Picking a Phlebotomy Course near Huntley Illinois

Selecting the right phlebotomy technician school near Huntley IL is an important first step toward a rewarding career as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a challenging task to assess and compare each of the school options that are accessible to you. However it’s important that you complete your due diligence to make sure that you obtain a superior education. In fact, most potential students begin the process by considering 2 of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are cost and location. An additional option you might look into is whether to attend online classes or commute to an area campus. We’ll review more about online schools later in this article. What’s important to keep in mind is that there is a lot more to checking out phlebotomy training programs than finding the closest or the cheapest one. Other factors including accreditation and reputation are also important considerations and must be part of your selection process also. Toward that end, we will provide a list of questions that you need to ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are assessing to help you pick the best one for you. But before we do that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and then continue our conversation about online schools.

Phlebotomy Tech Career Summary

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy technician, draws blood from patients. Although that is their main responsibility, there is in fact much more to their job description. Prior to drawing a blood sample, a phlebotomist has to check that the instruments being employed are sterile and single use only. Following the collection, the sample must be correctly labeled with the patient’s data. Next, paperwork has to be properly completed to be able to track the sample from the point of collection through the lab screening process. The phlebotomist then transports the blood to either an in-house lab or to an outside lab facility where it can be screened for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. Some Huntley IL phlebotomists actually work in laboratories and are responsible for ensuring that samples are analyzed properly under the strictest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t enough responsibilities, they might be called upon to instruct other phlebotomists in the collection, transport and follow-up process.

Where do Phlebotomy Techs Practice?

The easiest answer is wherever they treat patients. Their work places are many and varied, such as Huntley IL hospitals, medical clinics, nursing homes, or blood banks. They can be assigned to draw blood samples from patients of of every age, from babies or toddlers to senior citizens. A number of phlebotomists, depending on their practice and their training, specialize in collecting samples from a particular kind of patient. For example, those practicing in a nursing home or assisted living facility would exclusively be collecting blood from older patients. If they are working in a maternity ward, they would be collecting blood from newborns and mothers solely. In contrast, phlebotomists working in a general hospital environment would be drawing blood from a wide range of patients and would collect samples from new patients every day.

Phlebotomist Training, Certification and Licensing

There are basically 2 types of programs that provide phlebotomy training in Huntley IL, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program generally takes less than a year to finish and provides a basic education together with the training on how to draw blood. It provides the quickest route to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, even though it’s not specifically a phlebotomist degree, will incorporate training on becoming a phlebotomist. Offered at community and junior colleges, they usually require 2 years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as accessible and as a 4 year program provide a more expansive foundation in lab sciences. After you have finished your training, you will probably want to be certified. Although not mandated in the majority of states, a number of employers require certification prior to employing technicians. Some of the key 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 in order to practice as a phlebotomy tech, such as California and Nevada. California and a handful of additional states even require licensing. So it’s important that you choose a phlebotomist training program that not only furnishes a premium education, but also prepares you for any licensing or certification examinations that you are required or elect to take.

Online Phlebotomist Schools

First, let’s dispel one potential mistaken belief. You can’t receive all of your phlebotomist training online. A significant component of the course of study will be practical training and it will be carried out either in an approved Huntley IL healthcare facility or an on-campus lab|an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility}. Numerous courses also require completing an internship in order to graduate. However since the non-practical portion of the training may be accessed online, it might be a more convenient option for some students. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs are more affordable than their traditional counterparts. And some expenditures, including those for textbooks or commuting, may be lowered as well. Just make sure that the online phlebotomist program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization (more on accreditation to follow). With both the extensive clinical and online training, you can obtain a superior education with this approach to learning. If you are disciplined enough to learn at home, then attaining your degree or certificate online might be the ideal choice for you.

Questions to Ask Phlebotomist Programs

Since you now have a general understanding about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to initiate your due diligence process. You may have already chosen the kind of program you want to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we previously mentioned, the location of the Illinois school is relevant in addition to the cost of tuition. Possibly you have decided to enroll in an phlebotomist online college. All of these decisions are an important component of the process for choosing a 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 all of the Huntley IL schools you are looking at prior to making your ultimate selection.

