Selecting a Phlebotomist School near Valhalla New York

Choosing the ideal phlebotomy technician school near Valhalla NY is a critical initial step toward a rewarding career as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a difficult undertaking to evaluate and compare all of the school options that are available to you. Nevertheless it’s necessary that you perform your due diligence to make sure that you receive a quality education. In fact, most prospective students begin their search by looking at two of the qualifiers that first come to mind, which are location and cost. An additional factor you may consider is whether to attend classes online or commute to an area campus. We’ll discuss more about online classes later in this article. What’s important to keep in mind 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 important considerations and must be part of your selection process too. To assist in that effort, we will provide a list of questions that you need to ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are evaluating to help you choose the best one for you. But before we do that, let’s address what a phlebotomist is and does, and afterwards continue our conversation about online schools.

Phlebotomist Job Summary

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, collects blood samples from patients. While that is their principal function, there is actually far more to their job description. Prior to collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist needs to check that the instruments being employed are single use only and sterile. Following the collection, the sample has to be properly labeled with the patient’s information. Next, paperwork has to be properly filled out in order to track the sample from the time of collection through the lab testing process. The phlebotomist then delivers the blood to either an in-house lab or to an outside lab facility where it can be tested for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. Many Valhalla NY phlebotomists actually work in labs and are in charge of making sure that samples are tested correctly using the strictest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t enough duties, they can be asked to instruct other phlebotomists in the collection, transport and follow-up process.

Where are Phlebotomy Techs Employed?

The simplest answer is wherever there are patients. Their work environments are numerous and diverse, including Valhalla NY hospitals, medical clinics, long-term care facilities, or blood banks. They can be charged to collect blood samples from patients of all ages, from infants or young children to seniors. A number of phlebotomy techs, depending on their training and their practice, specialize in collecting blood from a specific type of patient. For instance, those practicing in an assisted living facility or nursing home would only be drawing blood from older patients. If they are working in a maternity ward, they would be drawing blood from mothers and newborns solely. In contrast, phlebotomists working in a general hospital environment would be collecting blood from a wide variety of patients and would work with different patients on a daily basis.

Phlebotomist Training, Certification and Licensing

There are primarily two types of programs that furnish phlebotomist training in Valhalla NY, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program normally takes under a year to complete and provides a basic education along with the training on how to draw blood. It provides the quickest method to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not specifically a phlebotomist degree, will provide training on becoming a phlebotomist. Available at community and junior colleges, they normally require 2 years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as accessible and as a 4 year program offer a more comprehensive foundation in lab sciences. Once you have completed your training, you will probably want to be certified. Although not mandated in the majority of states, a number of employers require certification before hiring 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 call for certification prior to practicing as a phlebotomy tech, including 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 supplies a premium education, but also preps you for any certification or licensing exams that you elect or are required to take.

Phlebotomy Online Colleges

To begin with, let’s resolve one possible mistaken belief. You can’t receive all of your phlebotomy training online. A substantial component of the curriculum will be practical training and it will be performed either in an approved Valhalla NY 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 in order to graduate. However since the non-practical component of the training may be attended online, it may be a more practical alternative for some students. As an additional benefit, a number of online classes are more affordable than their traditional competitors. And some costs, for instance those for commuting or textbooks, may be lessened also. Just confirm that the online phlebotomist school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency (more on accreditation later). With both the comprehensive online and clinical training, you can obtain a quality education with this means of learning. If you are dedicated enough to study at home, then attaining your certificate or degree online might be the ideal choice for you.

Questions to Ask Phlebotomy Programs

Now that you have a basic understanding about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to initiate your due diligence process. You may have already decided on the type of program you want to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we mentioned earlier, the location of the New York campus is important in addition to the cost of tuition. Possibly you have decided to enroll in an phlebotomy online school. All of these decisions are an important part of the process for choosing a school or program. But they are not the sole considerations when making your decision. Below we have provided some questions that you should ask about each of the Valhalla NY programs you are looking at prior to making your ultimate selection.

Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to Your State? As earlier discussed, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Some states call for certification, while some others mandate licensing. Every state has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum hours of practical training performed before working as a phlebotomy tech. Consequently, you might need to pass a State Board, licensing or certification exam. Therefore it’s extremely important to enroll in a phlebotomist program that satisfies the state specific requirements for New York or the state where you will be practicing and readies you for all exams you may be required to take.

Is the College Accredited? The phlebotomy program and school you enroll in should be accredited by a recognized 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 an assurance of a premium education. To begin with, if your program is not accredited, you will not be able to take a certification examination offered by any of the earlier listed certifying organizations. Next, accreditation will help in obtaining loans or financial assistance, which are typically unavailable for non-accredited programs in Valhalla NY. Last, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited school can make you more attractive to prospective employers in the job market.

What is the College’s Reputation? In many states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomist colleges, so there are some that are not of the highest caliber. So in addition to accreditation, it’s essential to check the reputations of any schools you are looking at. You can start 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 reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. You can even check with several Valhalla NY local clinics or hospitals that you may have an interest in working for and see if they can offer any insights. As a final thought, you can check with the New York school licensing authority and find out if any complaints have been submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

Is Ample 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 length of training, both clinical and classroom. As a minimum, any Valhalla NY phlebotomy program that you are reviewing should provide no less than 40 hours of classroom training (most require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything lower than these minimums may indicate that the program is not expansive enough to offer sufficient training.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out from the New York programs you are reviewing if they have an internship program in partnership with regional healthcare facilities. They are the ideal means to receive hands-on practical training typically not obtainable on campus. As an additional benefit, internships can help students establish relationships within the local Valhalla NY healthcare community. And they are a plus on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Support Offered? Landing your first phlebotomy job will be a lot easier with the assistance of a job placement program. Ask if the programs you are looking at provide assistance and what their job placement rate is. If a college has a high rate, signifying they place the majority of their students in jobs, it’s an indication that the college has both an excellent reputation as well as a large network of professional contacts within the Valhalla NY health care community.

Are Class Times Compatible With Your Schedule? And last, it’s important to make sure that the ultimate college you select provides classes at times that will accommodate your active schedule. This is especially true if you choose to continue working while going to college. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Valhalla NY, check that they are offered at those times. Also, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure it is an option also. Even if you have decided to attend online, with the clinical training requirement, make sure 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 due to illness or emergencies.

Why Did You Choose to Be a Phlebotomy Tech?

When preparing to interview for a Phlebotomist job, it's a good idea to review questions you may be asked. Among the questions that interviewers often ask Phlebotomy Tech prospects is "What compelled you to select Phlebotomy as a profession?". What the interviewer is trying to discover is not just the personal reasons you may have for becoming Phlebotomist, but also what attributes and skills you have that make you good at your profession. You will likely be asked questions relating primarily to Phlebotomy, along with a significant number of routine interview questions, so you must ready several ideas about how you want to respond to them. Since there are numerous factors that go into selecting a career, you can respond to this fundamental question in a multitude of ways. When preparing an answer, aim to include the reasons the work appeals to you as well as the strengths you have that make you an outstanding Phlebotomy Technician and the perfiect choice for the job. Don't attempt to memorize a response, but write down a few concepts and topics that relate to your own experiences and strengths. Reading through sample answers can assist you to develop your own thoughts, and provide ideas of what to discuss to wow the recruiter.

Choose the Right Phlebotomy Program near Valhalla NY

Making sure that you select the most suitable phlebotomist training is an important first step toward your success in this gratifying medical care career position. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that contribute toward the selection of a superior program. Phlebotomist training programs can be found in a number of educational institutes, including community or junior colleges, vocational schools, and colleges and universities that offer an extensive assortment of programs in medical care and health sciences. Training program options may vary slightly across the country as every state has its own mandates when it concerns phlebotomist training, certification and licensing. The most important point is that you need to diligently research and compare each college before making your final decision. By addressing the questions that we have provided, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can pick the ideal school for you. And with the appropriate education, you can achieve your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Valhalla NY.

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