How to Find the Right Phlebotomy Technician School near Hamlin West Virginia
Picking the right phlebotomy school near Hamlin WV is a critical first step toward a rewarding profession as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a challenging undertaking to investigate and compare all of the school alternatives that are available to you. However it’s necessary that you complete your due diligence to ensure that you obtain a quality education. In reality, most potential students begin their search by looking at 2 of the qualifiers that first come to mind, which are cost and location. An additional option you might look into is whether to attend online classes or commute to a local campus. We’ll talk more about online classes later in this article. What you need to remember is that there is much more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than locating the closest or the cheapest one. Other variables such as accreditation and reputation are also significant considerations and need to be part of your decision process as well. To assist in that effort, we will provide a list of questions that you need to ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are evaluating to help you pick the right one for you. But before we do that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and then resume our discussion about online schools.
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Should You Train to Be a Phlebotomy Technician?
First of all, few people probably know what a phlebotomy tech or phlebotomist is. The short answer is a health care professional who draws blood from patients. We will go into more depth later. So naturally anyone who chooses this profession must be able to handle needles and blood. And if you are not comfortable in hospitals or other Hamlin WV medical facilities, well this profession probably is not the best choice for you. And now let’s talk about the patients. Phlebotomy Techs often work around nervous people who don’t like needles or having a blood sample drawn. And because most health care facilities are open around the clock, you may be required to work weekends, nights and, you guessed it even on holidays. But if you can handle the hours and the blood and needles, and if you enjoy interacting with people and are compassionate and very patient, this could be the perfect job for you.
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Phlebotomy Tech Work Summary
A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy technician, draws blood from patients. Although that is their principal responsibility, there is in fact much more to their job description. Prior to collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist needs to verify that the instruments being utilized are single use only and sterile. Following the collection, the sample must be correctly labeled with the patient’s data. Next, paperwork must be correctly completed in order to track the sample from the time of collection through the laboratory screening procedure. The phlebotomist then transports the blood to either an an outside lab facility or an in-house lab where it can be screened for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. A number of phlebotomists in fact work in Hamlin WV labs and are responsible for ensuring that samples are tested correctly utilizing the strictest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient responsibilities, they can be required to train other phlebotomists in the drawing, transport and follow-up process.
Where are Phlebotomy Techs Employed?
The simplest answer is wherever they treat patients. Their work places are numerous and diverse, including Hamlin WV hospitals, medical clinics, nursing homes, or blood banks. They can be tasked to draw blood samples from patients of of every age, from babies or young children to senior citizens. A number of phlebotomists, based on their training and their practice, specialize in collecting samples from a particular kind of patient. For example, those working in a nursing home or assisted living facility would solely be collecting blood from senior patients. If they are working in a maternity ward, they would be collecting blood from mothers and newborns solely. On the other hand, phlebotomy technicians working in a general hospital environment would be drawing blood from a wide range of patients and would collect samples from different patients on a daily basis.
Phlebotomy Education, Licensing and Certification
There are essentially 2 types of programs that offer phlebotomist training, which are degree and certificate programs. The certificate program generally takes under a year to complete and furnishes a general education as well as the training on how to draw blood. It provides the quickest method to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, even though it’s not exclusively a phlebotomy degree, will provide training on becoming a phlebotomist. Available at junior and community colleges, they typically require 2 years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are less accessible and as a 4 year program furnish a more extensive background in lab sciences. After you have finished your training, you will probably want to become certified. While not mandated in most states, a number of Hamlin WV employers look for certification before employing 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 a few states that do call for certification in order to practice as a phlebotomy tech, like California and Nevada. California and a few other states even require licensing. So it’s important that you choose a phlebotomy training program that not only furnishes a premium education, but also preps you for any licensing or certification examinations that you are required or elect to take.
Online Phlebotomist Colleges
First, let’s resolve one possible misconception. You can’t receive all of your phlebotomist training online. A substantial component of the curriculum 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. But since the non-clinical portion of the training can be accessed online, it may be a more practical option for many Hamlin WV students. As an added benefit, many online colleges are more affordable than their traditional counterparts. And some expenses, for instance those for commuting or textbooks, may be reduced also. Just verify that the online phlebotomy college you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency (more on accreditation to follow). With both the extensive online and clinical training, you can receive a quality education with this means of learning. If you are disciplined enough to learn at home, then attaining your degree or certificate online may be the right choice for you.
