Picking a Phlebotomy Training Program near New Iberia Louisiana
Enrolling in the ideal phlebotomy training near New Iberia LA is an essential initial step toward a rewarding profession as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a difficult task to evaluate and compare all of the school alternatives that are accessible to you. Nevertheless it’s vital that you do your due diligence to make sure that you get a quality education. In reality, many prospective students begin their search by considering two of the qualifiers that first come to mind, which are location and cost. An additional factor you might consider is whether to attend online classes or commute to a nearby campus. We’ll review a bit more about online schools 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 factors including reputation and accreditation are also important considerations and need to be part of your decision process too. To assist in that effort, we will furnish a list of questions that you should ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are considering to help you select the right one for you. But before we do that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and afterwards resume our discussion about online classes.
Phlebotomy Technician Career Description
A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, draws blood from patients. While that is their main function, there is in fact so much more to their job description. Prior to drawing a blood sample, a phlebotomist has to check that the instruments being employed are sterile and single use only. After collection, the sample must be properly labeled with the patient’s information. Afterward, paperwork must be correctly completed in order to track the sample from the time of collection through the laboratory screening procedure. The phlebotomist then delivers the blood to either an in-house lab or to an outside lab facility where it may be tested for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. Many phlebotomists in fact work in New Iberia LA area laboratories and are responsible for making certain that samples are analyzed properly using the highest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t enough duties, they might be called upon to instruct other phlebotomists in the collection, transport and follow-up process.
Where are Phlebotomy Techs Employed?
The quickest response is wherever patients are treated. Their workplaces are many and varied, such as New Iberia LA hospitals, medical clinics, nursing homes, or blood centers. They may be tasked to collect blood samples from patients of all ages, from babies or young children to seniors. A number of phlebotomy techs, based on their practice and their training, specialize in collecting blood from a particular type of patient. For example, those practicing in an assisted living facility or nursing home would only be collecting blood from senior patients. If they are working in a maternity ward, they would be drawing blood from mothers and newborns solely. In contrast, phlebotomy technicians working in a general hospital setting would be drawing blood from a wide variety of patients and would work with new patients each day.
Phlebotomy Education, Certification and Licensing
There are basically 2 kinds of programs that offer phlebotomist training, which are degree and certificate programs. The certificate program typically takes less than a year to complete and furnishes a general education along with the training on how to draw blood. It provides the quickest route to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not exclusively a phlebotomist degree, will incorporate training on becoming a phlebotomy tech. Offered at New Iberia LA junior and community colleges, they normally require 2 years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are less available and as a 4 year program offer a more extensive foundation in lab sciences. After you have finished your training, you will no doubt want to get certified. Although not required in most states, most New Iberia LA employers look for certification prior to employing technicians. A few of the main 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 prior to practicing as a phlebotomist, like California and Nevada. California and a few additional states even require licensing. So it’s imperative that you choose a phlebotomy training program that not only provides a premium education, but also readies you for any certification or licensing examinations that you are required or elect to take.
Online Phlebotomy Training
First, let’s resolve one likely mistaken belief. You can’t receive all of your phlebotomy training online. A significant portion of the curriculum will be clinical training and it will be conducted either in an approved healthcare facility or an on-campus lab. Numerous courses also require completion of an internship in order to graduate. But since the non-clinical portion of the training may be accessed online, it may be a more convenient alternative for some New Iberia LA students. As an additional benefit, some online colleges are more affordable than their on-campus counterparts. And some expenses, for instance those for textbooks or commuting, may be lowered as well. Just make sure that the online phlebotomist college you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization (more on accreditation to follow). With both the extensive clinical and online training, you can obtain a quality education with this method of learning. If you are disciplined enough to study at home, then obtaining your degree or certificate online might be the ideal choice for you.
Points to Ask Phlebotomy Programs
Since you now have a general idea about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomist, it’s time to start your due diligence process. You may have already picked the kind of program you intend to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we mentioned earlier, the location of the school is important in addition to the cost of tuition. Possibly you have decided to enroll in an online phlebotomy college. Each of these decisions are an important component of the procedure for selecting a school or program. But they are not the only concerns when arriving at your decision. Following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the New Iberia LA programs you are considering prior to making your final decision.
Is the Phlebotomy Program Specific to Louisiana? As earlier discussed, each state has its own regulations for practicing as a phlebotomist. Some states call for certification, while some others mandate licensing. Each has its own requirement regarding the minimum hours of clinical training completed prior to practicing as a phlebotomy tech. Consequently, you may have to pass a State Board, licensing or certification examination. Therefore it’s extremely important to choose a phlebotomy program that satisfies the state specific requirements for Louisiana or the state where you will be practicing and preps you for all exams you may be required to take.
