Selecting a Phlebotomy Technician Course near East Marion New York

Picking the right phlebotomy technician school near East Marion NY is a critical first step toward a gratifying profession as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a difficult task to investigate and compare all of the school alternatives that are available to you. Nevertheless it’s important that you perform your due diligence to make sure that you receive a superior education. In reality, most prospective students start the process by looking at 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 an area campus. We’ll talk more about online classes later in this article. What’s important to remember is that there is a lot more to checking out phlebotomy training programs than locating the cheapest or the closest one. Other variables such as accreditation and reputation are also important considerations and should be part of your decision process too. Toward that end, we will provide a list of questions that you should ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are reviewing to help you pick the right one for you. But before we do that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and afterwards resume our discussion about online classes.

Phlebotomy Tech Career Description

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy technician, draws blood from patients. Although that is their primary function, there is in fact far more to their job description. Before drawing a blood sample, a phlebotomist needs to verify that the instruments being employed are sterile and single use only. After collection, the sample needs to be accurately labeled with the patient’s information. Afterward, paperwork has to be correctly filled out in order to track the sample from the time of collection through the laboratory screening process. The phlebotomist then transports the blood to either an an outside lab facility or an in-house lab where it may be tested for such things as infectious diseases, pregnancy or blood type. A number of East Marion NY phlebotomists in fact work in laboratories and are responsible for ensuring that samples are tested properly using the strictest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t enough responsibilities, they can be required to instruct other phlebotomists in the drawing, transport and follow-up process.

Where do Phlebotomy Techs Work?

The easiest answer is wherever there are patients. Their workplaces are many and diverse, such as East Marion NY medical clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, or blood centers. They can be assigned to draw blood samples from patients of all ages, from babies or young children to senior citizens. Some phlebotomy techs, depending on their training and their practice, specialize in drawing samples from a specific kind of patient. For example, those working in an assisted living facility or nursing home would exclusively be drawing blood from senior patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be collecting blood from mothers and newborns exclusively. In contrast, phlebotomists working in a general hospital environment would be collecting samples from a wide variety of patients and would work with different patients each day.

Phlebotomist Training, Licensing and Certification

There are primarily 2 types of programs that offer phlebotomy training in East Marion NY, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program usually takes less than a year to complete and provides a basic education along 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, although not exclusively a phlebotomist degree, will provide training to become a phlebotomy tech. Available at junior and community colleges, they normally take two years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are less accessible and as a four year program furnish a more extensive background in lab sciences. Once you have finished your training, you will probably want to be certified. Although not mandated in the majority of states, many employers look for certification before employing technicians. Some of the key 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, like California and Nevada. California and a few additional states even require licensing. So it’s important that you pick a phlebotomist training program that not only provides a premium education, but also preps you for any certification or licensing exams that you elect or are required to take.

Online Phlebotomist Certificates and Degrees

First, let’s dispel one likely mistaken belief. You can’t obtain all of your phlebotomy training online. A substantial portion of the program of studies will be clinical training and it will be conducted either in an approved East Marion NY healthcare facility or an on-campus lab|an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility}. A large number of courses also require completion of an internship prior to graduation. But since the non-practical portion of the training may be attended online, it could be a more convenient option for some students. As an added benefit, a number of online colleges are less expensive than their on-campus counterparts. And some costs, for instance those for textbooks or commuting, may be lowered also. Just make certain that the online phlebotomy college you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency (more on accreditation later). With both the comprehensive clinical and online training, you can obtain a superior education with this approach to learning. If you are disciplined enough to study at home, then earning your certificate or degree online may be the right option for you.

Questions to Ask Phlebotomy Programs

Since you now have a general understanding about what it takes to become a phlebotomist, it’s time to begin your due diligence process. You might have already chosen the kind of program you wish to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we mentioned earlier, the location of the New York school is significant as well as the cost of tuition. Possibly you have opted to enroll in an phlebotomy online school. All of these decisions are an important part of the procedure for picking a school or program. But they are not the only considerations when making your decision. Below we have provided several questions that you need to ask about each of the East Marion NY programs you are looking at before making your ultimate decision.

Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to Your State? As previously mentioned, each state has its own laws for practicing as a phlebotomist. Several states require certification, while some others require licensing. Each has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum hours of practical training completed before practicing as a phlebotomist. Consequently, you may need to pass a State Board, certification or licensing exam. Therefore it’s extremely important to select a phlebotomist program that complies with the state specific requirements for New York or the state where you will be practicing and preps you for any examinations you may have to take.

Is the School Accredited? The phlebotomy program and school you enroll in 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 benefits to graduating from an accredited program aside from an assurance of a premium education. First, if your program is not accredited, you will not qualify to sit for a certification examination offered by any of the earlier listed certifying organizations. Next, accreditation will help in obtaining financial aid or loans, which are typically unavailable for non-accredited schools in East Marion NY. Last, graduating from an accredited school can make you more desirable to potential employers in the job market.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In a number of states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomist schools, so there are those that are not of the highest caliber. So in addition to accreditation, it’s important to check the reputations of any colleges you are reviewing. You can begin by requesting references from the schools from employers where they refer their students as part of their job placement program. You can research internet school rating and review services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. You can also contact some East Marion NY area clinics or hospitals that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insights. As a closing thought, you can contact the New York school licensing authority and ask if any grievances have been filed or if the colleges are in full compliance.

Is Enough Training Included? To begin with, contact the New York 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 East Marion NY phlebotomist program that you are considering should furnish no less than 40 hours of classroom training (most require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything below these minimums may indicate that the program is not expansive enough to furnish sufficient training.

Are Internships Included? Ask the New York colleges you are looking at if they have an internship program in collaboration with area health care facilities. They are the optimal means to obtain hands-on clinical training frequently not available on campus. As an additional benefit, internships can assist students establish contacts within the local East Marion NY health care community. And they look good on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Assistance Available? Landing your first phlebotomist position will be a lot easier with the support of a job placement program. Inquire if the colleges you are considering offer assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a school has a higher rate, meaning they place most of their students in jobs, it’s an indication that the college has both a good reputation along with a substantial network of professional contacts within the East Marion NY health care community.

Are Class Times Conveniently Scheduled? Finally, it’s important to make sure that the ultimate program you choose provides classes at times that will accommodate your busy lifestyle. This is especially true if you opt to continue working while attending college. If you can only go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near East Marion NY, check that they are offered at those times. Also, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify it is an option as well. Even if you have decided to study online, with the practical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And ask what the make-up procedure is in case you need to miss any classes due to emergencies or illness.

Why Did You Want to Become a Phlebotomy Technician?

When getting ready to interview for a Phlebotomy Technician position, it's important to reflect on questions you could be asked. One of the questions that interviewers typically ask Phlebotomy Tech candidates is "What made you choose Phlebotomy as a profession?". What the interviewer is hoping to discover is not only the private reasons you might have for becoming Phlebotomy Tech, but additionally what attributes and abilities you have that make you outstanding at what you do. You will undoubtedly be asked questions relating specifically to Phlebotomy, in addition to a certain number of general interview questions, so you need to prepare a number of approaches about how you want to respond to them. Given that there are so many factors that go into selecting a career, you can respond to this fundamental question in a multitude of ways. When preparing an answer, try to include the reasons the profession appeals to you in addition to the strengths you have that make you an outstanding Phlebotomist and the perfiect candidate for the position. Don't try to memorize an answer, but take down some concepts and topics that relate to your personal experiences and strengths. Reading through sample answers can help you to prepare your own concepts, and inspire ideas of what to discuss to wow the interviewer.

Select the Ideal Phlebotomist Course near East Marion NY

Making sure that you pick the right phlebotomist training is an essential first step toward your success in this rewarding healthcare career position. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that go into the selection of a quality college. Phlebotomy training programs can be available in a number of educational institutions, including community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide a comprehensive assortment of programs in medical care and health sciences. Course options may vary somewhat from state to state as every state has its own prerequisites when it comes to phlebotomist training, certification and licensing. The most important point is that you need to diligently evaluate and compare each program prior to making your final choice. By asking the questions that we have furnished, you will be able to fine tune your choices so that you can pick the best program for you. And with the proper education, you can achieve your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in East Marion NY.

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