Picking a Phlebotomy Technician School near Clear Lake South Dakota

Picking the right phlebotomy school near Clear Lake SD is an important first step toward a gratifying career as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a daunting task to assess and compare each of the school options that are available to you. Nevertheless it’s vital that you do your due diligence to make certain that you get a quality education. In fact, most prospective students begin their search by looking at two of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are location and cost. An additional factor you may look into is whether to attend classes online or commute to a local campus. We’ll discuss a bit more about online schools later in this article. What you need to keep in mind is that there is much more to checking out phlebotomy training programs than locating the cheapest or the closest one. Other variables including reputation and accreditation are also important considerations and must be part of your decision process as well. Toward that end, we will supply a list of questions that you need to ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are reviewing to help you select the best one for you. But prior to doing that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and then resume our conversation about online classes.

Phlebotomy Tech Work Description

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy technician, draws blood from patients. While that is their main responsibility, there is actually so much more to their job description. Prior to collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist must verify that the tools being employed are sterile and single use only. Following the collection, the sample must be properly labeled with the patient’s information. Afterward, paperwork needs to be accurately completed in order to track the sample from the point of collection through the laboratory screening process. The phlebotomist then delivers the blood to either an in-house lab or to an outside lab facility where it may be tested for such things as infectious diseases, pregnancy or blood type. Many Clear Lake SD phlebotomists in fact work in labs and are accountable for making sure that samples are tested properly under the highest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient responsibilities, they may be asked to train other phlebotomists in the drawing, transport and follow-up process.

Where do Phlebotomists Work?

The simplest response is wherever patients are treated. Their workplaces are many and varied, including Clear Lake SD hospitals, medical clinics, nursing homes, or blood banks. They may be assigned to collect blood samples from patients of of every age, from infants or young children to senior citizens. Some phlebotomy techs, based on their practice and their training, specialize in drawing blood from a specific kind of patient. For example, those practicing in a nursing home or assisted living facility would exclusively be collecting blood from elderly patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be collecting blood from newborns and mothers exclusively. On the other hand, phlebotomists practicing in a general hospital setting would be drawing blood from a wide range of patients and would collect samples from different patients every day.

Phlebotomy Technician Training, Licensing and Certification

There are essentially two types of programs that provide phlebotomist training in Clear Lake SD, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program generally takes under a year to finish and provides a general education as well as the training on how to draw blood. It offers the fastest method to becoming a phlebotomy tech. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, even though it’s not exclusively a phlebotomy degree, will include training to become a phlebotomy tech. Available at community and junior colleges, they typically take two years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as accessible and as a 4 year program provide a more expansive foundation in lab sciences. When you have completed your training, you will probably want to get certified. While not mandated in most states, many employers look for certification before hiring 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 a few states that do require certification prior to practicing as a phlebotomy tech, like Nevada and California. California and a handful of additional states even require licensing. So it’s important that you enroll in a phlebotomy training program that not only supplies a quality education, but also preps you for any certification or licensing exams that you elect or are required to take.

Online Phlebotomy Certificates and Degrees

First, let’s dispel one likely mistaken belief. You can’t get all of your phlebotomist training online. A significant portion of the course of study will be clinical training and it will be performed either in an approved Clear Lake SD healthcare facility or an on-campus lab|an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility}. Many courses also require completing an internship in order to graduate. But since the non-clinical part of the training can be accessed online, it might be a more practical alternative for many students. As an additional benefit, a number of online classes are more affordable than their on-campus counterparts. And some expenses, including those for commuting or textbooks, may be reduced as well. Just make sure that the online phlebotomist program you enroll in is accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency (more on accreditation later). With both the extensive online and clinical training, you can obtain a quality education with this method of learning. If you are dedicated enough to learn at home, then obtaining your degree or certificate online may be the right choice for you.

Points to Ask Phlebotomist Schools

Since you now have a general understanding about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomist, it’s time to start your due diligence process. You may have already chosen the type of program you wish to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we previously mentioned, the location of the South Dakota college is significant in addition to the cost of tuition. Perhaps you have opted to enroll in an phlebotomy online college. Each of these decisions are an important part of the procedure for choosing a school or program. But they are not the sole considerations when arriving at your decision. Following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the Clear Lake SD programs you are looking at prior to making your final decision.

