How to Select the Best Phlebotomy Technician Training Classes near Brentwood Tennessee
Choosing the right phlebotomist school near Brentwood TN is an important initial step toward a fulfilling profession as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a difficult task to evaluate and compare each of the school options that are available to you. Nevertheless it’s vital that you complete your due diligence to ensure that you receive a superior education. In fact, a large number of prospective students begin the process by considering 2 of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are cost and location. Yet another option you might consider is whether to attend classes online or commute to a local campus. We’ll review a bit more about online classes later in this article. What’s important to remember is that there is far more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than locating the cheapest or the closest one. Other variables such as accreditation and reputation are also significant considerations and should be part of your selection process as well. Toward that end, we will furnish a list of questions that you need to ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are assessing to help you pick 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 Go to School to Become a Phlebotomy Technician?
First of all, few people are likely to know what a phlebotomist or phlebotomy technician is. The basic answer is a health care professional who draws blood from patients. We will go into more depth later. So of course anyone who selects this profession must be comfortable with needles and blood. And if you are anxious in hospitals or other Brentwood TN medical environments, well this job may not be right for you. And now let’s talk about the patients. Phlebotomy Techs often work with anxious people who don’t like needles or having a blood sample drawn. 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 needles and blood, and if you enjoy helping people and are patient and compassionate, this could be the perfect profession for you.
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Phlebotomy Tech Work Description
A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, draws blood from patients. While that is their primary duty, there is in fact far more to their job description. Before collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist must check that the tools being used are sterile and single use only. Following the collection, the sample has to be correctly labeled with the patient’s data. Afterward, paperwork has to be properly filled out in order to track the sample from the time of collection through the laboratory screening procedure. 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. Many phlebotomists in fact work in Brentwood TN labs and are in charge of ensuring that samples are analyzed correctly under the strictest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t enough duties, they can be required to train other phlebotomists in the collection, transport and follow-up process.
Where do Phlebotomists Practice?
The most basic response is wherever there are patients. Their work environments are many and diverse, such as Brentwood TN hospitals, medical clinics, long-term care facilities, or blood centers. They may be assigned to draw blood samples from patients of all ages, from babies or young children to senior citizens. Some phlebotomists, depending on their practice and their training, specialize in drawing blood from a certain type of patient. For instance, those working in a nursing home or assisted living facility would exclusively be drawing blood from elderly patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be drawing blood from mothers and newborns solely. On the other hand, phlebotomy technicians working in a general hospital environment would be collecting blood from a wide range of patients and would work with different patients on a daily basis.
Phlebotomist Training, Licensing and Certification
There are essentially two kinds of programs that provide phlebotomy training, which are degree and certificate programs. The certificate program generally takes less than a year to finish and provides a general education along with 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 to become a phlebotomy tech. Available at junior and community colleges, they typically require 2 years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are less available and as a 4 year program furnish a more comprehensive foundation in lab sciences. After you have finished your training, you will no doubt want to become certified. Although not required in the majority of states, a number of Brentwood TN employers require certification before employing technicians. Some of the primary 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 in order to practice as a phlebotomy tech, like Nevada and California. California and a few additional states even require licensing. So it’s imperative that you select a phlebotomist training program that not only furnishes a quality education, but also readies you for any certification or licensing examinations that you are required or elect to take.
Online Phlebotomist Classes
To begin with, let’s dispel one likely misconception. You can’t get all of your phlebotomy training online. A good part of the program of studies will be clinical training and it will be carried out either in an approved healthcare facility or an on-campus lab. Many courses also require completion of an internship in order to graduate. However since the non-clinical part of the training can be attended online, it may be a more convenient alternative for many Brentwood TN students. As an additional benefit, a number of online classes are less expensive than their traditional counterparts. And some expenditures, such as those for textbooks or commuting, may be minimized also. Just confirm that the online phlebotomist school you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency (more on accreditation later). With both the comprehensive online and clinical training, you can obtain a superior education with this approach to learning. If you are disciplined enough to learn at home, then earning your certificate or degree online might be the ideal choice for you.
What to Ask Phlebotomy Schools
Since you now have a general idea about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to start your due diligence process. You may have already chosen the kind of program you wish to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we previously mentioned, the location of the school is significant if you will be commuting from Brentwood TN in addition to the tuition expense. Perhaps you have decided to enroll in an accredited phlebotomy online college. Each of these decisions are an important component of the process for choosing a phlebotomy program or school. 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 before making your final selection.
Is the Phlebotomist Program State Specific? As earlier discussed, each state has its own requirements 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 practical training completed prior to working as a phlebotomy tech. As a result, you might need to pass a State Board, certification or licensing examination. Therefore it’s extremely important to enroll in a phlebotomy program that fulfills the state specific requirements for Tennessee or the state where you will be working and prepares you for all examinations you may have to take.
