Picking a Phlebotomy School near Bay City Michigan

Picking the right phlebotomy school near Bay City MI is an essential first step toward a fulfilling career as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a daunting undertaking to analyze and compare each of the training options that are available to you. However it’s important that you complete your due diligence to make sure that you receive a quality education. In fact, many potential students begin the process by looking at two of the qualifiers that first come to mind, which are location and cost. Another factor you may 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 keep in mind is that there is much more to checking out phlebotomy training programs than locating the closest or the cheapest one. Other factors such as accreditation and reputation are also significant considerations and need to be part of your selection process as well. Toward that end, we will furnish a list of questions that you should ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are assessing to help you select the best one for you. But prior to doing that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and then continue our conversation about online classes.

Phlebotomy Technician Career Summary

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy technician, draws blood from patients. While that is their primary duty, there is actually far more to their job description. Prior to collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist has to check that the instruments being employed are sterile and single use only. Following the collection, the sample needs to be correctly labeled with the patient’s information. Next, paperwork has to be correctly completed to be able to track the sample from the point of collection through the laboratory testing process. The phlebotomist then delivers the blood to either an an outside lab facility or an in-house lab where it may be screened for such things as infectious diseases, pregnancy or blood type. Many Bay City MI phlebotomists actually work in labs and are in charge of ensuring that samples are analyzed properly utilizing the strictest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient duties, they may be called upon to instruct other phlebotomists in the drawing, transport and follow-up process.

Where are Phlebotomists Employed?

The simplest response is wherever patients are treated. Their work places are many and varied, such as Bay City MI medical clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, or blood banks. They can be charged to collect blood samples from patients of of every age, from infants or toddlers to seniors. A number of phlebotomists, based on their training and their practice, specialize in drawing blood from a particular kind of patient. For example, those working in a nursing home or assisted living facility would exclusively be drawing blood from older patients. If they are working in a maternity ward, they would be drawing 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 every day.

Phlebotomy Training, Licensing and Certification

There are primarily 2 types of programs that furnish phlebotomist training in Bay City MI, which are degree and certificate programs. The certificate program usually takes under a year to finish and furnishes a basic education along with the training on how to draw blood. It offers the fastest route to becoming a phlebotomy tech. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, even though it’s not specifically a phlebotomist degree, will include training on becoming a phlebotomy tech. Offered at community and junior colleges, they usually take two years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are less accessible and as a four year program provide a more extensive foundation in lab sciences. After you have completed your training, you will probably want to get certified. Although not mandated in most states, most employers require certification prior to hiring technicians. A few 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 some states that do call for certification in order to practice as a phlebotomist, including California and Nevada. California and a handful of other states even require licensing. So it’s important that you pick a phlebotomist training program that not only provides a quality education, but also preps you for any licensing or certification examinations that you elect or are required to take.

Phlebotomist Online Schools

To begin with, let’s resolve one potential misconception. You can’t receive all of your phlebotomist training online. A substantial portion of the curriculum will be clinical training and it will be conducted either in an approved Bay City MI healthcare facility or an on-campus lab|an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility}. Many courses also require completion of an internship in order to graduate. However since the non-practical part of the training can be attended online, it could be a more practical alternative for many students. As an added benefit, a number of online colleges are more affordable than their on-campus counterparts. And some expenditures, including those for commuting or textbooks, may be lessened also. Just confirm that the online phlebotomist college you choose is accredited by a national or regional 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 learn at home, then attaining your certificate or degree online might be the best option for you.

Subjects to Ask Phlebotomy Colleges

Now that you have a basic idea about what it takes to become a phlebotomist, it’s time to begin your due diligence process. You may have already selected the kind of program you want to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we mentioned earlier, the location of the Michigan school is significant as well as the cost of tuition. Maybe you have decided to enroll in an phlebotomy online college. Each of these decisions are a critical part of the procedure for selecting a program or school. But they are not the only concerns when arriving at your decision. Below we have provided some questions that you should ask about all of the Bay City MI programs you are considering prior to making your final decision.

