Phlebotomist Programs
How to Pick the Best One Near Whitewater Wisconsin 

Perhaps the most important decision you must make to enter the fulfilling medical profession of phlebotomy is to select the best phlebotomy school near Whitewater WI. There are numerous training options that are offered in your area and it may seem like a daunting task to research and analyze each one. However it's important that you perform your due diligence to make sure that you get a quality education. In fact, most students start their search by looking at 2 of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are cost and location. Whether you will drive to classes or attend them online is another consideration as well. We'll review more about online classes later in this article. What you need to keep in mind is that there is much more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than finding the cheapest or the closest one. Other variables including accreditation and reputation are also important considerations and need to be part of your decision process as well. 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 before we do that, let's address what a phlebotomist is and does, and afterwards continue our discussion about online schools.

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Where are Phlebotomy Techs Employed?

The simplest response is wherever they treat patients. Their work places are many and diverse, including Whitewater WI hospitals, medical clinics, long-term care facilities, or blood centers. They can be charged to draw blood samples from patients of of every age, from infants or young children to senior citizens. A number of phlebotomists, depending on their training and their practice, specialize in collecting blood from a specific kind of patient. For example, those practicing in an assisted living facility or nursing home would solely be collecting blood from senior patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be collecting blood from newborns and mothers exclusively. On the other hand, phlebotomists practicing in a general hospital environment would be collecting samples from a wide range of patients and would work with new patients each day.

Phlebotomist Education, Certification and Licensing

There are primarily 2 kinds of programs that offer phlebotomist training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program usually takes less than a year to complete and provides a basic education as well as the training on how to draw blood. It provides the fastest means to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not exclusively a phlebotomy degree, will include training on becoming a phlebotomy tech. Available at community and junior colleges, they typically require 2 years to complete. Bachelor's Degrees are not as accessible and as a 4 year program offer a more expansive background in lab sciences. After you have completed your training, you will probably want to get certified. While not required in most states, most Whitewater WI employers look for certification prior to hiring technicians. A few of the main certifying agencies 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 prior to practicing as a phlebotomist, like California and Nevada. California and a few additional states even require licensing. So it's important that you enroll in a phlebotomy training program that not only supplies a superior education, but also prepares you for any licensing or certification exams that you elect or are required to take.

Online Phlebotomy Colleges

To begin with, let's resolve one likely misconception. You can't receive all of your phlebotomist training online. A significant portion of the course of study will be clinical training and it will be carried out either in an approved healthcare facility or an on-campus lab. A large number of courses also require completing an internship prior to graduation. But since the non-practical part of the training can be attended online, it may be a more convenient option for some Whitewater WI students. As an additional benefit, a number of online classes are less expensive than their on-campus competitors. And some costs, such as those for textbooks or commuting, may be reduced also. Just make sure that the online phlebotomy school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization (more on accreditation later). With both the comprehensive online and clinical training, you can receive a quality education with this method of learning. If you are disciplined enough to study at home, then attaining your certificate or degree online may be the best choice for you.

Questions to Ask Phlebotomist Colleges

Since you now have a basic understanding about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomy tech, it's time to start your due diligence process. You may have already chosen 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 campus is relevant if you will be commuting from Whitewater WI as well as the cost of tuition. Perhaps you have decided to enroll in an accredited phlebotomy online program. Each of these decisions are a critical component of the procedure for choosing a phlebotomy program or school. But they are not the only concerns when making your decision. Following are a few questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are looking at prior to making your ultimate decision.

Is the Phlebotomy Program Specific to Your State? As previously mentioned, each state has its own regulations for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Several states require certification, while a few others mandate licensing. Each has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum hours of clinical training performed before practicing as a phlebotomist. Consequently, you might need to pass a State Board, certification or licensing exam. Therefore it's extremely important to choose a phlebotomy 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 Program Accredited? The phlebotomist school and program you pick should be accredited by a recognized national or regional accrediting agency, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are a number of advantages to graduating from an accredited school aside from a guarantee of a quality education. First, if your program is not accredited, you will not qualify to take a certification exam administered by any of the earlier listed certifying organizations. Next, accreditation will help in securing financial aid or loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Last, graduating from an accredited school can make you more attractive to potential employers in the Whitewater WI job market.

What is the School's Reputation? In a number of states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomy schools, so there are some that are not of the highest quality. So along with accreditation, it's imperative to investigate the reputations of any colleges you are looking at. You can start by asking the schools for references from employers where they refer their students as part of their job assistance program. You can research online school rating and review services and solicit the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. You can even check with some Whitewater WI clinics or hospitals that you may have an interest in working for and see if they can provide any insights. As a closing thought, you can check with the Wisconsin school licensing authority and ask if any complaints have been filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

Is Enough Training Provided? To begin with, check with the state regulator where you will be practicing to find out if there are any minimum requirements for the length of training, both classroom and practical. At a minimum, any phlebotomist program that you are looking at should provide at least 40 hours of classroom training (most require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything less than these minimums may signify that the program is not expansive enough to provide sufficient training.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out from the schools you are looking at if they have an internship program in collaboration with local health care facilities. They are the optimal means to obtain hands-on practical training typically not available on campus. As an added benefit, internships can help students establish contacts within the local Whitewater WI medical community. And they look good on resumes as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Available? Finding your first phlebotomy position will be a lot easier with the assistance of a job placement program. Ask if the colleges you are considering offer assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a college has a higher rate, meaning they place most of their students in positions, it's an indication that the college has both a good reputation together with a substantial network of professional contacts within the Whitewater WI health care community.

Are Classes Conveniently Scheduled? And last, it's important to make sure that the ultimate college you pick offers classes at times that are compatible with your active schedule. This is particularly important if you opt to still work while going to college. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Whitewater WI, make sure they are offered at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure it is an option also. Even if you have decided to attend online, with the practical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be fulfilled within your schedule. And find out what the make-up policy is should you have to miss any classes because of illness or emergencies.

Learn More About Becoming a Phlebotomist in Whitewater

Choose the Right Whitewater Phlebotomy Training

Making certain that you choose the right phlebotomy training is an essential first step toward your success in this rewarding healthcare career position. As we have discussed in this article, there are multiple factors that contribute toward the selection of a quality program. Phlebotomist certificate or degree programs are available in a variety of educational institutions, such as community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that offer a wide assortment of programs in healthcare and medical sciences. Program offerings may vary slightly across the country as every state has its own mandates when it comes to phlebotomist training, licensing and certification. The most critical point is that you must carefully screen and compare each program prior to making your ultimate decision. By addressing the questions that we have presented, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can pick the right phlebotomy college for you. And with the proper training, you can reach your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Whitewater Wisconsin.

 

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