Is the Phlebotomy Program State Specific? As previously mentioned, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Some states require certification, while a few others mandate licensing. Every state has its own requirement regarding the minimum amount of clinical training performed before working as a phlebotomist. As a result, you may have to pass a State Board, certification or licensing exam. Therefore it’s extremely important to choose a phlebotomy program that complies with the state specific requirements for South Dakota or the state where you will be practicing and readies you for all examinations you may be required to take.

Is the College Accredited? The phlebotomist school and program you pick should be accredited by a recognized national or regional accrediting agency, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are many advantages to graduating from an accredited program in addition to a guarantee of a superior education. To begin with, if your program is not accredited, you will not qualify to sit for a certification exam administered by any of the earlier listed certifying agencies. Next, accreditation will help in securing loans or financial assistance, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs in Clear Lake SD. Last, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited college can make you more attractive to future employers in the job market.

What is the College’s Reputation? In numerous states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomist schools, so there are some that are not of the highest quality. So along with accreditation, it’s imperative to check the reputations of any 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 online school rating and review services and solicit the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. You can even contact a few Clear Lake SD local hospitals or clinics that you may be interested in working for and find out if they can offer any insights. As a final thought, you can check with the South Dakota school licensing authority and ask if any complaints have been filed or if the colleges are in full compliance.

Is Sufficient Training Included? To begin with, contact the South Dakota regulator or the state regulator where you will be working to learn if there are any minimum requirements for the length of training, both classroom and practical. At a minimum, any Clear Lake SD phlebotomist program that you are reviewing should provide at least 40 hours of classroom training (most require 120) and 120 hours of practical training. Anything less than these minimums might signify that the program is not expansive enough to furnish adequate training.

Are Internships Included? Ask the South Dakota schools you are reviewing if they have an internship program in collaboration with regional health care facilities. They are the ideal way to get hands-on clinical training frequently not available on campus. As an additional benefit, internships can assist students establish relationships within the local Clear Lake SD health care community. And they are a plus on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Support Offered? Finding your first phlebotomy job will be a lot easier with the help of a job placement program. Find out if the programs you are considering provide assistance and what their job placement rate is. If a school has a higher rate, meaning they place most of their students in jobs, it’s an indication that the school has both an excellent reputation as well as a substantial network of professional contacts within the Clear Lake SD healthcare community.

Are Classes Available as Needed? Finally, it’s crucial to confirm that the final college you choose offers classes at times that will accommodate your active schedule. This is especially important if you decide to still work while going to college. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Clear Lake SD, check that they are offered at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure 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 find out what the make-up procedure is should you have to miss any classes due to illness or emergencies.

Why Did You Decide to Become a Phlebotomy Tech?

When preparing to interview for a Phlebotomist job, it's important to reflect on questions you may be asked. Among the things that recruiters often ask Phlebotomy Tech candidates is "What drove you to pick Phlebotomy as a career?". What the interviewer is attempting to discover is not just the private reasons you may have for becoming Phlebotomist, but also what attributes and talents you have that make you exceptional at what you do. You will likely be asked questions relating specifically to Phlebotomy, in addition to a certain number of standard interview questions, so you need to organize some ideas about how you want to respond to them. Because there are numerous factors that go into selecting a career, you can address this primary question in a variety of ways. When readying an answer, aim to include the reasons the work interests you in addition to the abilities you possess that make you an outstanding Phlebotomy Tech and the best choice for the job. Don't try to memorize an answer, but jot down some concepts and anecdotes that pertain to your own experiences and strengths. Reading through sample responses can assist you to formulate your own thoughts, and inspire ideas of what to include to enthuse the recruiter.

Find the Right Phlebotomist School near Clear Lake SD

Making certain that you choose the most suitable phlebotomy training is a critical first step toward your success in this fulfilling medical care field. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that contribute toward the selection of a superior college. Phlebotomy certificate or degree programs are found in a wide range of academic institutes, including community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide a wide array of programs in healthcare and medical sciences. Program options can vary slightly from state to state as every state has its own mandates when it pertains to phlebotomist training, certification and licensing. The most critical point is that you need to carefully screen and compare each program before making your final decision. By asking the questions that we have presented, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can pick the right school for you. And with the appropriate training, you can realize your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Clear Lake SD.

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