Phlebotomist Courses
How to Choose the Best One Near Greenfield Wisconsin 

Perhaps the most important decision you must make to enter the gratifying healthcare profession of phlebotomy is to choose the best phlebotomy school near Greenfield WI. It might seem like a challenging undertaking to analyze and compare all of the school alternatives that are available to you. However, to guarantee that you receive a top-notch education you must perform a detailed audit before making your decision. In fact, many potential students start their search by looking at two of the qualifiers that first come to mind, which are location and cost. Yet another factor you might consider is whether to attend online classes or commute to a nearby campus. We'll talk more about online schools later in this article. What's important to remember is that there is much more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than locating the closest or the cheapest one. Other factors including reputation and accreditation are also significant considerations and should be part of your decision process as well. Toward that end, we will furnish a list of questions that you need to ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are assessing to help you pick the right one for you. But before we do that, let's cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and then resume our conversation about online training.

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Should You Become a Phlebotomy Technician?

First of all, not many people probably know what a phlebotomist or phlebotomy technician 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 Greenfield WI medical facilities, well this job probably is not right for you. And then there are the patients. Phlebotomists routinely work around anxious people who hate needles or having a blood sample taken. And because many medical facilities are open around the clock, you may 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 perfect job for you.

Phlebotomy Technician Education, Certification and Licensing

There are essentially two kinds of programs that provide phlebotomist training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program usually takes under a year to finish and provides a general education as well as the training on how to draw blood. It provides the fastest route to becoming a phlebotomy tech. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not exclusively a phlebotomy degree, will provide training to become a phlebotomist. Offered at junior and community colleges, they typically take 2 years to finish. Bachelor's Degrees are not as accessible and as a four year program furnish a more extensive background in lab sciences. Once you have completed your training, you will no doubt want to be certified. While not required in most states, most Greenfield WI employers look for certification before hiring 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 some states that do call for certification in order to practice as a phlebotomy tech, like Nevada and California. California and a few additional states even require licensing. So it's imperative that you select a phlebotomist training program that not only supplies a superior education, but also readies you for any certification or licensing exams that you elect or are required to take.

Online Phlebotomy Classes

To start with, let's dispel one possible mistaken belief. You can't get all of your phlebotomist training online. A good part of the course of study will be clinical 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 in order to graduate. But since the non-practical portion of the training can be attended online, it can be a more convenient alternative for many Greenfield WI students. As an added benefit, some online schools are more affordable than their on-campus competitors. And some expenditures, such as those for textbooks or commuting, may be lessened as well. Just make sure that the online phlebotomy school you choose is accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency (more on accreditation to follow). With both the comprehensive online and clinical training, you can obtain a premium education with this means of learning. If you are disciplined enough to study at home, then attaining your degree or certificate online may be the best choice for you.

Points to Ask Phlebotomist Training Programs

Now that you have a basic understanding about what it takes to become a phlebotomist, it's time to start your due diligence process. You might have already decided on the type of program you want to enroll in, whether it be for a degree or a certificate. As we previously mentioned, the location of the college is important if you will be commuting from Greenfield WI as well as the cost of tuition. Maybe you have decided to enroll in an accredited online phlebotomy program. Each of these decisions are a critical part of the procedure for selecting a phlebotomy school or program. But they are not the only considerations when arriving at your decision. Following are a few questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are considering prior to making your ultimate decision.

Is the Phlebotomy Program State Specific? As earlier discussed, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Some states call for certification, while some others mandate licensing. Every state has its own requirement regarding the minimum hours of clinical training completed before working as a phlebotomy tech. As a result, you may have to pass a State Board, certification or licensing exam. Therefore it's very important to choose a phlebotomy program that fulfills the state specific requirements for Wisconsin or the state where you will be practicing and prepares you for all exams you may have to take.

Is the College Accredited? The phlebotomy program and school you enroll in should be accredited by a reputable regional or national 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 in addition to a guarantee of a quality education. To begin with, if your program is not accredited, you will not qualify to take a certification exam offered by any of the earlier listed certifying agencies. Also, accreditation will help in obtaining loans or financial assistance, which are typically unavailable for non-accredited schools. Finally, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited school can make you more desirable to potential employers in the Greenfield WI 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 caliber. So along with accreditation, it's important to investigate the reputations of all schools you are reviewing. You can begin by requesting references from the schools from employers where they place their students as part of their job assistance program. You can screen internet school rating and review services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. You can even talk to several Greenfield WI hospitals or clinics that you may be interested in working for and find out 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 submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

Is Ample Training Included? First, contact the state regulator where you will be practicing to learn if there are any minimum requirements for the amount of training, both classroom and practical. As a minimum, any phlebotomy program that you are looking at should provide no less than 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of practical training. Anything below these minimums may indicate that the program is not expansive enough to offer adequate training.

Are Internship Programs Included? Ask the schools you are considering if they have an internship program in partnership with area medical facilities. They are the optimal way to get hands-on practical training typically not provided on campus. As an added benefit, internships can help students establish contacts within the local Greenfield WI healthcare community. And they are a plus on resumes as well.

Is Job Placement Support Available? Getting your first phlebotomy position will be much easier with the assistance of a job placement program. Find out if the programs you are reviewing offer assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a school has a high rate, signifying they place most of their students in jobs, it's an indication that the program has both a good reputation as well as a large network of professional contacts within the Greenfield WI healthcare community.

Are Classes Offered to Fit Your Schedule? Finally, it's important to make sure that the final college you select offers classes at times that are compatible with your hectic schedule. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Greenfield WI, make sure they are offered at those times. Also, if you can only attend part-time, confirm it is an option also. And if you have decided to attend online, with the clinical training requirement, make sure those hours can also be fulfilled within your schedule. And find out what the make-up policy is in case you need to miss any classes because of illness or emergencies.

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Pick the Best Greenfield Phlebotomy Training Program

Making certain that you pick the most suitable phlebotomist training is an important first step toward your success in this rewarding healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, there are multiple factors that go into the selection of a quality college. Phlebotomy certificate or degree programs are found in a variety of educational institutions, including junior or community colleges, vocational schools, and colleges and universities that offer an extensive range of courses in healthcare and medical sciences. Course offerings may differ a bit from state to state as every state has its own mandates when it pertains to phlebotomist training, licensing and certification. The most critical point is that you must carefully research and compare each school before making your ultimate selection. By addressing the questions that we have furnished, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can pick the right phlebotomy school for you. And with the appropriate training, you can realize your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Greenfield Wisconsin.

 

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