Picking a Phlebotomy School near Lawrenceville Illinois

Choosing the ideal phlebotomy technician school near Lawrenceville IL is an essential initial step toward a fulfilling profession as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a challenging undertaking to analyze and compare all of the school 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 potential students start the process by considering 2 of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are location and cost. An additional factor you might look into is whether to attend classes online or commute to a local campus. We’ll review a bit more about online classes later in this article. What you need to remember is that there is much more to checking out phlebotomy training programs than finding the closest or the cheapest one. Other factors such as reputation and accreditation are also significant considerations and need to be part of your decision process also. To assist in that effort, we will furnish a list of questions that you should ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are assessing 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 discussion about online schools.

Phlebotomy Tech Job Summary

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, draws blood from patients. Although that is their primary duty, there is in fact much more to their job description. Prior to collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist must confirm that the instruments being used are single use only and sterile. After collection, the sample has to be properly labeled with the patient’s data. Next, paperwork needs to be properly filled out in order to track the sample from the point of collection through the laboratory screening procedure. 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 infectious diseases, pregnancy or blood type. Many Lawrenceville IL phlebotomists in fact work in labs and are in charge of ensuring that samples are tested correctly utilizing the highest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t enough duties, they might be asked to train other phlebotomists in the collection, delivery and follow-up process.

Where are Phlebotomy Techs Employed?

The quickest response is wherever patients are treated. Their work places are numerous and varied, including Lawrenceville IL hospitals, medical clinics, nursing homes, or blood banks. They may be charged to collect blood samples from patients of all ages, from babies or young children to senior citizens. A number of phlebotomists, based on their practice and their training, specialize in collecting blood from a particular type of patient. For example, those practicing in an assisted living facility or nursing home would solely be collecting blood from older patients. If they are practicing 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 collecting blood from a wide range of patients and would work with different patients every day.

Phlebotomy Technician Training, Certification and Licensing

There are primarily two kinds of programs that furnish phlebotomist training in Lawrenceville IL, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program generally takes less than a year to finish and furnishes a general education as well as 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 phlebotomist degree, will incorporate training on becoming a phlebotomist. Available at junior and community colleges, they usually take 2 years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as available and as a 4 year program furnish a more expansive foundation in lab sciences. When you have completed your training, you will probably want to be certified. Although not mandated in the majority of states, most employers require certification prior to employing technicians. Some of the principal certifying organizations 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 Nevada and California. California and a handful of other states even require licensing. So it’s important that you select a phlebotomist training program that not only offers a quality education, but also preps you for any licensing or certification examinations that you elect or are required to take.

Online Phlebotomist Certificates and Degrees

To start with, let’s dispel one likely misconception. You can’t receive all of your phlebotomy training online. A substantial portion of the curriculum will be clinical training and it will be carried out either in an approved Lawrenceville IL healthcare facility or an on-campus lab|an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility}. A large number of courses also require completing an internship prior to graduation. But since the non-practical part of the training can be accessed online, it can be a more convenient alternative for many students. As an additional benefit, many online programs are less expensive than their on-campus counterparts. And some costs, including those for textbooks or commuting, may be minimized as well. Just confirm that the online phlebotomist program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency (more on accreditation to follow). 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 study at home, then earning your certificate or degree online might be the ideal choice for you.

Topics to Ask Phlebotomy Programs

Now that you have a general idea about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomist, it’s time to start your due diligence process. You might have already decided on the kind of program you intend to enroll in, whether it be for a degree or a certificate. As we mentioned earlier, the location of the Illinois campus is significant as well as the cost of tuition. Possibly you have decided to enroll in an phlebotomist online program. Each of these decisions are an important component of the process for choosing a program or school. But they are not the sole considerations when arriving at your decision. Below we have provided a few questions that you should ask about each of the Lawrenceville IL programs you are looking at before making your final selection.

Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to Illinois? As mentioned previously, each state has its own regulations for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Several states call for certification, while some others mandate licensing. Each has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum hours of practical training completed prior to practicing as a phlebotomist. As a result, you may have to pass a State Board, certification or licensing examination. Therefore it’s extremely important to select a phlebotomy program that fulfills the state specific requirements for Illinois or the state where you will be practicing and preps you for all exams you may have to take.

