Find Phlebotomy Training Near Me in Abbeville LA 70510

Choosing a Phlebotomy Technician School near Abbeville Louisiana

Abbeville LA phlebotomist taking blood sample Selecting the right phlebotomy technician training near Abbeville LA is a critical first step toward a gratifying profession as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a daunting undertaking to investigate and compare all of the school alternatives that are accessible to you. Nevertheless it’s necessary that you complete your due diligence to ensure that you obtain a superior education. In fact, many prospective students start their search by looking at two of the qualifiers that first come to mind, which are location and cost. An additional option you may look into is whether to attend online classes or commute to an area campus. We’ll discuss a bit more about online classes later in this article. What’s important to remember is that there is far more to checking out phlebotomy training programs than finding the cheapest or the closest one. Other variables such as reputation and accreditation are also significant considerations and need to be part of your selection process also. To assist in that effort, we will provide a list of questions that you should ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are considering to help you choose the ideal one for you. But prior to doing that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and afterwards continue our discussion about online schools.

Phlebotomy Technician Job Description

Abbeville LA phlebotomist holding blood sample A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, draws blood from patients. While that is their principal function, there is actually so much more to their job description. Prior to drawing a blood sample, a phlebotomist needs to check that the instruments being used are single use only and sterile. Following the collection, the sample must be properly labeled with the patient’s information. Next, paperwork has to be properly completed to be able to track the sample from the point of collection through the laboratory testing procedure. The phlebotomist then delivers the blood to either an in-house lab or to an outside lab facility where it can be screened for such things as infectious diseases, pregnancy or blood type. Many phlebotomists actually work in Abbeville LA area laboratories and are responsible for making sure that samples are analyzed correctly using the strictest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t enough duties, they might be called upon to train other phlebotomists in the collection, delivery and follow-up process.

Where are Phlebotomy Techs Employed?

Abbeville LA diagnostic lab blood analysis The most basic response is wherever they treat patients. Their workplaces are numerous and varied, including Abbeville LA medical clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, or blood centers. They can be charged to draw blood samples from patients of of every age, from babies or young children to seniors. A number of phlebotomy techs, depending on their practice and their training, specialize in drawing blood samples from a certain type of patient. For instance, those practicing in an assisted living facility or nursing home would exclusively be collecting blood from older 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 environment would be drawing blood from a wide variety of patients and would work with new patients every day.

Phlebotomy Education, Licensing and Certification

Abbeville LA phlebotomy lab There are primarily two types of programs that offer phlebotomist training, which are degree and certificate programs. The certificate program typically takes under a year to complete and furnishes a basic education together with the training on how to draw blood. It offers the fastest method to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, even though it’s not specifically a phlebotomy degree, will incorporate training to become a phlebotomist. Offered at Abbeville LA junior and community colleges, they typically take two years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are less accessible and as a four year program offer a more comprehensive foundation in lab sciences. After you have completed your training, you will probably want to become certified. While not mandated in most states, a number of Abbeville LA employers look for certification prior to employing technicians. A few of the key 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, including Nevada and California. California and a few additional states even require licensing. So it’s important that you select a phlebotomy training program that not only supplies a premium education, but also readies you for any licensing or certification examinations that you elect or are required to take.

Online Phlebotomy Colleges

attending phlebotomy training classes online in Abbeville LA To start with, let’s dispel one likely misconception. You can’t obtain all of your phlebotomy training online. A good portion of the curriculum will be practical training and it will be carried out either in an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility. A large number of courses also require completing an internship prior to graduation. However since the non-clinical part of the training may be accessed online, it might be a more practical alternative for some Abbeville LA students. As an added benefit, some online classes are more affordable than their traditional counterparts. And some costs, such as those for commuting or textbooks, may be minimized as well. Just confirm that the online phlebotomist college you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization (more on accreditation to follow). With both the comprehensive online and clinical training, you can receive a superior education with this means of learning. If you are disciplined enough to study at home, then obtaining your certificate or degree online may be the ideal choice for you.

Questions to Ask Phlebotomy Colleges

Now that you have a basic understanding about what it takes to become a phlebotomist, it’s time to initiate your due diligence process. You might have already decided on the kind of program you want to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we previously mentioned, the location of the school is important as well as the cost of tuition. Possibly you have decided to enroll in an online phlebotomist school. All of these decisions are a critical part of the procedure for picking a school or program. But they are not the sole concerns when arriving at your decision. Following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the Abbeville LA colleges you are considering prior to making your ultimate selection.

Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to Louisiana? As previously mentioned, each state has its own regulations 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 practical training completed prior to working as a phlebotomist. As a result, you might have to pass a State Board, licensing or certification exam. Therefore it’s extremely important to enroll in a phlebotomy program that satisfies the state specific requirements for Louisiana or the state where you will be working and readies you for any examinations you may have to take.