Is the School Accredited? The phlebotomist school and program you enroll in should be accredited by a recognized national or regional accrediting agency, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are many benefits to graduating from an accredited program aside from an assurance of a superior education. To begin with, if your program is not accredited, you will not qualify to sit for a certification examination offered by any of the previously listed certifying agencies. Next, accreditation will help in obtaining loans or financial assistance, which are typically unavailable for non-accredited programs. Finally, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited college can make you more desirable to prospective employers in the Brentwood TN job market.
What is the School’s Reputation? In a number of states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomy colleges, so there are those that are not of the highest caliber. So in addition to accreditation, it’s imperative to check out the reputations of any schools you are looking at. You can start by requesting references from the schools from employers where they refer their graduates as part of their job assistance program. You can screen online school rating and review services and solicit the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. You can also contact some Brentwood TN hospitals or clinics that you might have an interest in working for and see if they can offer any insights. As a closing thought, you can check with the Tennessee school licensing authority and ask if any grievances have been filed or if the colleges are in full compliance.
Is Enough 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 classroom and practical. As 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 might indicate that the program is not comprehensive enough to furnish sufficient training.
Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask the schools you are looking at if they have an internship program in collaboration with local healthcare facilities. They are the optimal means to receive hands-on clinical training often not provided on campus. As an additional benefit, internships can assist students develop relationships within the local Brentwood TN healthcare community. And they are a plus on resumes also.
Is Job Placement Assistance Available? Getting your first phlebotomy position will be much easier with the help of a job placement program. Ask if the programs you are considering offer assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a school has a higher rate, signifying they place the majority of their students in jobs, it’s an indication that the program has both a good reputation as well as a substantial network of professional contacts within the Brentwood TN healthcare community.
Are Classes Compatible With Your Schedule? Finally, it’s critical to confirm that the ultimate program you choose provides classes at times that will accommodate your hectic schedule. This is particularly important if you choose to still work while going to school. If you can only attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Brentwood TN, make certain they are offered at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, confirm it is an option as well. Even if you have decided to attend online, with the clinical training requirement, make sure those hours can also be fulfilled within your schedule. And find out what the make-up procedure is should you need to miss any classes due to illness or emergencies.
Phlebotomy Course Cost Brentwood TN
4 Week Drawing Blood Associates Degrees Near Me Brentwood Tennessee
Making certain that you choose the most suitable phlebotomist training is a critical first step toward your success in this rewarding health care career position. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that contribute toward the selection of a quality program. Phlebotomist training programs are available in a variety of educational institutions, including community or junior colleges, vocational schools, and colleges and universities that offer an extensive range of courses in medical care and health sciences. Course offerings may differ somewhat from state to state as each state has its own requirements when it comes to phlebotomist training, licensing and certification. The most important point is that you need to thoroughly research and compare each program prior to making your final decision. You originally came to this website due to an interest in 4 Week Drawing Blood Associates Degrees Near Me and to get more information regarding Local Phlebotomy Training. However, by addressing the questions that we have furnished, you will be able to fine tune your options so that you can select the right phlebotomy school for you. And with the proper training, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Brentwood TN.
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Brentwood, Tennessee
Successive cultures of prehistoric Native Americans occupied this area for thousands of years. In the first millennium of the Common Era (CE), Mississippian culture people, known locally as the Mound Indians or Stone Box Indians, built complex earthwork mounds topped with ceremonial buildings. Their settlement was part of a culture that extended throughout the Mississippi Valley and its major tributaries, and traded with other groups across the continent.
Artifacts and mounds of the Mississippian culture have been found during development in the Meadowlake subdivision, and at the library site on Concord Road. Primm Historic Park contains and preserves the largest of the earthwork mounds, which is still visible today. By 1300 these people had largely abandoned this settlement; archeologists have struggled to determine the reasons. There may have been epidemic disease, environmental problems, or warfare with other tribes.
When early European-American settlers arrived in this area in the late 1700s from east of the Appalachian Mountains, it was largely being used as a hunting ground by Native American tribes from Georgia and Alabama. This resulted in many conflicts as the whites encroached on their territory and competed for their resources. In 1786, soon after the United States gained independence, Creek or Cherokee warriors raided the Mayfield family fort, at a site that is now the intersection of Wilson Pike and Old Smyrna Road. Southerland Mayfield and two other men were killed, and the boy George Mayfield was taken captive. One of the Creek families adopted him, as was their practice with war captives. Most Native American tribes adopted young captives to replace individuals they had lost to illness or warfare. After ten years, George Mayfield was returned to European-American society, which was likely a difficult transition for him.
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