Phlebotomist Training Programs
How to Choose the Right One Near Germantown Wisconsin 

Perhaps the most serious decision you must make to enter the fulfilling medical profession of phlebotomy is to select the best phlebotomy school near Germantown WI. There are a number of training programs available to you and it can seem like an intimidating task to research and analyze each one. However, to guarantee that you will get a first-rate education you must perform a detailed audit before making your decision. Quite often the two requirements that first come to mind for prospective students are the location of the school and the cost of tuition. Whether you will drive to classes or participate online is an option you need to consider as well. We'll review more about online classes later in this article. What's important to keep in mind is that there is much more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than locating the closest or the cheapest one. Researching if the program is accredited or if the school has a job placement program should also be included in your evaluation process. To assist in that effort, we will provide a list of questions that you should ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are assessing to help you choose the right one for you. But prior to doing that, let's address what a phlebotomist is and does, and afterwards resume our discussion about online schools.

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Where do Phlebotomy Techs Practice?

The simplest answer is wherever there are patients. Their workplaces are many and varied, including Germantown WI medical clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities, or blood banks. They can be tasked to collect blood samples from patients of of every age, from babies or young children to seniors. A number of phlebotomy techs, based on their training and their practice, specialize in collecting samples from a particular kind of patient. For example, those working in an assisted living facility or nursing home would solely be drawing blood from senior patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be collecting blood from newborns and mothers solely. On the other hand, phlebotomy technicians practicing in a general hospital setting would be collecting samples from a wide variety of patients and would collect samples from new patients every day.

Phlebotomy Training, Licensing and Certification

There are essentially two kinds of programs that provide phlebotomy training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program generally takes less than a year to complete and furnishes a basic education along with the training on how to draw blood. It offers the fastest route to becoming a phlebotomy tech. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not exclusively a phlebotomist degree, will include training on becoming a phlebotomist. Offered at community and junior colleges, they usually take two years to finish. Bachelor's Degrees are not as available and as a 4 year program provide a more extensive background in lab sciences. When you have completed your training, you will no doubt want to become certified. While not required in the majority of states, most Germantown WI employers require certification prior to hiring technicians. A few 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 phlebotomist, including 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 superior education, but also preps you for any licensing or certification examinations that you are required or elect to take.

Phlebotomy Online Certificates and Degrees

To begin with, let's resolve one potential misconception. You can't receive all of your phlebotomist training online. A significant portion of the curriculum will be practical training and it will be conducted either in an approved healthcare facility or an on-campus lab. A large number of courses also require completion of an internship in order to graduate. However since the non-practical component of the training may be attended online, it might be a more convenient alternative for some Germantown WI students. As an additional benefit, many online programs are more affordable than their on-campus competitors. And some expenditures, for instance those for commuting or textbooks, may be reduced also. Just verify that the online phlebotomist program you select is accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization (more on accreditation to follow). With both the comprehensive online and clinical training, you can obtain a superior education with this means of learning. If you are dedicated enough to study at home, then earning your degree or certificate online might be the right option for you.

Points to Ask Phlebotomist 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 might have already picked the type of program you intend to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we previously mentioned, the location of the school is significant if you will be commuting from Germantown WI as well as the tuition expense. Maybe you have decided to enroll in an accredited online phlebotomy school. Each of these decisions are a critical part of the process for choosing a phlebotomy program or school. But they are not the sole concerns when arriving at your decision. Below we have provided several questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are reviewing prior to making your final decision.

Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to Your State? As mentioned previously, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomist. Some states call for certification, while some others require licensing. Each has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum hours of clinical training completed prior to working as a phlebotomist. Consequently, you might have to pass a State Board, certification or licensing examination. Therefore it's very important to select a phlebotomist program that fulfills the state specific requirements for Wisconsin or the state where you will be working and preps you for all exams you may have to take.

Is the Program Accredited? The phlebotomy program and school you pick should be accredited by a highly regarded national or regional accrediting organization, such as the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are many benefits to graduating from an accredited program aside from an assurance of a quality education. To begin with, if your program is not accredited, you will not qualify to take a certification examination offered by any of the previously listed certifying agencies. Next, accreditation will help in obtaining loans or financial assistance, which are often not available for non-accredited colleges. Last, graduating from an accredited college can make you more desirable to prospective employers in the Germantown WI job market.

What is the College's Reputation? In a number of states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomist schools, so there are those that are not of the highest caliber. So in addition to accreditation, it's imperative to check out the reputations of all schools you are looking at. You can begin by asking the schools for references from employers where they refer their graduates as part of their job assistance program. You can research online school rating and review services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. You can also contact a few Germantown WI hospitals or clinics that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insights. As a closing thought, you can contact the Wisconsin school licensing authority and find out if any complaints have been filed or if the colleges are in total compliance.

Is Plenty of 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 classroom and practical. As a minimum, any phlebotomy program that you are reviewing should provide at least 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything less than these minimums may indicate that the program is not comprehensive enough to furnish adequate training.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out from the schools you are considering if they have an internship program in partnership with local medical facilities. They are the optimal way to get hands-on practical training typically not available on campus. As an added benefit, internships can help students develop contacts within the local Germantown WI healthcare community. And they are a plus on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Landing your first phlebotomy job will be a lot easier with the assistance of a job placement program. Inquire if the programs you are considering 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 school has both a good reputation together with an extensive network of professional contacts within the Germantown WI medical community.

Are Class Times Offered to Fit Your Schedule? And last, it's important to verify that the ultimate college you select offers classes at times that will accommodate your busy lifestyle. This is particularly important if you choose to still work while attending school. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Germantown WI, 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 study online, with the practical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And ask what the make-up procedure is in case you have to miss any classes as a result of illness or emergencies.

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Pick the Right Germantown Phlebotomy Training Program

Making certain that you select the right phlebotomist training is a critical first step toward your success in this fulfilling healthcare field. As we have addressed in this article, there are multiple factors that go into the selection of a quality school. Phlebotomist certificate or degree programs are found in a variety of academic institutions, such as community or junior colleges, vocational schools, and colleges and universities that offer an extensive array of programs in healthcare and medical sciences. Program offerings can differ a bit across the country as every state has its own criteria when it comes to phlebotomy training, certification and licensing. The most important point is that you need to thoroughly research and compare each program before making your final choice. By asking the questions that we have furnished, you will be able to fine tune your choices so that you can pick the ideal phlebotomist college for you. And with the appropriate education, you can achieve your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Germantown Wisconsin.

 

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