Is the College Accredited? The phlebotomist program and school you enroll in should be accredited by a highly regarded 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 an assurance of a premium education. To begin with, if your program has not received accreditation, you will not be able to sit for a certification exam administered by any of the previously listed certifying organizations. Next, accreditation will help in obtaining financial aid or loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Finally, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited school can make you more attractive to future employers in the Abbeville LA job market.

What is the Program’s Reputation? In a number of states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomy schools, so there are those that are not of the highest caliber. So in addition to accreditation, it’s important to investigate the reputations of all colleges you are reviewing. You can start by asking the schools for references from employers where they place their graduates as part of their job placement program. You can screen online school rating and review services and solicit the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. You can also contact several Abbeville LA clinics or hospitals that you might be interested in working for and find out if they can provide any recommendations. As a final thought, you can check with the Louisiana school licensing authority and find out if any complaints have been filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

Is Ample 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 amount of training, both classroom and practical. At a minimum, any phlebotomist 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 below these minimums might indicate that the Abbeville LA training program is not expansive enough to offer sufficient training.

Are Internship Programs Included? Ask the schools you are looking at if they have an internship program in collaboration with Abbeville LA healthcare facilities. They are the optimal means to obtain hands-on practical training frequently not available on campus. As an added benefit, internships can assist students develop relationships within the local Abbeville medical community. And they are a plus on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Help Available? Getting your first phlebotomist job will be a lot easier with the assistance of a job placement program. Ask if the programs you are reviewing offer assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a school has a high rate, meaning they place most of their students in positions, it’s an indication that the college has both a good reputation along with a large network of professional contacts within the Abbeville LA medical community.

Are Class Times Compatible With Your Schedule? And last, it’s important to make sure that the final school you pick provides classes at times that will accommodate your hectic schedule. This is especially true if you decide to continue working while going to college. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Abbeville LA, make sure they are available at those times. Also, if you can only attend part-time, confirm it is an option as well. Even if you have decided to study online, with the clinical training requirement, make sure those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And ask what the make-up policy is should you need to miss any classes because of emergencies or illness.

Considering Phlebotomy Training near Abbeville LA?

Abbeville, Louisiana

Abbeville is a city in and the parish seat of Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, United States,[3][4] 150 miles (240 km) west of New Orleans and 60 miles (97 km) southwest of Baton Rouge.[5] The population was 12,257 at the 2010 census.[6]

Formerly called La Chapelle, the land that would become Abbeville was purchased by founding father Père Antoine Désiré Mégret (Père is French for 'Father'), a Capuchin missionary on July 25, 1843 for $900. There are two theories how the town was named. The theory that is generally accepted is Mégret named the town after his home in France. The second theory which also cannot be discounted states that it is a combination of "Abbe" for Abbé Mégret and "ville" the French word for town – thus Abbé's town. Some support for the second theory is found because the town in France is pronounced "Abbville" by its denizens. However, in 1995, Fr. Jean Desobry discovered the diocesan archives of Amiens the proof of Mégret's birthplace. In the archive, the dossier of Fr. Antoine Jacques Désiré Mégret was found, and that he was born on May 23, 1797, at Abbeville and became founder of Abbeville in Louisiana.[7] Dr Mary-Theresa MacCarthy wrote in her article Un Autre Abbeville in the 1996 edition of Bulletin de la Société des Antiquaires de Picardie (translation by Father Herbert),

Settlers were primarily descendants of the Acadians from Nova Scotia that moved to the area around 1766 to 1775. The town was incorporated in 1850.[5] There were two people living on the land at the time, Joseph LeBlanc and his wife Isabelle Broussard, whose former home Father Megret converted into a chapel. The chapel burned in 1854, and in 1910 St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, Rectory, and Cemetery were built and still stand today.[8][better source needed]

Father Megret modeled his original plan for the village after a French Provincial village. In a map he designed in 1846, the town was 38 to 40 acres (160,000 m2) in size. It was bounded on the north by St. Victor Boulevard, on the south by Lafayette Boulevard, on the east by "the Sisters of Charity", and on the west by Bayou Vermilion. At this point in time the town was called "Abbville".

The location could not be found.

Enroll in the Right Phlebotomy Course near Abbeville LA

Making sure that you enroll in the ideal phlebotomy training is a critical first step toward your success in this gratifying health care career position. As we have covered in this article, there are several factors that contribute toward the selection of a premium school. Phlebotomy certificate or degree programs can be offered in a wide range of academic institutes, including junior or community colleges, vocational schools, and colleges and universities that provide a wide array of programs in healthcare and medical sciences. Program options can vary somewhat across the country as every state has its own prerequisites when it comes to phlebotomist training, licensing and certification. The most important point is that you need to carefully research and compare each school before making your final selection. By asking the questions that we have provided, you will be able to fine tune your choices so that you can select the best school for you. And with the appropriate education, you can achieve your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Abbeville LA.