Is the Phlebotomist Program State Specific? As previously mentioned, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomist. Several states require certification, while a few others require licensing. Every state has its own requirement regarding the minimum hours of clinical training completed prior to practicing as a phlebotomy tech. Consequently, you might have to pass a State Board, certification or licensing exam. Therefore it’s extremely important to select a phlebotomy program that meets the state specific requirements for Michigan 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 recognized 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 program aside from a guarantee of a premium education. First, if your program has not received accreditation, you will not qualify to sit for a certification exam offered by any of the earlier listed certifying organizations. Next, accreditation will help in getting loans or financial assistance, which are often not available for non-accredited colleges in Bay City MI. Finally, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited college can make you more desirable to prospective employers in the job market.

What is the School’s Reputation? In numerous states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomist colleges, so there are those that are not of the highest caliber. So along with accreditation, it’s important to check out the reputations of any schools you are looking at. 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 screen internet school rating and review services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. You can also talk to a few Bay City MI area clinics or hospitals that you might be interested in working for and see if they can offer any insights. As a final thought, you can check with the Michigan school licensing authority and ask if any complaints have been submitted or if the colleges are in full compliance.

Is Sufficient Training Provided? To begin with, contact the Michigan regulator or the state regulator where you will be working to learn if there are any minimum requirements for the amount of training, both clinical and classroom. As a minimum, any Bay City MI phlebotomy program that you are looking at should provide at least 40 hours of classroom training (most require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything lower than these minimums might indicate that the program is not expansive enough to furnish sufficient training.

Are Internships Included? Ask the Michigan programs you are looking at if they have an internship program in partnership with local healthcare facilities. They are the ideal means to receive hands-on clinical training frequently not provided on campus. As an added benefit, internships can help students develop contacts within the local Bay City MI medical community. And they look good on resumes as well.

Is Job Placement Support Provided? Getting your first phlebotomy job will be a lot easier with the assistance of a job placement program. Inquire if the schools you are considering provide assistance and what their job placement rate is. If a school has a high rate, meaning they place the majority of their students in jobs, it’s an indication that the school has both an excellent reputation as well as a substantial network of professional contacts within the Bay City MI health care community.

Are Classes Offered to Fit Your Schedule? Finally, it’s crucial to make sure that the final school you pick offers classes at times that will accommodate your busy lifestyle. This is especially true if you choose to still work while attending college. If you can only go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Bay City MI, check that 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 clinical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be fulfilled within your schedule. And ask what the make-up policy is in case you have to miss any classes because of illness or emergencies.

Why Did You Want to Become a Phlebotomy Tech?

When prepping to interview for a Phlebotomy Technician position, it's helpful to consider questions you might be asked. One of the questions that interviewers often ask Phlebotomy Tech prospects is "What drove you to decide on Phlebotomy as a career?". What the interviewer is attempting to discover is not just the personal reasons you might have for being Phlebotomy Tech, but also what characteristics and abilities you have that make you good at your profession. You will undoubtedly be asked questions pertaining exclusively to Phlebotomy, along with a certain number of typical interview questions, so you must organize a number of approaches about how you want to address them. Because there are numerous variables that go into selecting a career, you can respond to this primary question in a variety of ways. When preparing an answer, attempt to include the reasons the work interests you in addition to the talents you possess that make you an exceptional Phlebotomy Technician and the leading choice for the position. Don't try to memorize an answer, but write down several ideas and topics that pertain to your own strengths and experiences. Going over sample responses can help you to formulate your own thoughts, and give you ideas of what to include to enthuse the interviewer.

Choose the Right Phlebotomy School near Bay City MI

Making sure that you enroll in the most suitable phlebotomist training is an important first step toward your success in this fulfilling medical care field. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that go into the selection of a superior college. Phlebotomist certificate or degree programs can be offered in a wide range of academic institutions, including community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that offer a wide assortment of courses in medical care and health sciences. Training program offerings can vary slightly across the country as every state has its own mandates when it pertains to phlebotomy training, certification and licensing. The most important point is that you need to thoroughly research and compare each college before making your final selection. By addressing the questions that we have provided, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can pick the right college for you. And with the appropriate education, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Bay City MI.

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