Phlebotomist Schools
How to Choose the Best One Near Big Spring Texas 

Perhaps the most important decision you must make to enter the rewarding healthcare profession of phlebotomy is to choose the best phlebotomy school near Big Spring TX. It might seem like a challenging task to evaluate and compare all of the school alternatives that are available to you. Nevertheless it's necessary that you do your due diligence to ensure that you get a quality education. Quite often the two requirements that initially come to mind for student applicants are the location of the school and the cost of tuition. Whether you will commute to classes or attend them online is another consideration as well. We'll discuss a bit more about online classes later in this article. So when evaluating phlebotomist training programs, location and cost shouldn’t be the only criteria you are looking at. Finding out if the program is accredited or if the school has a job placement program should also be part of your due diligence process. To assist in that effort, we will supply a list of questions that you need to 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 afterwards continue our discussion about online training.

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Should You Go to School to Become a Phlebotomy Technician?

Right out of the gate, few people probably know what a phlebotomy tech or phlebotomist is. The short answer is a medical professional who draws blood from patients. So naturally anyone who chooses this profession must be OK around blood and needles. And if you are anxious in hospitals or other Big Spring TX medical environments, well this job may not be right for you. And now let’s talk about the patients. Phlebotomy Techs routinely work with nervous people who don’t like needles or having their blood taken. And because many medical facilities are open around the clock, 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 patient and compassionate, this may be the right job for you.

Phlebotomy Technician Education, Certification and Licensing

There are essentially 2 types of programs that furnish phlebotomist training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program normally takes under a year to complete and offers a basic education as well as the training on how to draw blood. It offers the fastest means to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, even though it's not exclusively a phlebotomist degree, will provide training on becoming a phlebotomy tech. Available at community and junior colleges, they typically take two years to complete. Bachelor's Degrees are less available and as a four year program offer a more expansive background in lab sciences. After you have finished your training, you will no doubt want to get certified. While not required in most states, most Big Spring TX employers require certification prior to 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 prior to practicing as a phlebotomy tech, including Nevada and California. California and a few additional states even require licensing. So it's important that you pick a phlebotomy training program that not only offers 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

To start with, let's resolve one potential misconception. You can't receive all of your phlebotomy training online. A substantial component of the curriculum will be practical training and it will be conducted either in an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility. Many courses also require completion of an internship prior to graduation. But since the non-practical component of the training may be attended online, it might be a more practical option for many Big Spring TX students. As an added benefit, a number of online programs are less expensive than their on-campus competitors. And some expenditures, such as those for commuting or textbooks, may be minimized as well. Just make certain that the online phlebotomy school you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization (more on accreditation later). With both the extensive clinical and online training, you can obtain a superior education with this approach to learning. If you are dedicated enough to study at home, then earning your certificate or degree online might be the right choice for you.

What to Ask Phlebotomist Schools

Since you now have a basic understanding about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomist, it's time to initiate your due diligence process. You may have already decided on the kind of program you want to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we previously mentioned, the location of the school is relevant if you will be commuting from Big Spring TX as well as the cost of tuition. Possibly you have decided to enroll in an accredited online phlebotomist program. Each of these decisions are an important component of the procedure for selecting a phlebotomy program or school. But they are not the only considerations when making your decision. Following are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are considering prior to making your ultimate selection.

Is the Phlebotomy Program Specific to Your State? As earlier discussed, each state has its own laws for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Several states require certification, while a few others require licensing. Every state has its own requirement regarding the minimum amount of clinical training completed before working as a phlebotomy tech. As a result, you may have to pass a State Board, licensing or certification exam. Therefore it's extremely important to choose a phlebotomy program that fulfills the state specific requirements for Texas or the state where you will be practicing and readies you for any examinations you may have to take.

Is the School Accredited? The phlebotomist program and school you pick should be accredited by a respected regional or national accrediting agency, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are many advantages to graduating from an accredited school in addition to an assurance of a premium education. To begin with, if your program has not received accreditation, you will not qualify 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. Finally, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited school can make you more attractive to future employers in the Big Spring TX job market.

What is the College's Reputation? In numerous states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomy colleges, so there are those that are not of the highest quality. So along with accreditation, it's important to check out the reputations of any colleges you are reviewing. You can start by asking the schools for references from employers where they place their graduates as part of their job assistance program. You can screen online school reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. You can even contact a few Big Spring TX hospitals or clinics that you may have an interest in working for and find out if they can provide any recommendations. As a final thought, you can check with the Texas school licensing authority and ask if any complaints have been submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

Is Ample Training Provided? First, contact the state regulator where you will be working to find out if there are any minimum requirements for the length of training, both clinical and classroom. As a minimum, any phlebotomy program that you are considering should provide no less than 40 hours of classroom training (most require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything lower than these minimums might indicate that the program is not expansive enough to furnish adequate training.

Are Internships Sponsored? Ask the colleges you are considering if they have an internship program in collaboration with area healthcare facilities. They are the ideal means to obtain hands-on clinical training typically not obtainable on campus. As an additional benefit, internships can assist students establish contacts within the local Big Spring TX healthcare community. And they are a plus 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 colleges you are looking at offer assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a school has a higher rate, signifying 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 Big Spring TX medical community.

Are Classes Conveniently Scheduled? And last, it's critical to confirm that the ultimate school you select provides classes at times that will accommodate your hectic schedule. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while going to college. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Big Spring TX, make certain they are available at those times. Also, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, confirm it is an option also. And if you have decided to study online, with the clinical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be fulfilled within your schedule. And ask what the make-up policy is should you have to miss any classes as a result of emergencies or illness.

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Enroll in the Best Big Spring Phlebotomy Training

Making sure that you select the most suitable phlebotomy training is an important first step toward your success in this fulfilling health care field. As we have covered in this article, there are multiple factors that go into the selection of a quality college. Phlebotomist training programs can be available in a wide range of educational institutes, including community or junior colleges, vocational schools, and colleges and universities that provide an extensive array of programs in healthcare and medical sciences. Program options may differ somewhat across the country as each state has its own mandates when it comes to phlebotomist training, licensing and certification. The most critical point is that you need to carefully research and compare each school before making your ultimate decision. By asking the questions that we have presented, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can pick the best phlebotomy school for you. And with the proper training, you can achieve your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Big Spring Texas.

 

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