Phlebotomist Programs
How to Choose the Best One Near Plano Texas 

Picking the right phlebotomy technician training near Plano TX is an important first step toward a fulfilling profession as a phlebotomist. There are a number of training programs available to you and it may seem like a daunting undertaking to investigate and compare each one. However it's important that you do your due diligence to make certain that you receive a superior education. Quite often the two qualifications that initially come to mind for prospective students are where the school is located and how much the tuition is. Another factor you might look into is whether to attend classes online or commute to a local campus. We'll discuss more about online classes later in this article. What's important to keep in mind is that there is much more to checking out phlebotomy training programs than finding the closest or the cheapest one. Other factors such as accreditation and reputation are also significant considerations and should be part of your decision process as well. To assist in that effort, we will provide 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 afterwards resume our discussion about online schools.

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Where do Phlebotomists Practice?

The most basic response is wherever there are patients. Their work places are many and varied, including Plano TX medical clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities, or blood banks. They can be charged to collect blood samples from patients of of every age, from babies or young children to senior citizens. A number of phlebotomy techs, depending on their training and their practice, specialize in drawing samples from a particular type of patient. For example, those practicing in a nursing home or assisted living facility would solely be drawing blood from senior patients. If they are working 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 work with different patients each day.

Phlebotomist Education, Licensing and Certification

There are essentially 2 types of programs that furnish phlebotomy training, which are degree and certificate programs. The certificate program usually takes less than a year to finish and furnishes a general education along with the training on how to draw blood. It offers the quickest means to becoming a phlebotomy tech. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, even though it's not exclusively a phlebotomy degree, will incorporate training on becoming a phlebotomist. Available at junior and community colleges, they usually take 2 years to complete. Bachelor's Degrees are not as accessible and as a four year program furnish a more expansive foundation in lab sciences. When you have finished your training, you will no doubt want to become certified. Although not required in the majority of states, most Plano TX employers look for certification before hiring technicians. Some of the primary 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 in order to practice as a phlebotomy tech, like Nevada and California. California and a handful of additional states even require licensing. So it's imperative that you pick a phlebotomy training program that not only provides a premium education, but also prepares you for any certification or licensing examinations that you elect or are required to take.

Phlebotomist Online Training

To start with, let's dispel one potential mistaken belief. You can't get all of your phlebotomist training online. A significant part of the course of study will be practical training and it will be performed either in an approved healthcare facility or an on-campus lab. A large number of courses also require completing an internship prior to graduation. However since the non-practical component of the training can be accessed online, it might be a more practical option for many Plano TX students. As an added benefit, a number of online schools are more affordable than their on-campus competitors. And some costs, such as those for textbooks or commuting, may be minimized also. Just make sure that the online phlebotomy program you enroll in is accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency (more on accreditation to follow). With both the extensive online and clinical training, you can receive a premium education with this method of learning. If you are disciplined enough to learn at home, then obtaining your degree or certificate online may be the best choice for you.

Topics to Ask Phlebotomy Schools

Since you now have a basic idea about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomist, it's time to start your due diligence process. You may have already picked 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 college is relevant if you will be commuting from Plano TX in addition to the cost of tuition. Possibly you have decided to enroll in an accredited phlebotomy online college. Each of these decisions are a critical part of the process for selecting a phlebotomy program or school. But they are not the sole concerns when making your decision. Below we have provided some questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are looking at prior to making your ultimate decision.

Is the Phlebotomy Program State Specific? As mentioned previously, each state has its own laws for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Several states require certification, while a few others mandate licensing. Each has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum amount of practical training performed before working as a phlebotomist. Consequently, you might need to pass a State Board, licensing or certification exam. Therefore it's extremely important to select a phlebotomy program that satisfies the state specific requirements for Texas or the state where you will be working and preps you for any exams you may have to take.

Is the School Accredited? The phlebotomist school and program you choose 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 several advantages 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 take a certification examination administered by any of the earlier listed certifying organizations. Next, accreditation will help in securing financial aid or loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Last, graduating from an accredited college can make you more desirable to prospective employers in the Plano TX job market.

What is the Program's Reputation? In many states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomy schools, so there are some that are not of the highest caliber. So in addition to accreditation, it's important to investigate the reputations of any schools you are considering. You can begin by asking the schools for references from employers where they refer their graduates as part of their job placement program. You can screen online school rating and review services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. You can even check with some Plano TX hospitals or clinics that you may have an interest in working for and find out if they can offer any insights. As a final thought, you can contact the Texas school licensing authority and ask if any grievances have been submitted or if the colleges are in total compliance.

Is Enough Training Provided? To begin with, check with the state regulator where you will be practicing to learn if there are any minimum requirements for the length of training, both classroom and practical. As a minimum, any phlebotomy program that you are looking at should furnish no less than 40 hours of classroom training (most require 120) and 120 hours of practical training. Anything lower than these minimums might signify that the program is not expansive enough to provide adequate training.

Are Internship Programs Included? Ask the programs you are looking at if they have an internship program in collaboration with area health care facilities. They are the optimal means to obtain hands-on practical training often not available on campus. As an additional benefit, internships can help students develop relationships within the local Plano TX health care community. And they look good on resumes as well.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Landing your first phlebotomist job will be much easier with the help of a job placement program. Ask if the schools you are looking at offer assistance and what their job placement rate is. If a school has a high rate, signifying they place most of their students in jobs, it's an indication that the school has both a good reputation as well as an extensive network of professional contacts within the Plano TX healthcare community.

Are Class Times Available as Needed? And last, it's critical to verify that the final program you pick offers classes at times that will accommodate your hectic lifestyle. This is especially important if you opt to still work while going to school. If you can only attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Plano TX, make sure they are available at those times. Also, if you can only attend part-time, confirm it is an option as well. And if you have decided to attend online, with the practical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And ask what the make-up policy is in case you have to miss any classes because of emergencies or illness.

Learn More About How to Become a Phlebotomist in Plano

Choose the Right Plano Phlebotomist Training Program

Making sure that you pick the right phlebotomist training is a critical first step toward your success in this rewarding health care field. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that contribute toward the selection of a quality program. Phlebotomist training programs can be offered 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. Training program options can differ somewhat across the country as each state has its own prerequisites when it comes to phlebotomy training, certification and licensing. The most critical point is that you must diligently screen and compare each school before making your ultimate choice. By asking the questions that we have provided, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can select the right phlebotomist school for you. And with the proper education, you can reach your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Plano Texas.

 

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