Is the Phlebotomy Program Specific to Your State? As previously mentioned, each state has its own laws for practicing as a phlebotomist. Some states call for certification, while some others require licensing. Every state has its own requirement regarding the minimum amount of clinical training completed prior to practicing as a phlebotomy tech. As a result, you might need to pass a State Board, licensing or certification exam. Therefore it’s extremely important to choose a phlebotomist program that complies with the state specific requirements for Illinois or the state where you will be practicing and readies you for all examinations you may have to take.

Is the Program Accredited? The phlebotomist school and program you pick should be accredited by a reputable national or regional accrediting organization, such as the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are a number of benefits to graduating from an accredited school in addition to an assurance of a premium education. To begin with, if your program is not accredited, you will not qualify to take a certification examination offered by any of the previously listed certifying agencies. Also, accreditation will help in getting financial aid or loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited colleges in Huntley IL. Last, graduating from an accredited school can make you more desirable to prospective employers in the job market.

What is the Program’s Reputation? In a number of states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomist schools, so there are some that are not of the highest quality. So in addition to accreditation, it’s imperative to check out the reputations of all colleges 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 screen internet school reviews and rating services and solicit the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. You can even check with a few Huntley IL local clinics or hospitals that you may be interested in working for and find out if they can provide any recommendations. As a final thought, you can contact the Illinois school licensing authority and find out if any grievances have been submitted or if the colleges are in full compliance.

Is Plenty of Training Included? First, check with the Illinois regulator or the state regulator where you will be practicing to learn if there are any minimum requirements for the length of training, both clinical and classroom. As a minimum, any Huntley IL phlebotomist program that you are looking at should provide at least 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything lower than these minimums might indicate that the program is not comprehensive enough to offer sufficient training.

Are Internships Included? Find out from the Illinois colleges you are considering if they have an internship program in collaboration with local healthcare facilities. They are the optimal means to obtain hands-on clinical training frequently not available on campus. As an added benefit, internships can help students establish relationships within the local Huntley IL medical community. And they are a plus on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Support Available? Landing your first phlebotomist position will be much easier with the support of a job placement program. Find out if the colleges you are considering offer assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a school has a higher 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 substantial network of professional contacts within the Huntley IL health care community.

Are Classes Compatible With Your Schedule? Finally, it’s important to confirm that the ultimate program you select offers classes at times that are compatible with your hectic schedule. This is especially true if you opt to still work while attending college. If you can only go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Huntley IL, make sure they are available at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend part-time, confirm it is an option as well. And if you have decided to attend online, with the practical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be fulfilled within your schedule. And ask what the make-up procedure is in case you need to miss any classes because of emergencies or illness.

Why Did You Choose to Be a Phlebotomy Technician?

When prepping to interview for a Phlebotomy Tech position, it's a good idea to consider questions you could be asked. Among the things that hiring managers often ask Phlebotomy Technician applicants is "What made you select Phlebotomy as a career?". What the interviewer is hoping to discover is not only the personal reasons you may have for being Phlebotomy Tech, but also what qualities and abilities you have that make you good at what you do. You will probably be asked questions pertaining primarily to Phlebotomy, in addition to a certain number of standard interview questions, so you need to prepare some ideas about how you want to respond to them. Because there are several factors that go into selecting a career, you can address this primary question in a variety of ways. When formulating an answer, try to include the reasons the work appeals to you along with the strengths you possess that make you an exceptional Phlebotomy Technician and the best choice for the position. Don't make an effort to memorize a response, but take down a few ideas and talking points that pertain to your personal strengths and experiences. Going over sample answers can assist you to formulate your own thoughts, and give you ideas of what to include to enthuse the interviewer.

Choose the Best Phlebotomy Program near Huntley IL

Making certain that you select the most suitable phlebotomy training is a critical first step toward your success in this fulfilling health care field. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that contribute toward the selection of a premium program. Phlebotomist certificate or degree programs can be available in a wide range of academic institutes, including community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide a comprehensive range of programs in healthcare and medical sciences. Program options may differ slightly from state to state as every state has its own requirements when it pertains to phlebotomist training, certification and licensing. The most critical point is that you need to carefully screen and compare each college before making your final selection. By asking the questions that we have presented, you will be able to fine tune your choices so that you can select the ideal college for you. And with the proper training, you can achieve your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Huntley IL.

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