Phlebotomist Schools
How to Pick the Right One Near Addison Texas 

Selecting the right phlebotomy technician training near Addison TX is an important first step toward a rewarding profession as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a challenging undertaking to assess and compare each of the school alternatives that are accessible to you. Nevertheless it's important that you complete your due diligence to make certain that you get a superior education. Quite often the two qualifications that initially are considered by student applicants are where the school is located and how much the tuition is. Yet another factor you might consider is whether to attend classes online or commute to an area campus. We'll talk more about online schools later in this article. What's important to remember is that there is far more to checking out phlebotomy training programs than locating the closest or the cheapest one. Researching if the program is accredited or if the school has a job assistance program must also be part of your evaluation process. Toward that end, we will furnish a list of questions that you need to ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are reviewing to help you select the right one for you. But before we do that, let's cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and then continue our discussion about online classes.

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Should You Go to School to Become a Phlebotomy Technician?

First of all, not many people are likely to know what a phlebotomy tech or phlebotomist is. The basic answer is a health care professional who draws blood from patients. So of course anyone who selects this profession must be OK around needles and blood. And if you are not comfortable in hospitals or other Addison TX medical facilities, well this profession probably is not right for you. And now let’s talk about the patients. Phlebotomists routinely work with nervous people who hate needles or having their blood taken. And because many medical facilities are open 24 hours, you will probably be required to work weekends, nights and even on holidays. But if you can handle the hours and the blood and needles, and if you enjoy helping people and are compassionate and very patient, this may be the right profession for you.

Phlebotomy Education, Certification and Licensing

There are basically 2 kinds of programs that offer phlebotomist training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program normally takes under a year to complete and offers a general education along with the training on how to draw blood. It provides the quickest means to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not specifically a phlebotomy degree, will include training on becoming a phlebotomy tech. Available at junior and community colleges, they usually take 2 years to finish. Bachelor's Degrees are not as accessible and as a 4 year program provide a more expansive foundation in lab sciences. After you have completed your training, you will probably want to get certified. While not mandated in most states, a number of Addison TX employers require 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 several states that do require certification in order to practice as a phlebotomist, like California and Nevada. California and a few additional states even require licensing. So it's essential that you choose a phlebotomy training program that not only supplies a superior education, but also preps you for any licensing or certification examinations that you are required or elect to take.

Phlebotomy Online Schools

To start with, let's dispel one potential misconception. You can't obtain all of your phlebotomist training online. A substantial portion of the course of study will be practical training and it will be carried out either in an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility. Numerous courses also require completing an internship in order to graduate. However since the non-clinical portion of the training can be attended online, it may be a more practical option for some Addison TX students. As an additional benefit, a number of online schools are less expensive than their traditional competitors. And some expenditures, including those for textbooks or commuting, may be minimized as well. Just confirm that the online phlebotomist school you select is accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization (more on accreditation to follow). With both the extensive online and clinical training, you can receive a superior education with this approach to learning. If you are disciplined enough to learn at home, then obtaining your certificate or degree online may be the right choice for you.

Questions to Ask Phlebotomy Training Programs

Now that you have a basic understanding about what it takes to become a phlebotomy tech, it's time to start your due diligence process. You may have already picked the type of program you wish to enroll in, whether it be for a degree or a certificate. As we mentioned earlier, the location of the campus is relevant if you will be commuting from Addison TX as well as the tuition expense. Perhaps you have decided to enroll in an accredited online phlebotomy program. All of these decisions are a critical component of the procedure for selecting a phlebotomy school or program. But they are not the sole concerns when arriving at your decision. Below we have provided a few questions that you need to ask about each of the colleges you are reviewing before making your final selection.

Is the Phlebotomist Program State Specific? As mentioned previously, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomist. Several states require certification, while some others mandate licensing. Every state has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum hours of clinical training completed before working as a phlebotomist. As a result, you may have to pass a State Board, certification or licensing examination. Therefore it's very important to enroll in a phlebotomy program that meets the state specific requirements for Texas or the state where you will be practicing and preps you for any examinations you may have to take.

Is the College Accredited? The phlebotomist school and program you select should be accredited by a respected national or regional accrediting organization, such as the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are a number of advantages to graduating from an accredited school aside from a guarantee of a premium education. To begin with, if your program is not accredited, you will not be able to sit for a certification exam offered by any of the earlier listed certifying agencies. Also, accreditation will help in securing loans or financial assistance, which are typically not available for non-accredited colleges. Last, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited college can make you more attractive to prospective employers in the Addison TX job market.

What is the Program's Ranking? In a number of states there is minimal 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 out the reputations of any colleges you are considering. 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 solicit the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. You can also check with a few Addison TX clinics or hospitals that you may have an interest in working for and see if they can provide any insights. As a final thought, you can contact the Texas school licensing authority and find out if any grievances have been filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

Is Ample Training Included? First, check with 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. At a minimum, any phlebotomy 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 less than these minimums may signify that the program is not expansive enough to furnish sufficient training.

Are Internships Included? Ask the programs you are reviewing if they have an internship program in collaboration with regional medical facilities. They are the ideal way to get hands-on clinical training typically not obtainable on campus. As an added benefit, internships can assist students develop contacts within the local Addison TX medical community. And they look good on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Help Offered? Getting your first phlebotomy position will be much easier with the support of a job placement program. Find out if the schools you are looking at offer assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a college has a high rate, meaning they place most of their students in jobs, it's an indication that the college has both a good reputation as well as a large network of professional contacts within the Addison TX healthcare community.

Are Class Times Compatible With Your Schedule? Finally, it's critical to verify that the ultimate school you choose offers classes at times that will accommodate your active lifestyle. This is particularly true if you opt to continue working while going to college. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Addison TX, check that they are offered at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend part-time, confirm it is an option also. Even if you have decided to attend online, with the practical training requirement, make sure those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And ask what the make-up policy is should you need to miss any classes as a result of emergencies or illness.

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Choose the Best Addison Phlebotomist Training Program

Making sure that you choose the ideal phlebotomy training is an essential first step toward your success in this rewarding health care career position. As we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that go into the selection of a premium school. Phlebotomist training programs can be found in a variety of educational institutes, including community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that offer an extensive range of programs in medical care and health sciences. Course offerings can differ slightly from state to state as each state has its own prerequisites when it pertains to phlebotomist training, licensing and certification. The most critical point is that you must diligently research and compare each school prior to making your final selection. By addressing the questions that we have furnished, you will be able to fine tune your choices so that you can select the ideal phlebotomist college for you. And with the appropriate training, you can reach your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Addison Texas.

 

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