How to Choose the Right Phlebotomy Technician School near Aldie Virginia
Selecting the right phlebotomy technician school near Aldie VA is a critical initial step toward a rewarding profession as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a difficult task to evaluate and compare all of the training options that are available to you. However it’s important that you do your due diligence to make sure that you obtain a quality education. In reality, many students start the process by looking at two of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are cost and location. Yet another factor you may consider is whether to attend classes online or commute to a local campus. We’ll discuss 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 variables including reputation and accreditation are also important considerations and must be part of your selection process too. Toward that end, we will provide a list of questions that you need to ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are evaluating to help you choose the ideal one for you. But prior to doing that, let’s address what a phlebotomist is and does, and then resume our discussion about online training.
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Should You Become a Phlebotomy Technician?
First of all, few people are likely to know what a phlebotomist or phlebotomy technician is. The basic definition is a health care professional who draws blood from patients. We will provide more details later. So of course anyone who selects this profession must be comfortable with needles and blood. And if you are nervous in hospitals or other Aldie VA medical environments, well this job may not be the best choice for you. And then there are the patients. Phlebotomists routinely work around nervous people who hate needles or having a blood sample drawn. And because many medical facilities are open 24 hours, you may be required to work weekends, evenings and, you guessed it even on holidays. But if you can handle the hours and the needles and blood, and if you enjoy interacting with people and are patient and compassionate, this could be the right profession for you.
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Phlebotomy Technician Work Summary
A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, collects blood samples from patients. While that is their main task, there is actually far more to their job description. Prior to collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist has to confirm that the tools being employed are single use only and sterile. Following the collection, the sample must be correctly labeled with the patient’s data. Next, paperwork must be properly filled out to be able to track the sample from the point of collection through the laboratory screening process. 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. Some phlebotomists actually work in Aldie VA laboratories and are accountable for making sure that samples are analyzed correctly using the highest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient responsibilities, they might be called upon to train other phlebotomists in the drawing, transport and follow-up process.
Where are Phlebotomists Employed?
The simplest response is wherever they treat patients. Their workplaces are many and varied, such as Aldie VA medical clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities, or blood banks. They can be charged to draw blood samples from patients of all ages, from infants or young children to seniors. A number of phlebotomists, based on their training and their practice, specialize in collecting blood from a specific kind of patient. For example, those practicing in a nursing home or assisted living facility would exclusively be collecting blood from elderly patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be drawing blood from newborns and mothers exclusively. In contrast, phlebotomists working in a general hospital setting would be drawing samples from a wide variety of patients and would work with new patients every day.
Phlebotomist Training, Certification and Licensing
There are basically 2 types of programs that provide phlebotomy training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program generally takes less than a year to finish and offers a basic education along 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 exclusively a phlebotomy degree, will incorporate training to become a phlebotomy tech. Offered at community and junior colleges, they normally take two years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are less accessible and as a four year program offer a more extensive background in lab sciences. After you have completed your training, you will no doubt want to get certified. While not required in most states, most Aldie VA employers look for certification prior to employing technicians. A few 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 call for certification prior to practicing as a phlebotomist, like Nevada and California. California and a few other states even require licensing. So it’s important that you select a phlebotomy training program that not only supplies a quality education, but also readies you for any certification or licensing examinations that you are required or elect to take.
Online Phlebotomy Classes
To start with, let’s dispel one potential mistaken belief. You can’t get all of your phlebotomist training online. A good part of the curriculum will be clinical training and it will be performed either in an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility. Numerous courses also require completing an internship prior to graduation. But since the non-practical part of the training may be accessed online, it might be a more practical option for many Aldie VA students. As an additional benefit, a number of online schools are more affordable than their on-campus competitors. And some costs, including those for commuting or textbooks, may be minimized also. Just make certain that the online phlebotomy program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization (more on accreditation later). With both the extensive clinical and online training, you can receive a quality education with this approach to learning. If you are dedicated enough to study at home, then obtaining your degree or certificate online might be the right choice for you.
Points to Ask Phlebotomist Colleges
Now that you have a general understanding about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomist, it’s time to start your due diligence process. You might have already picked the type of program you want to enroll in, whether it be for a degree or a certificate. As we previously mentioned, the location of the school is important if you will be commuting from Aldie VA as well as the cost of tuition. Perhaps you have decided to enroll in an accredited phlebotomist online program. All of these decisions are a critical part of the procedure for selecting a phlebotomy school or program. But they are not the sole considerations when arriving at your decision. Following are several questions that you should ask about each of the colleges you are considering prior to making your ultimate decision.
Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to Your State? As earlier discussed, each state has its own regulations for practicing as a phlebotomist. Several states require certification, while some others require licensing. Each has its own requirement regarding the minimum hours of practical training performed before practicing as a phlebotomy tech. As a result, you may have to pass a State Board, licensing or certification examination. Therefore it’s extremely important to enroll in a phlebotomy program that satisfies the state specific requirements for Virginia or the state where you will be working and readies you for all exams you may be required to take.
Is the School Accredited? The phlebotomist program and school you select should be accredited by a recognized regional or national accrediting organization, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are several advantages to graduating from an accredited program aside from an assurance of a superior education. To begin with, if your program has not received accreditation, you will not be able to sit for a certification examination offered by any of the earlier listed certifying agencies. Next, accreditation will help in getting loans or financial assistance, which are typically unavailable for non-accredited programs. Finally, graduating from an accredited college can make you more attractive to future employers in the Aldie VA job market.
What is the Program’s Reputation? In numerous states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomy schools, so there are those that are not of the highest quality. So in addition to accreditation, it’s important to investigate the reputations of any schools you are looking at. You can start by asking the schools for references from employers where they refer their students as part of their job assistance program. You can screen online school rating and review services and solicit the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. You can also talk to some Aldie VA hospitals or clinics that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations. As a final thought, you can check with the Virginia school licensing authority and ask if any grievances have been submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
Is Plenty of Training Included? First, contact the state regulator where you will be working to learn if there are any minimum requirements for the amount of training, both classroom and practical. As a minimum, any phlebotomy program that you are reviewing should furnish at least 40 hours of classroom training (most require 120) and 120 hours of practical training. Anything less than these minimums may signify that the program is not comprehensive enough to provide adequate training.
Are Internship Programs Included? Ask the schools you are considering if they have an internship program in partnership with regional medical facilities. They are the optimal means to get hands-on practical training typically not available on campus. As an added benefit, internships can help students establish relationships within the local Aldie VA health care community. And they look good on resumes also.
Is Job Placement Support Offered? Landing your first phlebotomist position will be a lot easier with the assistance of a job placement program. Find out if the schools you are considering offer assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a college has a high rate, signifying they place most of their students in jobs, it’s an indication that the school has both a good reputation together with a large network of professional contacts within the Aldie VA healthcare community.
Are Classes Compatible With Your Schedule? And last, it’s important to verify that the ultimate college you pick offers classes at times that are compatible with your active lifestyle. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while going to school. If you can only attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Aldie VA, make certain they are offered at those times. Also, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify it is an option also. Even if you have decided to attend online, with the practical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And ask what the make-up policy is in case you need to miss any classes because of illness or emergencies.
Phlebotomy Technician Classes Near Me Aldie VA
3 Day Phlebotomy Course Aldie Virginia
Making certain that you select the ideal phlebotomy training is an essential first step toward your success in this gratifying healthcare career position. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that go into the selection of a premium program. Phlebotomy training programs are available in a wide range of academic institutions, including junior or community colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide a comprehensive assortment of courses in healthcare and medical sciences. Training program options may vary slightly across the country as every state has its own criteria when it concerns phlebotomist training, licensing and certification. The most critical point is that you must thoroughly screen and compare each school before making your final selection. You originally came to this website due to an interest in 3 Day Phlebotomy Course and to get more information regarding Affordable Phlebotomy Classes. However, by asking the questions that we have provided, you will be able to fine tune your options so that you can select the ideal phlebotomist college for you. And with the proper training, you can reach your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Aldie VA.
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Aldie, Virginia
Aldie is an unincorporated community located between Chantilly and Middleburg in Loudoun County, Virginia. Aldie's historic heart is the Village of Aldie that is located on the John Mosby Highway (U.S. Route 50) in a gap between the Catoctin Mountains and Bull Run Mountains, through which the Little River flows. Aldie traditionally serves as the gateway to Loudoun Valley and beyond.
As of 2014, the Aldie postal area (ZIP Code 20105) had a population of 11,420 people, a 569% increase since 2000[1] making it one of the fastest growing suburbs in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and the second fastest growing zip code in Virginia. As a result, the eastern part is suburbanized with numerous upscale communities recently built or under construction while most of the Aldie Hills adjacent to the historic Village of Aldie have so far largely preserved their bucolic character.
Aldie's beginnings were laid in 1765 when James Mercer and George Mercer established a mill at the location of the present historic edifice. The location was a natural choice, as the gap contained the intersection of the Belhaven road between Winchester and Alexandria and the Mountain road which ran northwest to Snickers Gap. By 1809 the Little River Turnpike was completed from Alexandria to the Mercer Mill, replacing the older rutted section of Belhaven Road. With the opening of the road, James Mercer's son, Charles Fenton Mercer, in a partnership with William Cooke, set out to develop a village on 30 acres (120,000 m2) at the turnpike's western terminus. Mercer named the village for Castle Aldie, his Scottish clan's ancestral home.
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