Is the College Accredited? The phlebotomy school and program you pick should be accredited by a recognized regional or national accrediting agency, such as the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are a number of advantages to graduating from an accredited school aside from an assurance of a superior education. To begin with, if your program has not received accreditation, you will not qualify to take a certification exam offered by any of the earlier listed certifying organizations. Also, accreditation will help in obtaining loans or financial assistance, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs in Lawrenceville IL. Finally, graduating from an accredited college can make you more attractive to potential employers in the job market.

What is the College’s Reputation? In many states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomist schools, so there are some that are not of the highest quality. So in addition to accreditation, it’s important to check the reputations of all schools you are reviewing. You can start by requesting references from the schools from employers where they place their graduates as part of their job assistance program. You can screen internet school rating and review services and solicit the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. You can even check with some Lawrenceville IL local hospitals or clinics that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations. As a closing thought, you can check with the Illinois school licensing authority and find out if any complaints have been filed or if the colleges are in total compliance.

Is Adequate Training Provided? To begin with, contact the Illinois 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. At a minimum, any Lawrenceville IL phlebotomist program that you are reviewing should furnish at least 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything lower than these minimums might signify that the program is not expansive enough to offer sufficient training.

Are Internships Provided? Find out from the Illinois programs you are reviewing if they have an internship program in collaboration with area medical facilities. They are the ideal means to get hands-on clinical training often not provided on campus. As an added benefit, internships can assist students establish contacts within the local Lawrenceville IL healthcare community. And they are a plus on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Getting your first phlebotomist position will be much easier with the support of a job placement program. Find out if the programs you are looking at provide assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a school has a high rate, meaning they place most of their students in jobs, it’s an indication that the college has both an excellent reputation along with a substantial network of professional contacts within the Lawrenceville IL health care community.

Are Class Times Conveniently Scheduled? And last, it’s crucial to make sure that the ultimate program you choose offers classes at times that are compatible with your busy schedule. This is especially important if you choose to still work while going to school. If you can only go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Lawrenceville IL, check that they are offered at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify it is an option also. And if you have decided to attend online, with the clinical training requirement, make sure those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And find out what the make-up policy is should you have to miss any classes because of illness or emergencies.

Why Did You Desire to Become a Phlebotomy Technician?

When getting ready to interview for a Phlebotomy Tech job, it's helpful to review questions you may be asked. Among the things that recruiters typically ask Phlebotomy Tech candidates is "What drove you to pick Phlebotomy as a career?". What the interviewer is hoping to uncover is not only the personal reasons you might have for being Phlebotomy Tech, but also what characteristics and abilities you have that make you outstanding at what you do. You will probably be asked questions pertaining primarily to Phlebotomy, in addition to a certain number of typical interview questions, so you need to organize several approaches about how you want to respond to them. Since there are numerous variables that go into choosing a career, you can respond to this primary question in a number of ways. When preparing an answer, aim to include the reasons the profession interests you in addition to the strengths you have that make you an outstanding Phlebotomist and the perfiect candidate for the position. Don't attempt to memorize a response, but jot down several ideas and talking points that pertain to your own experiences and strengths. Going over sample answers can help you to formulate your own thoughts, and inspire ideas of what to include to enthuse the interviewer.

Enroll in the Best Phlebotomy College near Lawrenceville IL

Making certain that you enroll in the most suitable phlebotomy training is an essential first step toward your success in this gratifying medical care field. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that contribute toward the selection of a superior college. Phlebotomy training programs can be offered in a wide range of academic institutions, such as junior or community colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide an extensive range of programs in healthcare and medical sciences. Training program offerings may differ somewhat from state to state as every state has its own mandates when it comes to phlebotomist training, certification and licensing. The most critical point is that you need to carefully research and compare each college before making your final choice. By addressing the questions that we have provided, you will be able to fine tune your options so that you can select the ideal school for you. And with the appropriate training, you can realize your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Lawrenceville IL.

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