Selecting a Phlebotomist Training Program near Erie Pennsylvania

Picking the right phlebotomy training near Erie PA is a critical first step toward a rewarding career as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a difficult undertaking to assess and compare all of the school options that are accessible to you. However it’s important that you do your due diligence to ensure that you receive a quality education. In fact, many potential students start their search by looking at 2 of the qualifiers that first come to mind, which are cost and location. Another option you may look into is whether to attend online classes or commute to an area campus. We’ll review a bit more about online schools later in this article. What’s important to keep in mind is that there is much more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than finding the closest or the cheapest one. Other factors including accreditation and reputation are also important considerations and need to be part of your selection process too. Toward that end, we will supply a list of questions that you need to ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are assessing to help you choose the best one for you. But before we do that, let’s address what a phlebotomist is and does, and then continue our discussion about online training.

Phlebotomy Technician Work Summary

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, draws blood from patients. While that is their primary task, there is in fact so much more to their job description. Before collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist has to confirm that the instruments being employed are sterile and single use only. After collection, the sample has to be properly labeled with the patient’s information. Afterward, paperwork must be properly filled out to be able to track the sample from the time of collection through the laboratory testing process. The phlebotomist then transports the blood to either an an outside lab facility or an in-house lab where it can be tested for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. Many Erie PA phlebotomists in fact work in laboratories and are accountable for making sure that samples are tested properly utilizing the highest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient duties, they may be asked to instruct other phlebotomists in the collection, delivery and follow-up process.

Where do Phlebotomists Practice?

The easiest response is wherever there are patients. Their work environments are many and varied, including Erie PA medical clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities, or blood centers. They can be tasked to collect blood samples from patients of of every age, from infants or young children to seniors. A number of phlebotomists, based on their training and their practice, specialize in drawing blood from a specific kind of patient. For instance, those working in an assisted living facility or nursing home would exclusively be collecting blood from older patients. If they are working in a maternity ward, they would be collecting blood from newborns and mothers solely. On the other hand, phlebotomy technicians practicing in a general hospital setting would be collecting blood from a wide variety of patients and would collect samples from different patients on a daily basis.

Phlebotomy Technician Education, Certification and Licensing

There are primarily two kinds of programs that furnish phlebotomist training in Erie PA, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program generally takes less than a year to complete and furnishes a general education as well as the training on how to draw blood. It offers the fastest means to becoming a phlebotomy tech. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not specifically a phlebotomist degree, will include training on becoming a phlebotomy tech. Offered at community and junior colleges, they normally require two years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as accessible and as a four year program offer a more expansive foundation in lab sciences. When you have completed your training, you will no doubt want to become certified. Although not required in most states, most employers look for certification before employing technicians. Some of the primary certifying agencies include:

• National Phlebotomy Association
• National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
• American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP)
• American Medical Technologists (AMT)

There are some states that do require certification prior to practicing as a phlebotomy tech, including Nevada and California. California and a handful of additional states even require licensing. So it’s important that you choose a phlebotomy training program that not only provides a superior education, but also readies you for any certification or licensing examinations that you are required or elect to take.

Phlebotomist Online Schools

To start with, let’s dispel one potential misconception. You can’t obtain all of your phlebotomy training online. A substantial part of the curriculum will be practical training and it will be carried out either in an approved Erie PA 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. But since the non-clinical portion of the training may be accessed online, it can be a more practical alternative for many students. As an additional benefit, a number of online schools are less expensive than their on-campus counterparts. And some expenditures, for instance those for textbooks or commuting, may be reduced also. Just confirm that the online phlebotomy program you enroll in is accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization (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 learn at home, then earning your degree or certificate online might be the right choice for you.

Questions to Ask Phlebotomist Programs

Since you now have a basic idea about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to begin your due diligence process. You might have already decided on the kind of program you intend to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we previously mentioned, the location of the Pennsylvania campus is significant as well as the tuition expense. Possibly you have opted to enroll in an online phlebotomist school. All of these decisions are a critical component of the procedure for selecting a program or school. But they are not the only considerations when arriving at your decision. Following are several questions that you need to ask about each of the Erie PA schools you are reviewing prior to making your final decision.

Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to Your State? As previously mentioned, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomist. Some states call for certification, while some others require licensing. Every state has its own requirement regarding the minimum amount of practical training completed prior to practicing as a phlebotomist. Consequently, you may need to pass a State Board, licensing or certification exam. Therefore it’s very important to choose a phlebotomy program that satisfies the state specific requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working and prepares you for any exams you may be required to take.

Is the Program Accredited? The phlebotomist program and school you enroll in should be accredited by a highly regarded national or regional accrediting organization, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are a number of benefits to graduating from an accredited school aside from an assurance of a quality education. To begin with, if your program has not received accreditation, 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 loans or financial assistance, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs in Erie PA. Finally, graduating from an accredited college can make you more desirable to future employers in the job market.

What is the Program’s Reputation? In many states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomy schools, so there are those that are not of the highest caliber. So in addition to accreditation, it’s essential to check the reputations of any colleges you are looking at. You can start by asking the schools for references from employers where they place their students as part of their job placement program. You can research online school rating and review services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. You can even talk to several Erie PA area hospitals or clinics that you may have an interest in working for and see if they can provide any insights. As a final thought, you can check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority and ask if any complaints have been submitted or if the colleges are in full compliance.

Is Enough Training Provided? First, check with the Pennsylvania regulator or the state regulator where you will be working to find out if there are any minimum requirements for the amount of training, both classroom and practical. As a minimum, any Erie PA phlebotomy program that you are considering should furnish no less than 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything below these minimums may signify that the program is not expansive enough to offer adequate training.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out from the Pennsylvania schools you are reviewing if they have an internship program in partnership with regional medical facilities. They are the optimal means to receive hands-on clinical training often not available on campus. As an added benefit, internships can help students develop relationships within the local Erie PA healthcare community. And they look good on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Support Provided? Finding your first phlebotomist position will be much easier with the assistance of a job placement program. Inquire 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 positions, it’s an indication that the college has both a good reputation along with a large network of professional contacts within the Erie PA health care community.

Are Classes Available as Needed? And last, it’s important to confirm that the ultimate program you choose offers classes at times that are compatible with your active schedule. This is especially true if you opt to still work while attending college. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Erie PA, make sure they are available at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend part-time, verify it is an option also. And if you have decided to attend online, with the practical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be fulfilled within your schedule. And ask what the make-up procedure is should you need to miss any classes as a result of illness or emergencies.

Why Did You Want to Be a Phlebotomy Technician?

When prepping to interview for a Phlebotomist job, it's important to consider questions you may be asked. Among the things that interviewers frequently ask Phlebotomist prospects is "What drove you to select Phlebotomy as a profession?". What the interviewer is hoping to discover is not merely the private reasons you might have for being Phlebotomist, but also what characteristics and skills you possess that make you good at what you do. You will undoubtedly be asked questions pertaining exclusively to Phlebotomy, along with a significant number of typical interview questions, so you must organize some ideas about how you want to respond to them. Since there are numerous variables that go into selecting a career, you can respond to this fundamental question in a multitude of ways. When readying an answer, attempt to include the reasons the work appeals to you as well as the strengths you possess that make you an outstanding Phlebotomy Technician and the ideal choice for the job. Don't attempt to memorize an answer, but jot down a few concepts and topics that relate to your own experiences and strengths. Reviewing sample responses can help you to develop your own concepts, and inspire ideas of what to include to enthuse the interviewer.

Find the Ideal Phlebotomist School near Erie PA

Making certain that you enroll in the right phlebotomist training is an essential first step toward your success in this gratifying health care field. As we have covered in this article, there are multiple factors that go into the selection of a superior program. Phlebotomist training programs can be offered in a number of academic institutes, including junior or community colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide an extensive range of courses in healthcare and medical sciences. Training program options may vary somewhat across the country as every state has its own criteria when it comes to phlebotomy training, certification and licensing. The most important point is that you must carefully evaluate and compare each school prior to 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 select the ideal college for you. And with the appropriate education, you can achieve your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Erie PA.

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