How to Enroll in the Right Phlebotomy Technician Training Program near Santa Fe Texas
Picking the ideal phlebotomist school near Santa Fe TX is an important first step toward a fulfilling profession as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a daunting task to evaluate and compare each of the school alternatives that are available to you. However it’s necessary that you complete your due diligence to make certain that you receive a quality education. In reality, many students start their search by looking at two of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are cost and location. An additional factor you might look into is whether to attend online classes or commute to an area campus. We’ll talk a bit more about online schools 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 decision process as well. Toward that end, we will supply a list of questions that you need to ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are reviewing to help you choose the right one for you. But prior to doing that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and then resume our conversation about online training.
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Should You Choose a Career as a Phlebotomy Tech?
Right out of the gate, few people are likely to know what a phlebotomy tech or phlebotomist is. The short answer is a medical professional whose job is to draw blood. We will go into more depth later. So of course anyone who chooses this profession must be able to handle needles and blood. And if you are anxious in hospitals or other Santa Fe TX medical facilities, well this profession may not be the best choice for you. And now let’s talk about the patients. Phlebotomy Technicians often work with anxious people who hate needles or having a blood sample drawn. And because many medical facilities are open 24 hours, you will probably 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 helping people and are patient and compassionate, this could be the right job for you.
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Phlebotomist Career Description
A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy technician, collects blood samples from patients. While that is their principal task, there is in fact much more to their job description. Prior to collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist has to check that the tools being utilized are single use only and sterile. Following the collection, the sample has to be properly labeled with the patient’s information. Afterward, paperwork needs to be correctly completed to be able 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 may be screened for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. Many phlebotomists in fact work in Santa Fe TX labs and are accountable for ensuring that samples are tested correctly using the highest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t enough duties, they might be asked to train other phlebotomists in the collection, delivery and follow-up process.
Where do Phlebotomy Techs Practice?
The most basic response is wherever patients are treated. Their workplaces are numerous and varied, including Santa Fe TX medical clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities, or blood banks. They may be tasked to draw blood samples from patients of of every age, from infants or young children to senior citizens. A number of phlebotomy techs, based on their practice and their training, specialize in collecting blood from a specific type of patient. For example, those practicing in an assisted living facility or nursing home would solely be collecting blood from elderly patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be collecting blood from newborns and mothers exclusively. In contrast, phlebotomists practicing in a general hospital setting would be collecting blood from a wide variety of patients and would work with new patients each day.
Phlebotomist Education, Certification and Licensing
There are essentially two types of programs that offer phlebotomy training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program generally takes less than a year to finish and furnishes a general education together with the training on how to draw blood. It provides the fastest means to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not exclusively a phlebotomy degree, will include training on becoming a phlebotomy tech. Offered at junior and community colleges, they usually take 2 years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as accessible and as a 4 year program offer a more expansive foundation in lab sciences. Once you have completed your training, you will probably want to be certified. While not required in most states, many Santa Fe TX employers look for certification prior to 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 several states that do call for certification prior to practicing as a phlebotomy tech, including California and Nevada. California and a few additional states even require licensing. So it’s important that you pick a phlebotomy training program that not only furnishes a superior education, but also prepares you for any certification or licensing examinations that you elect or are required to take.
Online Phlebotomist Certificates and Degrees
To begin with, let’s resolve one likely mistaken belief. You can’t obtain all of your phlebotomist training online. A substantial component of the program of studies will be clinical training and it will be performed either in an approved healthcare facility or an on-campus lab. Numerous courses also require completing an internship prior to graduation. However since the non-clinical part of the training can be accessed online, it may be a more practical alternative for many Santa Fe TX students. As an additional benefit, some online programs are more affordable than their on-campus counterparts. And some costs, including those for commuting or textbooks, may be minimized also. Just make certain that the online phlebotomy 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 receive a superior education with this method of learning. If you are dedicated enough to study at home, then earning your certificate or degree online may be the best choice for you.
Questions to Ask Phlebotomist Schools
Now that you have a general understanding about what it takes to become a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to initiate your due diligence process. You might have already decided on the type of program you wish 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 Santa Fe TX in addition to the cost of tuition. Perhaps you have decided to enroll in an accredited online phlebotomist school. All of these decisions are a critical part of the process for picking a phlebotomy school or program. But they are not the only concerns when making your decision. Below we have provided a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are reviewing before making your ultimate decision.
