to take a certification exam administered by any of the earlier listed certifying organizations. Next, accreditation will help in getting loans or financial assistance, which are typically unavailable for non-accredited schools. Finally, graduating from an accredited college can make you more attractive to potential employers in the Lemont PA job market.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In numerous states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomy colleges, so there are some that are not of the highest quality. So in addition to accreditation, it’s essential to check out 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 internet school reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. You can even talk to some Lemont PA hospitals or clinics that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations. As a final 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 Ample Training Provided? First, check with the state regulator where you will be working to learn if there are any minimum requirements for the length of training, both clinical and classroom. At a minimum, any phlebotomy program that you are looking at should provide no less than 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything below these minimums may indicate that the program is not expansive enough to furnish adequate training.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask the programs you are considering if they have an internship program in partnership with local medical facilities. They are the ideal way to obtain hands-on practical training frequently not provided on campus. As an added benefit, internships can help students develop relationships within the local Lemont PA health care community. And they are a plus on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Support Available? Landing your first phlebotomist job will be much easier with the support of a job placement program. Inquire if the schools you are reviewing provide assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a school has a high rate, signifying they place the majority of their students in jobs, it’s an indication that the program has both a good reputation together with an extensive network of professional contacts within the Lemont PA medical community.

Are Classes Available as Needed? And last, it’s important to verify that the ultimate college you choose offers classes at times that will accommodate your active lifestyle. This is particularly true if you opt to continue working while going to school. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Lemont PA, make certain they are offered at those times. Also, if you can only attend part-time, make sure 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 ask what the make-up procedure is in case you have to miss any classes because of emergencies or illness.

Online Phlebotomy Course Lemont PA

Training Schools For Phlebotomists Lemont Pennsylvania

Making sure that you select the right phlebotomy training is an important first step toward your success in this rewarding health care field. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that go into the selection of a premium college. Phlebotomist certificate or degree programs are available in a number of academic institutions, such as junior or community colleges, vocational schools, and colleges and universities that provide a wide assortment of courses in healthcare and medical sciences. Training program options can vary somewhat across the country as every state has its own criteria when it comes to phlebotomist training, certification and licensing. The most important point is that you need to carefully research and compare each school before making your final selection. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Training Schools For Phlebotomists and to get more information regarding How Much Is Phlebotomy School.  However, by asking the questions that we have presented, you will be able to fine tune your choices so that you can pick the right phlebotomist college for you. And with the appropriate training, you can realize your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Lemont PA.

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