Questions to Ask Phlebotomist Programs
Since you now have a basic understanding about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to start 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 previously mentioned, the location of the campus is important if you will be commuting from Hamlin WV as well as the cost of tuition. Maybe you have opted to enroll in an accredited online phlebotomist college. All of these decisions are a critical part of the procedure for choosing a phlebotomy program or school. But they are not the only considerations when arriving at your decision. Below we have provided a few questions that you should ask about each of the colleges you are considering prior to making your ultimate decision.
Is the Phlebotomy Program Specific to West Virginia? As earlier discussed, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Some states require certification, while some others require licensing. Each has its own requirement regarding the minimum amount of practical training completed prior to 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 select a phlebotomy program that complies with the state specific requirements for West Virginia or the state where you will be practicing and preps you for all examinations you may have to take.
Is the School Accredited? The phlebotomist school and program you select should be accredited by a highly regarded regional or national accrediting agency, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are several benefits to graduating from an accredited school in addition to a guarantee of a quality education. First, if your program is not accredited, you will not qualify to take a certification exam administered by any of the earlier listed certifying agencies. Next, accreditation will help in obtaining financial aid or loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Finally, graduating from an accredited school can make you more desirable to potential employers in the Hamlin WV job market.
What is the College’s Ranking? In a number of states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomist colleges, so there are those that are not of the highest quality. So in addition to accreditation, it’s essential to check the reputations of all colleges you are reviewing. You can begin by asking the schools for references from employers where they refer their students as part of their job placement program. You can research internet school rating and review services and solicit the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. You can even talk to some Hamlin WV clinics or hospitals that you may have an interest in working for and find out if they can provide any recommendations. As a final thought, you can contact the West Virginia school licensing authority and find out if any complaints have been filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
Is Ample Training Included? To begin with, contact the state regulator where you will be working to learn if there are any minimum requirements for the length of training, both clinical and classroom. As a minimum, any phlebotomy program that you are looking at should furnish no less than 40 hours of classroom training (most require 120) and 120 hours of practical training. Anything less than these minimums might indicate that the program is not comprehensive enough to provide adequate training.
Are Internships Sponsored? Find out from the schools you are reviewing if they have an internship program in partnership with area healthcare facilities. They are the ideal means to receive hands-on clinical training typically not obtainable on campus. As an added benefit, internships can help students develop contacts within the local Hamlin WV medical community. And they look good on resumes as well.
Is Job Placement Assistance Available? Finding your first phlebotomy position will be a lot easier with the assistance of a job placement program. Ask if the schools you are considering offer assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a school has a high rate, meaning they place the majority of their students in jobs, it’s an indication that the program has both an excellent reputation together with an extensive network of professional contacts within the Hamlin WV medical community.
Are Class Times Available as Needed? And last, it’s important to verify that the ultimate school you choose offers classes at times that will accommodate your active lifestyle. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while going to college. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Hamlin WV, make certain they are available at those times. Also, if you can only attend part-time, confirm it is an option as well. And if you have decided to attend online, with the clinical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be fulfilled within your schedule. And find out what the make-up protocol is in case you have to miss any classes as a result of emergencies or illness.
Phlebotomy Tech School Hamlin WV
Accredited Phlebotomy Associates Degrees Hamlin West Virginia
Making sure that you select the right phlebotomy training is an important first step toward your success in this gratifying healthcare career position. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that contribute toward the selection of a superior program. Phlebotomist certificate or degree programs are found in a variety of educational institutes, including junior or community colleges, vocational schools, and colleges and universities that offer a comprehensive assortment of courses in healthcare and medical sciences. Course offerings can vary somewhat across the country as each state has its own criteria when it concerns phlebotomy training, certification and licensing. The most important point is that you need to diligently evaluate and compare each college prior to making your final decision. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Accredited Phlebotomy Associates Degrees and to get more information regarding 4 Week Phlebotomist Training Near Me. However, by asking the questions that we have furnished, you will be able to fine tune your options so that you can pick the right phlebotomist program for you. And with the proper education, you can achieve your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Hamlin WV.
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West Hamlin, West Virginia
West Hamlin is a town in Lincoln County, West Virginia, United States, along the Guyandotte River. The population was 774 at the 2010 census. West Hamlin is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As of the 2010 census, the MSA had a population of 287,702. New estimates from February 28, 2013 placed the population at 363,000.[6] West Hamlin is west of the county seat at Hamlin, hence the name.[7][8]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.55 square miles (1.42 km2), of which, 0.53 square miles (1.37 km2) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km2) is water.[10]
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 774 people, 356 households, and 211 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,460.4 inhabitants per square mile (563.9/km2). There were 395 housing units at an average density of 745.3 per square mile (287.8/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.3% White, 0.1% African American, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.9% of the population.
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