Phlebotomist Courses
How to Pick the Right One Near Stevens Point Wisconsin 

A critical first step one must take to enter the gratifying medical profession of phlebotomy is to select the right phlebotomy school near Stevens Point WI. There are many training programs available to you and it can seem like a daunting undertaking to investigate and compare each one. However, to ensure that you will get a quality education you must complete your due diligence before making your selection. More often than not the two requirements that first come to mind for prospective students are the location of the school and the cost of tuition. An additional factor you may look into is whether to attend online classes or commute to a nearby campus. Online schools will be discussed in greater detail a bit later. What you need to remember is that there is far more to checking out phlebotomy training programs than finding the cheapest or the closest one. Other factors including accreditation and reputation are also significant considerations and need to be part of your decision process as well. Toward that end, we will furnish a list of questions that you should ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are assessing 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 training.

It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Phlebotomy Career Below!

Should You Train to Be a Plebotomist?

First of all, few people are likely to know what a phlebotomist or phlebotomy technician is. The basic answer is a medical professional whose job is to draw blood. So of course anyone who selects this profession must be comfortable with needles and blood. And if you are nervous in hospitals or other Stevens Point WI medical facilities, well this job may not be right for you. And then there are the patients. Phlebotomy Techs often work around nervous people who don’t like needles or having their blood taken. And because many medical facilities are open 24 hours, you may be required to work weekends, evenings and even on holidays. But if you don’t mind working with the needles and blood, and if you enjoy helping people and are compassionate and very patient, this could be the perfect profession for you.

Phlebotomy Technician Education, Licensing and Certification

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 complete and offers a basic education as well as the training on how to draw blood. It provides the fastest 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 to become a phlebotomy tech. Available at junior and community colleges, they normally require 2 years to complete. Bachelor's Degrees are less available and as a 4 year program offer a more extensive foundation in lab sciences. When you have completed your training, you will probably want to get certified. While not mandated in most states, most Stevens Point WI employers look for certification prior to 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 several 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 important that you pick a phlebotomist training program that not only provides a quality education, but also preps you for any certification or licensing examinations that you are required or elect to take.

Online Phlebotomy Classes

First, let's resolve one possible misconception. You can't receive all of your phlebotomist training online. A good portion of the curriculum will be clinical training and it will be performed either in an approved healthcare facility or an on-campus lab. Many courses also require completing an internship prior to graduation. But since the non-practical part of the training can be attended online, it could be a more convenient option for some Stevens Point WI students. As an added benefit, a number of online classes are less expensive than their on-campus counterparts. And some expenditures, including those for commuting or textbooks, may be reduced as well. Just verify that the online phlebotomist program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency (more on accreditation to follow). With both the extensive online and clinical training, you can obtain a premium education with this method of learning. If you are disciplined enough to learn at home, then attaining your certificate or degree online may be the right option for you.

Points to Ask Phlebotomy Colleges

Since you now have a general understanding about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomist, it's time to begin your due diligence process. You might have already chosen the type of program you want to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we previously mentioned, the location of the campus is important if you will be commuting from Stevens Point WI in addition to the cost of tuition. Maybe you have opted to enroll in an accredited online phlebotomist college. Each of these decisions are an important part of the process for choosing a phlebotomy program or school. But they are not the only considerations when making your decision. Below we have provided a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are looking at before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Phlebotomist Program State Specific? As mentioned previously, each state has its own regulations for practicing as a phlebotomist. Several states call for certification, while some others mandate licensing. Every state has its own requirement regarding the minimum hours of clinical training completed prior to working as a phlebotomy tech. Consequently, you might have to pass a State Board, certification or licensing exam. Therefore it's very important to choose a phlebotomist program that complies with the state specific requirements for Wisconsin or the state where you will be working and prepares you for all examinations you may have to take.

Is the School Accredited? The phlebotomist school and program you pick should be accredited by a recognized national or regional accrediting organization, such as the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are several benefits to graduating from an accredited program in addition to an assurance of a quality 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 previously listed certifying agencies. Also, accreditation will help in securing financial aid or loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Finally, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited school can make you more desirable to future employers in the Stevens Point WI job market.

What is the Program's Reputation? In many states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomy colleges, so there are those that are not of the highest quality. So in addition to accreditation, it's important to check the reputations of all schools you are reviewing. You can begin by requesting references from the schools from employers where they place their graduates as part of their job placement program. You can screen online school reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. You can also contact some Stevens Point WI hospitals or clinics that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations. As a final thought, you can contact the Wisconsin school licensing authority and ask if any grievances have been submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

Is Ample Training Provided? To begin with, 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 clinical and classroom. At a minimum, any phlebotomy program that you are reviewing should furnish no less than 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 expansive enough to furnish adequate training.

Are Internships Provided? Find out from the programs you are reviewing if they have an internship program in partnership with area health care facilities. They are the optimal means to receive hands-on practical training typically not available on campus. As an additional benefit, internships can help students establish contacts within the local Stevens Point WI healthcare community. And they look good on resumes as well.

Is Job Placement Help Offered? Getting your first phlebotomist position will be a lot easier with the support of a job placement program. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing provide assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a college has a high rate, signifying they place most of their students in positions, it's an indication that the program has both a good reputation as well as a substantial network of professional contacts within the Stevens Point WI healthcare community.

Are Class Times Conveniently Scheduled? And last, it's crucial to make sure that the final college you select offers classes at times that will accommodate your busy schedule. This is especially true if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Stevens Point WI, 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 clinical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be fulfilled within your schedule. And find out what the make-up protocol is in case you need to miss any classes because of illness or emergencies.

Find Out About Becoming a Phlebotomist in Stevens Point

Enroll in the Right Stevens Point Phlebotomy Training Program

Making certain that you select the right phlebotomy training is an important first step toward your success in this fulfilling health care field. As we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that go into the selection of a quality college. Phlebotomist training programs can be offered in a number of academic institutions, including junior or community colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide an extensive assortment of courses in healthcare and medical sciences. Training program offerings can vary a bit from state to state as every state has its own requirements when it comes to phlebotomist training, certification and licensing. The most important point is that you must carefully screen and compare each college prior to making your final selection. By addressing the questions that we have provided, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can pick the best phlebotomy school for you. And with the proper education, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Stevens Point Wisconsin.

 

Stevens Point Phlebotomy Certificate | Stevens Point Phlebotomy Programs