Is the Phlebotomy Program State Specific? As earlier discussed, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomist. Several states call for certification, while some others require licensing. Every state has its own requirement regarding the minimum hours of clinical training performed before practicing 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 fulfills the state specific requirements for Texas or the state where you will be working and preps you for any exams you may be required to take.
Is the School Accredited? The phlebotomist program and school you choose should be accredited by a highly regarded national or regional accrediting agency, such as the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are many advantages to graduating from an accredited school in addition to a guarantee of a quality education. First, if your program has not received accreditation, you will not qualify to sit for a certification examination administered by any of the previously listed certifying agencies. Next, accreditation will help in securing financial aid or loans, which are typically not available for non-accredited schools. Last, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited school can make you more desirable to future employers in the Santa Fe TX job market.
What is the College’s Ranking? In numerous states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomist schools, so there are those that are not of the highest caliber. So in addition to accreditation, it’s important to check the reputations of any schools you are looking at. You can begin by asking the schools for references from employers where they place their graduates as part of their job assistance program. You can screen internet school reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. You can also contact a few Santa Fe TX hospitals or clinics that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations. As a closing thought, you can contact the Texas school licensing authority and ask if any grievances have been filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
Is Plenty of Training Provided? To begin with, check with the state regulator where you will be practicing to find out if there are any minimum requirements for the length of training, both classroom and practical. As a minimum, any phlebotomy program that you are considering should furnish at least 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of practical training. Anything lower than these minimums may indicate that the program is not comprehensive enough to provide sufficient training.
Are Internships Sponsored? Find out from the programs you are considering if they have an internship program in partnership with regional medical facilities. They are the optimal means to get hands-on clinical training typically not obtainable on campus. As an added benefit, internships can help students develop contacts within the local Santa Fe TX healthcare community. And they look good on resumes as well.
Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Getting your first phlebotomy job will be much easier with the help of a job placement program. Find out if the schools you are considering provide assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a school has a higher rate, meaning they place most of their students in jobs, it’s an indication that the school has both a good reputation together with an extensive network of professional contacts within the Santa Fe TX healthcare community.
Are Class Times Conveniently Scheduled? Finally, it’s crucial to verify that the final college you pick provides classes at times that will accommodate your hectic lifestyle. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while attending college. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Santa Fe TX, make certain they are offered at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure it is an option also. Even 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 procedure is in case you need to miss any classes because of illness or emergencies.
Medical Assistant Phlebotomist Santa Fe TX
Phlebotomy Associates Degree Santa Fe Texas
Making sure that you choose the most suitable phlebotomist training is a critical first step toward your success in this fulfilling health care field. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that contribute toward the selection of a premium college. Phlebotomy training programs can be available in a wide range of academic institutes, such as community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide a wide assortment of courses in medical care and health sciences. Program offerings may vary slightly across the country as each state has its own mandates when it pertains to phlebotomist training, certification and licensing. The most critical point is that you need to thoroughly screen and compare each school prior to making your final selection. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Phlebotomy Associates Degree and to get more information regarding Online Phlebotomy Schools. However, by asking the questions that we have provided, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can select the right phlebotomy college for you. And with the proper education, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Santa Fe TX.
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Santa Fe, Texas
Santa Fe (English: Holy Faith) is a city in Galveston County, Texas. It is named for the Santa Fe Railroad (now part of BNSF Railway) which runs through the town alongside State Highway 6. The population of Santa Fe at the 2010 census was 12,222.[3]
In 1877, the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway was built through the western part of Galveston county.[4] By the turn of the century, three small, unincorporated towns had formed along the railway: Alta Loma, Arcadia and Algoa. The Santa Fe Independent School District, named after the railway, was established shortly afterward to serve the area.
In the mid-1970s, the neighboring city of Hitchcock attempted to annex the Morningview neighborhood in eastern Alta Loma, to which the neighborhood residents were opposed. To avoid annexation, a petitioning effort was begun to incorporate the area into a new city. On January 21, 1978, a ballot proposal to incorporate Alta Loma and parts of Arcadia (a total of nine square miles) passed by a wide margin, and the city of Santa Fe was born. In the years since, Santa Fe has grown to include all of Arcadia and parts of Algoa, and has become an affluent area of Galveston County.
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