Choosing a Phlebotomy Technician School near Brainerd Minnesota

Picking the right phlebotomy training near Brainerd MN is an important first step toward a fulfilling profession as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a challenging undertaking to assess and compare each of the school options that are available to you. Nevertheless it’s important that you do your due diligence to ensure that you get a quality education. In reality, a large number of potential students start the process by considering two of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are cost and location. An additional factor you might consider is whether to attend classes online or commute to a nearby campus. We’ll talk a bit more about online schools later in this article. What’s important to remember is that there is far more to checking out phlebotomy training programs than finding the closest or the cheapest one. Other variables including reputation and accreditation are also significant considerations and must be part of your selection process also. Toward that end, we will furnish a list of questions that you need to ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are evaluating to help you select the right one for you. But before we do that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and then resume our conversation about online classes.

Phlebotomy Tech Career Summary

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, draws blood from patients. Although that is their principal duty, there is in fact so much more to their job description. Prior to drawing a blood sample, a phlebotomist has to check that the tools being employed are sterile and single use only. Following the collection, the sample needs to be properly labeled with the patient’s information. Next, paperwork needs to be accurately completed to be able to track the sample from the point of collection through the laboratory testing procedure. The phlebotomist then delivers 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. Many Brainerd MN phlebotomists in fact work in labs and are in charge of ensuring that samples are analyzed correctly utilizing the strictest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t enough duties, they might be asked to train other phlebotomists in the drawing, delivery and follow-up process.

Where do Phlebotomy Techs Practice?

The easiest answer is wherever they treat patients. Their work environments are many and diverse, such as Brainerd MN medical clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities, or blood banks. They may be charged to collect blood samples from patients of all ages, from infants or toddlers to seniors. Some phlebotomy techs, based on their training and their practice, specialize in collecting samples from a specific kind of patient. For example, those working in a nursing home or assisted living facility would solely be collecting blood from elderly patients. If they are working in a maternity ward, they would be drawing blood from newborns and mothers exclusively. In contrast, phlebotomy technicians working in a general hospital environment would be drawing blood from a wide range of patients and would work with new patients every day.

Phlebotomist Training, Licensing and Certification

There are essentially 2 types of programs that furnish phlebotomist training in Brainerd MN, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program typically takes under a year to finish and offers a general education as well as the training on how to draw blood. It provides the fastest route to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not exclusively a phlebotomy degree, will incorporate training on becoming a phlebotomist. Offered at community and junior colleges, they normally take two years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as accessible and as a 4 year program offer a more expansive foundation in lab sciences. After you have finished your training, you will no doubt want to get certified. While not required in most states, most employers look for certification before employing 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 several states that do require certification prior to practicing as a phlebotomist, such as Nevada and California. California and a handful of additional states even require licensing. So it’s imperative that you choose a phlebotomist training program that not only offers a superior education, but also preps you for any licensing or certification exams that you are required or elect to take.

Phlebotomist Online Schools

To start with, let’s dispel one likely misconception. You can’t receive all of your phlebotomy training online. A good portion of the course of study will be practical training and it will be performed either in an approved Brainerd MN 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-clinical portion of the training may be accessed online, it might be a more convenient alternative for some students. As an added benefit, many online schools are less expensive than their on-campus competitors. And some expenditures, such as those for commuting or textbooks, may be reduced also. Just make certain that the online phlebotomy program you enroll in is accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency (more on accreditation later). With both the extensive clinical and online training, you can obtain a quality education with this method of learning. If you are dedicated enough to learn at home, then earning your certificate or degree online might be the right option for you.

What to Ask Phlebotomy Schools

Since you now have a general understanding about what it takes to become a phlebotomist, it’s time to initiate your due diligence process. You might have already chosen the type of program you wish to enroll in, whether it be for a degree or a certificate. As we previously mentioned, the location of the Minnesota college is significant as well as the tuition expense. Maybe you have decided to enroll in an online phlebotomy program. All of these decisions are an important part of the procedure for selecting a program or school. But they are not the only considerations when arriving at your decision. Below we have provided several questions that you should ask about all of the Brainerd MN programs you are looking at prior to making your final decision.

Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to Minnesota? As mentioned previously, each state has its own laws for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Several states require certification, while some others require licensing. Each has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum amount of practical training completed prior to practicing as a phlebotomist. As a result, you may need to pass a State Board, certification or licensing examination. Therefore it’s very important to select a phlebotomist program that complies with the state specific requirements for Minnesota or the state where you will be working and preps you for any examinations you may have to take.

Is the Program Accredited? The phlebotomist school and program you enroll in should be accredited by a respected regional or national accrediting agency, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are a number of advantages to graduating from an accredited school in addition to a guarantee of a superior education. First, if your program is not accredited, you will not be able to sit for a certification exam offered by any of the previously listed certifying agencies. Next, accreditation will help in getting financial aid or loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools in Brainerd MN. Finally, graduating from an accredited college can make you more attractive to prospective employers in the job market.

What is the College’s Ranking? In numerous states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomy schools, so there are some that are not of the highest caliber. So in addition to accreditation, it’s essential to check out the reputations of all schools you are looking at. You can begin by requesting references from the schools from employers where they place their graduates as part of their job assistance program. You can research internet school reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. You can also check with some Brainerd MN area hospitals or clinics that you may be interested in working for and find out if they can offer any recommendations. As a closing thought, you can contact the Minnesota school licensing authority and find out if any complaints have been filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

Is Ample Training Included? To begin with, contact the Minnesota regulator or 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 Brainerd MN phlebotomy program that you are reviewing should provide at least 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of practical training. Anything below these minimums may signify that the program is not comprehensive enough to furnish sufficient training.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask the Minnesota schools you are considering if they have an internship program in partnership with regional health care facilities. They are the optimal way to receive hands-on clinical training typically not available on campus. As an additional benefit, internships can help students establish relationships within the local Brainerd MN health care community. And they look good on resumes as well.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Landing your first phlebotomy job will be a lot easier with the help of a job placement program. Find out if the colleges you are considering provide assistance and what their job placement rate is. If a college has a high rate, meaning they place the majority of their students in jobs, it’s an indication that the college has both an excellent reputation as well as an extensive network of professional contacts within the Brainerd MN healthcare community.

Are Class Times Conveniently Scheduled? And last, it’s crucial to confirm that the final program you pick offers classes at times that are compatible with your busy lifestyle. This is particularly true if you choose to still work while going to school. If you can only go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Brainerd MN, make sure they are offered at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend part-time, confirm it is an option as well. Even if you have decided to study online, with the clinical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And ask what the make-up protocol is should you need to miss any classes as a result of emergencies or illness.

Why Did You Desire to Be a Phlebotomist?

When getting ready to interview for a Phlebotomist job, it's helpful to review questions you might be asked. One of the questions that recruiters frequently ask Phlebotomy Technician candidates is "What made you decide on Phlebotomy as a career?". What the interviewer is attempting to learn is not only the private reasons you might have for becoming Phlebotomist, but also what qualities and talents you have that make you exceptional at what you do. You will probably be asked questions pertaining primarily to Phlebotomy, along with a certain number of typical interview questions, so you need to organize some ideas about how you would like to address them. Since there are so many factors that go into selecting a career, you can answer this fundamental question in a variety of ways. When formulating an answer, try to include the reasons the work interests you as well as the strengths you possess that make you an outstanding Phlebotomy Tech and the best candidate for the position. Don't make an effort to memorize an answer, but jot down several concepts and anecdotes that pertain to your personal strengths and experiences. Reading through sample answers can help you to develop your own thoughts, and provide ideas of what to discuss to impress the recruiter.

Choose the Ideal Phlebotomist College near Brainerd MN

Making sure that you select the right phlebotomist training is an important first step toward your success in this rewarding health care career position. As we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that go into the selection of a superior college. Phlebotomist certificate or degree programs can be available in a number of academic institutes, such as community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that offer a comprehensive range of courses in healthcare and medical sciences. Course offerings may vary a bit from state to state as every state has its own prerequisites when it pertains to phlebotomy training, certification and licensing. The most critical point is that you need to diligently research and compare each college prior to making your ultimate selection. By asking the questions that we have provided, you will be able to fine tune your choices so that you can pick the right college for you. And with the proper training, you can reach your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Brainerd MN.

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