Phlebotomist Schools
How to Choose the Best One Near West Memphis Arkansas 

Selecting the right phlebotomist training near West Memphis AR is a critical first step toward a gratifying profession as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a challenging task to analyze and compare each of the school options that are available to you. However, to guarantee that you receive a top-notch education you must perform your due diligence before making your selection. More often than not the two qualifications that first come to mind for prospective students are where the school is located and how much the tuition is. And if you will drive to classes or attend them online is another consideration as well. Online courses will be covered in greater detail a bit later. What you need to remember is that there is much more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than finding the closest or the cheapest one. Other variables such as reputation and accreditation are also important considerations and must be part of your decision process as well. To assist in that effort, we will supply a list of questions that you should ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are reviewing to help you choose the best one for you. But prior to doing that, let's address what a phlebotomist is and does, and then resume our discussion about online schools.

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Where are Phlebotomists Employed?

The quickest response is wherever they treat patients. Their workplaces are numerous and diverse, including West Memphis AR hospitals, medical clinics, long-term care facilities, or blood banks. They can be tasked to draw blood samples from patients of all ages, from babies or young children to senior citizens. A number of phlebotomists, depending on their training and their practice, specialize in drawing samples from a certain kind of patient. For instance, those working in an assisted living facility or nursing home would solely be drawing blood from older patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be collecting blood from newborns and mothers exclusively. On the other hand, phlebotomists working in a general hospital environment would be collecting blood from a wide variety of patients and would work with new patients each day.

Phlebotomy Training, Certification and Licensing

There are basically two kinds of programs that furnish phlebotomy training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program typically takes under a year to complete and offers a basic education together with the training on how to draw blood. It provides the quickest method to becoming a phlebotomy tech. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not specifically a phlebotomy degree, will provide training to become a phlebotomy tech. Available at junior and community colleges, they normally require two years to complete. Bachelor's Degrees are less available and as a 4 year program furnish a more extensive foundation in lab sciences. Once you have completed your training, you will no doubt want to be certified. While not mandated in most states, a number of West Memphis AR employers look for certification before employing technicians. A few 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 prior to practicing as a phlebotomist, including 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 provides a premium education, but also preps you for any licensing or certification examinations that you elect or are required to take.

Online Phlebotomy Certificates and Degrees

First, let's resolve one potential mistaken belief. You can't obtain all of your phlebotomist training online. A good component of the curriculum will be clinical training and it will be performed either in an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility. Numerous courses also require completing an internship prior to graduation. However since the non-practical part of the training may be accessed online, it can be a more convenient option for some West Memphis AR students. As an additional benefit, many online colleges are more affordable than their on-campus competitors. And some expenditures, such as those for commuting or textbooks, may be minimized as well. Just verify that the online phlebotomy program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization (more on accreditation to follow). With both the comprehensive clinical and online training, you can obtain a superior education with this means of learning. If you are dedicated enough to learn at home, then attaining your degree or certificate online may be the right choice for you.

Topics to Ask Phlebotomist Training Programs

Since you now have a basic idea about what it takes to become a phlebotomist, it's time to initiate 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 previously mentioned, the location of the campus is significant if you will be commuting from West Memphis AR as well as the tuition expense. Maybe you have decided to enroll in an accredited online phlebotomy college. All of these decisions are a critical component of the procedure for choosing a phlebotomy school or program. But they are not the sole considerations when making your decision. Below we have provided a few questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are considering prior to making your final decision.

Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to Your State? As previously mentioned, each state has its own laws for practicing as a phlebotomist. Some states call for certification, while a few others require licensing. Each has its own requirement regarding the minimum amount of practical training performed prior to practicing as a phlebotomist. As a result, you may need to pass a State Board, licensing or certification exam. Therefore it's extremely important to enroll in a phlebotomist program that fulfills the state specific requirements for Arkansas or the state where you will be working and readies you for all examinations you may be required to take.

Is the Program Accredited? The phlebotomy program and school you enroll in should be accredited by a highly regarded 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 be able to take a certification examination administered by any of the earlier listed certifying agencies. Next, accreditation will help in securing financial aid or loans, which are typically not available for non-accredited schools. Last, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited school can make you more desirable to potential employers in the West Memphis AR job market.

What is the College's Reputation? In many states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomy schools, so there are those that are not of the highest quality. So along with accreditation, it's essential to check the reputations of any schools you are reviewing. You can start by asking the schools for references from employers where they refer their students as part of their job assistance program. You can screen online school rating and review services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. You can also contact some West Memphis AR clinics or hospitals that you may have an interest in working for and find out if they can provide any insights. As a final thought, you can contact the Arkansas school licensing authority and ask if any grievances have been filed or if the colleges are in full compliance.

Is Plenty of Training Included? First, check with the state regulator where you will be practicing to find out if there are any minimum requirements for the amount of training, both clinical and classroom. As a minimum, any phlebotomist program that you are considering should furnish at least 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything below these minimums may indicate that the program is not expansive enough to provide sufficient training.

Are Internships Sponsored? Ask the programs you are considering if they have an internship program in partnership with regional health care facilities. They are the optimal means to get hands-on clinical training often not obtainable on campus. As an additional benefit, internships can help students establish contacts within the local West Memphis AR medical community. And they are a plus on resumes as well.

Is Job Placement Support Offered? Finding your first phlebotomy job will be a lot easier with the support of a job placement program. Find out if the colleges you are looking at offer assistance and what their job placement rate is. If a school has a high rate, meaning they place the majority of their students in jobs, it's an indication that the school has both an excellent reputation along with a large network of professional contacts within the West Memphis AR healthcare community.

Are Class Times Conveniently Scheduled? And last, it's crucial to verify that the final program you select offers classes at times that are compatible with your active schedule. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near West Memphis AR, check that they are available at those times. Also, if you can only attend part-time, make sure it is an option also. Even if you have decided to study online, with the clinical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be fulfilled within your schedule. And find out what the make-up protocol is in case you need to miss any classes because of emergencies or illness.

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Choose the Best West Memphis Phlebotomy Training

Making certain that you enroll in the right phlebotomy training is an essential first step toward your success in this fulfilling healthcare field. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that go into the selection of a superior college. Phlebotomist training programs are found in a number of academic institutions, such as junior or community colleges, vocational schools, and colleges and universities that provide a wide array of courses in medical care and health sciences. Course offerings can vary somewhat across the country as each state has its own mandates when it concerns phlebotomist training, licensing and certification. The most important point is that you must diligently screen and compare each program before making your ultimate choice. By asking the questions that we have presented, you will be able to fine tune your options so that you can select the right phlebotomy college for you. And with the proper training, you can achieve your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in West Memphis Arkansas.

 

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