Is the School Accredited? The phlebotomist school and program you select 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 many benefits to graduating from an accredited school 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 administered by any of the earlier listed certifying agencies. Also, accreditation will help in getting loans or financial assistance, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Last, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited college can make you more attractive to prospective employers in the New Iberia LA job market.
What is the School’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 the reputations of any schools you are looking at. You can start by asking the schools for references from employers where they refer their graduates as part of their job placement program. You can research online school reviews and rating services and solicit the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. You can also talk to a few New Iberia LA clinics or hospitals that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations. As a closing thought, you can contact the Louisiana school licensing authority and ask if any grievances have been submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
Is Sufficient Training Included? To begin with, contact the state regulator where you will be working to find out if there are any minimum requirements for the length of training, both clinical and classroom. At a minimum, any phlebotomy program that you are considering should provide at least 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of practical training. Anything lower than these minimums may indicate that the New Iberia LA training program is not comprehensive enough to provide adequate training.
Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out from the colleges you are considering if they have an internship program in partnership with New Iberia LA medical facilities. They are the ideal means to receive hands-on clinical training typically not available on campus. As an additional benefit, internships can help students develop relationships within the local New Iberia medical community. And they look good on resumes as well.
Is Job Placement Assistance Available? Finding your first phlebotomist job will be a lot easier with the support of a job placement program. Find out if the colleges you are looking at offer assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a school has a high rate, signifying they place the majority of their students in positions, it’s an indication that the school has both a good reputation together with a large network of professional contacts within the New Iberia LA health care community.
Are Classes Conveniently Scheduled? And last, it’s critical to confirm that the ultimate school you pick provides classes at times that are compatible with your busy lifestyle. This is particularly true if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near New Iberia LA, make sure they are offered at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend part-time, make sure it is an option also. Even if you have decided to study online, with the practical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And find out what the make-up protocol is should you have to miss any classes due to illness or emergencies.
Considering Phlebotomy Training near New Iberia LA?
New Iberia, Louisiana
In 1900, 6,815 people lived in New Iberia; in 1910, 7,499; and in 1940, 13,747. The population was 32,623 at the 2000 census and 30,617 in 2010, a decrease of 2,006, or 6.2 percent, over the past decade.[4]
New Iberia dates from mid-1779, when a group of some 500 Malagueños colonists led by Lt.Col. Francisco Bouligny came up Bayou Teche and settled around Spanish Lake. In 1814, the federal government opened a post office, and it was officially known as "New Iberia," but postmarks shortly thereafter reveal that the town was being called "Nova Iberia" (with Latin for "new"). The town was incorporated as "Iberia" in 1839, but the state legislature resolved the situation in 1847, naming the town New Iberia.[citation needed]
During the American Civil War, New Iberia was occupied by Union forces under General Nathaniel P. Banks. The soldiers spent the winter of 1862–1863 at New Iberia and, according to historian John D. Winters of Louisiana Tech University in his The Civil War in Louisiana, "found the weather each day more and more severe. The dreary days dragged by, and the men grumbled as they plowed through the freezing rain and deep mud in performing the regular routines of camp life."[5] Banks' men from New Iberia foraged for supplies in the swamps near the city.[6]
In 1868, Iberia Parish (county) was established, and New Iberia became the seat of parish government. At first, only rented space served for the courthouse, but by 1884 a new courthouse stood on a landscaped lot in downtown New Iberia, at the present-day site of Bouligny Plaza. That courthouse served Iberia Parish until 1940, when the current courthouse was built along Iberia Street, two blocks from the New Iberia downtown commercial district.
Select the Ideal Phlebotomist College near New Iberia LA
Making sure that you select the most suitable phlebotomist training is a critical first step toward your success in this rewarding healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that go into the selection of a premium program. Phlebotomy training programs can be offered in a variety of educational institutes, including junior or community colleges, vocational schools, and colleges and universities that offer a wide range of programs in healthcare and medical sciences. Course options can differ a bit from state to state as each state has its own mandates when it pertains to phlebotomy training, certification and licensing. The most important point is that you need to thoroughly evaluate and compare each college before making your ultimate choice. By asking the questions that we have furnished, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can select the best college for you. And with the proper training, you can reach your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in New Iberia LA.
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