How to Select the Best Phlebotomy Technician School near West Grove Pennsylvania

Selecting the ideal phlebotomist training near West Grove PA is an essential initial step toward a gratifying career as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a difficult task to analyze and compare all of the school options that are accessible to you. Nevertheless it’s vital that you perform your due diligence to make sure that you obtain a quality education. In reality, many prospective students start their search by considering two of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are location and cost. Yet another option you might look into 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 remember is that there is far more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than finding the cheapest or the closest one. Other factors including accreditation and reputation are also important considerations and need to be part of your selection process also. Toward that end, we will supply a list of questions that you should ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are reviewing to help you select the best one for you. But prior to doing that, let’s address what a phlebotomist is and does, and afterwards resume our discussion about online training.

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Should You Become a Plebotomist?

Right out of the gate, not many people probably 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 naturally anyone who selects this profession must be comfortable with blood and needles. And if you are anxious in hospitals or other West Grove PA medical facilities, well this job probably is not the best choice for you. And now let’s talk about the patients. Phlebotomists routinely work around nervous people who don’t like 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 even on holidays. But if you don’t mind working with the needles and blood, 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 Job Summary

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy technician, collects blood samples from patients. Although that is their principal task, there is actually so much more to their job description. Before collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist has to confirm that the tools being employed are sterile and single use only. After collection, the sample has to be correctly labeled with the patient’s information. Afterward, paperwork must be correctly filled out to be able to track the sample from the time of collection through the laboratory testing procedure. The phlebotomist then transports the blood to either an in-house lab or to an outside lab facility where it can be tested for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. Many phlebotomists in fact work in West Grove PA labs and are accountable for making sure that samples are tested properly under the strictest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t enough duties, they may be required to instruct other phlebotomists in the collection, delivery and follow-up process.

Where do Phlebotomists Practice?

The quickest response is wherever they treat patients. Their work places are many and varied, such as West Grove PA hospitals, medical clinics, long-term care facilities, or blood centers. They may be charged to draw blood samples from patients of all ages, from babies or toddlers to senior citizens. Some phlebotomists, based on their training and their practice, specialize in collecting samples from a specific type of patient. For example, those practicing in a nursing home or assisted living facility would only be collecting blood from older patients. If they are working in a maternity ward, they would be collecting blood from newborns and mothers exclusively. On the other hand, phlebotomists practicing in a general hospital setting would be drawing blood from a wide variety of patients and would collect samples from different patients each day.

Phlebotomist Education, Licensing and Certification

There are essentially 2 types of programs that provide phlebotomist training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program typically takes less than a year to finish and provides a general education along with the training on how to draw blood. It provides the quickest means to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not exclusively a phlebotomist degree, will incorporate training on becoming a phlebotomist. Offered at junior and community colleges, they usually take 2 years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as accessible and as a four year program provide a more extensive background in lab sciences. When you have completed your training, you will probably want to become certified. While not required in the majority of states, most West Grove PA employers require certification prior to hiring technicians. A few 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 phlebotomist, including Nevada and California. California and a few additional states even require licensing. So it’s essential that you choose a phlebotomist training program that not only furnishes a premium education, but also preps you for any licensing or certification examinations that you elect or are required to take.

Phlebotomy Online Classes

To start with, let’s dispel one likely mistaken belief. You can’t obtain all of your phlebotomist training online. A good component of the program of studies will be practical training and it will be conducted either in an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility. Many courses also require completing an internship in order to graduate. However since the non-practical part of the training can be attended online, it may be a more practical alternative for some West Grove PA students. As an added benefit, some online classes are more affordable than their traditional competitors. And some expenditures, for instance those for textbooks or commuting, may be reduced as well. Just make sure that the online phlebotomy college you select is accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization (more on accreditation to follow). With both the comprehensive online and clinical 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 right choice for you.

Subjects to Ask Phlebotomist Programs

Since you now have a basic idea about what it takes to become a phlebotomist, it’s time to begin your due diligence process. You may have already selected the type of program you want to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we mentioned earlier, the location of the school is important if you will be commuting from West Grove PA as well as the tuition expense. Maybe you have decided to enroll in an accredited phlebotomist online program. Each of these decisions are a critical component of the procedure for picking a phlebotomy school or program. But they are not the sole considerations when arriving at your decision. Below we have provided some questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are looking at before making your ultimate decision.

Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to Pennsylvania? As earlier discussed, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomist. Some states call for certification, while some others mandate licensing. Every state has its own requirement regarding the minimum amount of clinical training completed prior to practicing as a phlebotomy tech. Consequently, you may have to pass a State Board, certification or licensing exam. Therefore it’s extremely important to enroll in a phlebotomy program that complies with the state specific requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working and prepares you for all exams you may have to take.

Is the Program Accredited? The phlebotomist school and program you select should be accredited by a respected national or regional 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 a guarantee of a quality education. To begin with, 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 financial aid or loans, which are typically not available for non-accredited programs. Last, graduating from an accredited college can make you more attractive to future employers in the West Grove PA job market.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In a number of states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomy colleges, so there are some that are not of the highest caliber. So in addition to accreditation, it’s imperative to check out the reputations of all schools you are considering. You can start by asking the schools for references from employers where they refer their students as part of their job placement program. You can screen online school reviews and rating services and solicit the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. You can also contact some West Grove PA hospitals or clinics that you may have an interest in working for and find out if they can provide any insights. As a final thought, you can contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority and find out if any complaints have been filed or if the colleges are in total compliance.

Is Enough Training Included? First, contact the state regulator where you will be practicing to learn if there are any minimum requirements for the length of training, both clinical and classroom. At 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 practical training. Anything lower than these minimums may signify that the program is not comprehensive enough to offer adequate training.

Are Internships Included? Find out from the schools you are reviewing if they have an internship program in partnership with regional health care facilities. They are the ideal way to obtain hands-on clinical training frequently not obtainable on campus. As an added benefit, internships can help students develop relationships within the local West Grove PA medical community. And they look good on resumes as well.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Landing your first phlebotomy job will be a lot easier with the support of a job placement program. Ask if the programs you are reviewing offer assistance and what their job placement rate is. If a college has a higher rate, signifying they place the majority of their students in jobs, it’s an indication that the college has both a good reputation together with a substantial network of professional contacts within the West Grove PA medical community.

Are Classes Offered to Fit Your Schedule? And last, it’s crucial to make sure that the final program you pick provides classes at times that are compatible with your active schedule. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near West Grove 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 as well. Even if you have decided to attend online, with the practical training requirement, make sure those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And find out what the make-up procedure is should you have to miss any classes because of emergencies or illness.

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Find Phlebotomist Classes West Grove Pennsylvania

Making sure that you select the ideal phlebotomy training is an important first step toward your success in this fulfilling healthcare career position. As we have covered in this article, there are multiple factors that go into the selection of a quality college. Phlebotomy certificate or degree programs are available in a number of educational institutes, such as junior or community colleges, vocational schools, and colleges and universities that offer a comprehensive range of programs in healthcare and medical sciences. Training program options can vary somewhat across the country as each state has its own prerequisites when it pertains to phlebotomy training, licensing and certification. The most critical point is that you need to thoroughly research and compare each college prior to making your final selection. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Find Phlebotomist Classes and to get more information regarding Free Info on Phlebotomy Technician Education.  However, by addressing the questions that we have presented, you will be able to fine tune your choices so that you can select the best phlebotomist school for you. And with the proper education, you can achieve your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in West Grove PA.

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