How to Find the Best Phlebotomist Training Program near Portland Texas
Picking the ideal phlebotomy technician school near Portland TX is a critical first step toward a rewarding profession as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a difficult task to investigate and compare each of the training options that are available to you. Nevertheless it’s necessary that you do your due diligence to ensure that you get a quality education. In fact, a large number of potential students begin their search by looking at two of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are cost and location. Yet another option you may look into is whether to attend online classes or commute to a local campus. We’ll review a bit more about online schools later in this article. What you need to remember is that there is far more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than locating the closest or the cheapest one. Other factors including accreditation and reputation are also important considerations and must be part of your decision process too. To assist in that effort, we will provide 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 then resume our conversation about online training.
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Should You Go to School to Become a Plebotomist?
First of all, not many 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 decides to enter this profession must be able to handle needles and blood. And if you are anxious in hospitals or other Portland TX medical facilities, well this profession may not be the best choice for you. And now let’s talk about the patients. Phlebotomists tend to work with nervous people who hate needles or having a blood sample taken. And because most health care facilities are open 24 hours, you may be expected to work weekends, nights and 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 right job for you.
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Phlebotomy Tech Job Description
A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, draws blood from patients. While that is their primary task, there is in fact far more to their job description. Prior to drawing a blood sample, a phlebotomist must check that the tools being utilized are single use only and sterile. After collection, the sample must be properly labeled with the patient’s data. Afterward, paperwork must be accurately completed to be able to track the sample from the point of collection through the lab screening procedure. The phlebotomist then delivers the blood to either an in-house lab or to an outside lab facility where it may be tested for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. A number of phlebotomists actually work in Portland TX laboratories and are accountable for making certain that samples are tested properly under the highest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t enough responsibilities, they can be called upon to train other phlebotomists in the drawing, transport and follow-up process.
Where do Phlebotomists Practice?
The easiest response is wherever patients are treated. Their work environments are numerous and varied, including Portland TX medical clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities, or blood banks. They can be charged to collect blood samples from patients of all ages, from infants or young children to seniors. A number of phlebotomists, depending on their training and their practice, specialize in collecting blood from a specific kind of patient. For example, those working in a nursing home or assisted living facility would solely be collecting blood from elderly patients. If they are working in a maternity ward, they would be drawing blood from newborns and mothers solely. In contrast, phlebotomists working in a general hospital environment would be drawing samples from a wide variety of patients and would collect samples from new patients each day.
Phlebotomist Education, Certification and Licensing
There are primarily 2 kinds of programs that provide phlebotomy training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program normally takes less than a year to finish and offers a basic education together with the training on how to draw blood. It provides the quickest route to becoming a phlebotomy tech. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not specifically a phlebotomist degree, will provide training on becoming a phlebotomist. Offered at community and junior colleges, they usually require two years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as available and as a 4 year program offer a more expansive foundation in lab sciences. Once you have finished your training, you will probably want to be certified. Although not mandated in most states, many Portland TX employers look for certification before employing technicians. Some of the main certifying agencies 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 phlebotomy tech, like 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 quality education, but also readies you for any certification or licensing exams that you elect or are required to take.
Online Phlebotomy Schools
To begin with, let’s dispel one possible misconception. You can’t get all of your phlebotomist training online. A substantial component 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 completion of an internship prior to graduation. But since the non-practical portion of the training can be accessed online, it may be a more practical alternative for some Portland TX students. As an added benefit, some online colleges are more affordable than their on-campus counterparts. And some expenses, including those for commuting or textbooks, may be lessened as well. Just make sure that the online phlebotomy school you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency (more on accreditation later). With both the extensive online and clinical training, you can obtain a premium education with this means of learning. If you are dedicated enough to study at home, then obtaining your certificate or degree online might be the best option for you.
Points to Ask Phlebotomy Colleges
Since you now have a basic understanding about what it takes to become a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to start your due diligence process. You might have already decided on the type of program you intend to enroll in, whether it be for a degree or a certificate. As we previously mentioned, the location of the school is relevant if you will be commuting from Portland TX as well as the tuition expense. Perhaps you have decided to enroll in an accredited online phlebotomist college. All 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. Following are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are looking at before making your final selection.
Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to Texas? As earlier discussed, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Several states call for certification, while a few others mandate licensing. Every state has its own requirement regarding the minimum hours of clinical training completed before working as a phlebotomy tech. As a result, you may have to pass a State Board, licensing or certification exam. Therefore it’s extremely important to enroll in a phlebotomy program that complies with the state specific requirements for Texas or the state where you will be working and prepares you for any examinations you may have to take.
Is the Program Accredited? The phlebotomist program and school you pick should be accredited by a reputable national or regional accrediting agency, such as the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are several advantages to graduating from an accredited school aside from a guarantee of a superior education. To begin with, if your program is not accredited, you will not qualify to sit for a certification exam offered by any of the earlier listed certifying agencies. Next, accreditation will help in obtaining loans or financial assistance, which are typically not available for non-accredited schools. Last, graduating from an accredited school can make you more attractive to prospective employers in the Portland TX job market.
What is the Program’s Reputation? In many states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomy schools, so there are some that are not of the highest quality. So along with accreditation, it’s important to check the reputations of all schools you are reviewing. You can start by requesting references from the schools from employers where they refer their students as part of their job assistance program. You can research internet school reviews and rating services and solicit the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. You can also check with a few Portland TX clinics or hospitals that you might have an interest in working for and see if they can offer any recommendations. As a closing thought, you can contact the Texas school licensing authority and find out if any grievances have been submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
Is Ample Training Provided? First, contact the state regulator where you will be practicing to find out 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 (most require 120) and 120 hours of practical training. Anything below these minimums might indicate that the program is not expansive enough to furnish sufficient training.
Are Internships Provided? Find out from the schools you are reviewing if they have an internship program in collaboration with local healthcare facilities. They are the ideal way to get hands-on clinical training often not provided on campus. As an added benefit, internships can help students establish relationships within the local Portland TX medical community. And they look good on resumes as well.
Is Job Placement Assistance Provided? Finding your first phlebotomist position will be much easier with the help of a job placement program. Find out if the programs you are looking at offer assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a college has a higher 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 Portland TX medical community.
Are Classes Compatible With Your Schedule? And last, it’s important to make sure that the final school you select offers classes at times that will accommodate your hectic schedule. This is especially true if you opt to still work while attending school. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Portland TX, make sure they are available at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend part-time, verify 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 completed within your schedule. And ask what the make-up procedure is in case you need to miss any classes because of illness or emergencies.
What Is Phlebotomy Training Portland TX
Best Phlebotomist Associates Degrees Near Me Portland Texas
Making sure that you select the ideal phlebotomist training is an important first step toward your success in this rewarding healthcare career position. As we have covered in this article, there are several factors that contribute toward the selection of a superior college. Phlebotomy training programs are available in a number of educational institutions, including community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide a wide array of courses in healthcare and medical sciences. Program offerings may vary somewhat from state to state as every state has its own requirements when it concerns phlebotomist training, certification and licensing. The most critical point is that you need to carefully screen and compare each school before making your final choice. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Best Phlebotomist Associates Degrees Near Me and to get more information regarding Phlebotomist Training Course. However, by addressing the questions that we have furnished, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can pick the best phlebotomist program for you. And with the proper training, you can reach your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Portland TX.
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Portland, Texas
Portland is located at 27°52′59″N 97°19′14″W / 27.88306°N 97.32056°W / 27.88306; -97.32056 (27.883117, -97.320466).[4] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.6 square miles (24.9 km²), of which 7.0 square miles (18.1 km²) is land and 2.6 square miles (6.8 km²) (27.44%) is water. The city is roughly equidistant from Portland, Maine, and Portland, Oregon.[5] In 2014 and 2015, the city annexed an additional 1.27 square miles bringing the total area to 10.87 square miles.[6]
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 14,827 people, 5,021 households, and 4,051 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,125.5 people per square mile (820.2/km²). There were 5,351 housing units at an average density of 767.1 per square mile (296.0/km²).
There were 5,021 households out of which 47.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.6% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.3% were non-families. 16.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.30.
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