Find Phlebotomy Training Near Me in Keithville LA 71047

Picking a Phlebotomy Technician Training Course near Keithville Louisiana

Keithville LA phlebotomist taking blood samplePicking the right phlebotomist training near Keithville LA is an essential first step toward a gratifying profession as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a difficult task to analyze and compare all of the school options that are accessible to you. However it’s necessary that you do your due diligence to make certain that you get a superior education. In reality, most prospective students start their search by considering 2 of the qualifiers that first come to mind, which are cost and location. An additional factor you may look into is whether to attend classes online or commute to a local campus. We’ll talk more about online schools later in this article. What’s important to remember is that there is a lot more to checking out phlebotomist training programs than finding the cheapest or the closest one. Other variables including accreditation and reputation are also important considerations and must be part of your decision process too. Toward that end, we will provide a list of questions that you need to ask each of the phlebotomist schools you are assessing to help you pick the best one for you. But prior to doing that, let’s address what a phlebotomist is and does, and then resume our discussion about online training.

Phlebotomy Tech Career Description

Keithville LA phlebotomist holding blood sampleA phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, draws blood from patients. Although that is their main responsibility, there is in fact so much more to their job description. Before collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist must check that the instruments being used are single use only and sterile. After collection, the sample has to be properly labeled with the patient’s data. Afterward, paperwork has to be accurately completed in order to track the sample from the point of collection through the lab testing process. The phlebotomist then delivers the blood to either an in-house lab or to an outside lab facility where it may be screened for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. A number of phlebotomists in fact work in Keithville LA area labs and are accountable for ensuring that samples are analyzed correctly under the strictest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient responsibilities, they might be called upon to instruct other phlebotomists in the collection, transport and follow-up process.

Where do Phlebotomists Work?

Keithville LA diagnostic lab blood analysisThe quickest answer is wherever there are patients. Their work places are many and varied, such as Keithville LA hospitals, medical clinics, long-term care facilities, or blood centers. They may be charged to draw blood samples from patients of of every age, from babies or toddlers to senior citizens. Some phlebotomy techs, based on their practice and their training, specialize in collecting blood samples from a specific type of patient. For example, those working in a nursing home or assisted living facility would solely be drawing blood from elderly patients. If they are working in a maternity ward, they would be drawing blood from newborns and mothers exclusively. On the other hand, phlebotomy technicians practicing in a general hospital setting would be collecting blood from a wide range of patients and would work with new patients each day.

Phlebotomist Education, Licensing and Certification

Keithville LA phlebotomy lab There are essentially 2 types of programs that offer phlebotomy training, which are degree and certificate programs. The certificate program generally takes less than a year to complete and furnishes a basic education along with the training on how to draw blood. It offers the fastest means to becoming a phlebotomy tech. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not exclusively a phlebotomist degree, will incorporate training on becoming a phlebotomist. Offered at Keithville LA junior and community colleges, they normally require 2 years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as available and as a 4 year program offer a more comprehensive foundation in lab sciences. After you have completed your training, you will no doubt want to be certified. Although not mandated in the majority of states, most Keithville LA employers look for certification before employing technicians. Some of the principal certifying agencies 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 prior to practicing as a phlebotomist, such as California and Nevada. California and a few other states even require licensing. So it’s important that you enroll in a phlebotomy training program that not only provides a premium education, but also prepares you for any certification or licensing examinations that you are required or elect to take.

Online Phlebotomist Classes

attending phlebotomy training classes online in Keithville LATo begin with, let’s resolve one possible mistaken belief. You can’t get all of your phlebotomist training online. A significant 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. Numerous courses also require completion of an internship in order to graduate. But since the non-clinical component of the training may be attended online, it might be a more convenient alternative for many Keithville LA students. As an added benefit, some online programs are less expensive than their traditional competitors. And some costs, such as those for textbooks or commuting, may be minimized also. Just make sure that the online phlebotomist program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency (more on accreditation later). With both the extensive clinical and online training, you can obtain a superior education with this method of learning. If you are disciplined enough to learn at home, then obtaining your degree or certificate online may be the ideal choice for you.

What to Ask Phlebotomist Schools

Now that you have a basic understanding about what it takes to become a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to initiate your due diligence process. You may have already selected the type of program you wish to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we previously mentioned, the location of the school is relevant in addition to the cost of tuition. Perhaps you have decided to enroll in an online phlebotomy college. Each of these decisions are a critical part of the process for picking a school or program. But they are not the sole considerations when making your decision. Following are a few questions that you should ask about each of the Keithville LA programs you are reviewing prior to making your final decision.

Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to Louisiana? As mentioned previously, each state has its own regulations for practicing as a phlebotomist. Several states require certification, while a few others mandate licensing. Every state has its own requirement regarding the minimum hours of practical training completed prior to working as a phlebotomy tech. Consequently, you may need to pass a State Board, licensing or certification examination. Therefore it’s very important to choose a phlebotomy program that satisfies the state specific requirements for Louisiana or the state where you will be working and prepares you for any exams you may be required to take.

Is the School Accredited? The phlebotomy program and school you pick should be accredited by a recognized regional or national accrediting organization, such as the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are many benefits to graduating from an accredited school in addition to an assurance of a premium education. To begin with, if your program is not accredited, you will not qualify to sit for a certification exam offered by any of the previously listed certifying agencies. Next, 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 attractive to prospective employers in the Keithville LA job market.

What is the College’s Reputation? In a number of states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomy colleges, so there are those that are not of the highest quality. So along with accreditation, it’s imperative to check out the reputations of all schools you are considering. You can start by requesting references from the schools from employers where they place their graduates as part of their job placement program. You can research online school reviews and rating services and solicit the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. You can also talk to some Keithville LA hospitals or clinics that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations. As a final thought, you can contact the Louisiana school licensing authority and find out if any complaints have been submitted 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 amount of training, both clinical and classroom. As a minimum, any phlebotomy program that you are considering should furnish at least 40 hours of classroom training (most require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything below these minimums might indicate that the Keithville LA training program is not comprehensive enough to provide sufficient training.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out from the schools you are looking at if they have an internship program in partnership with Keithville LA medical facilities. They are the ideal way to receive hands-on clinical training often not available on campus. As an added benefit, internships can assist students establish relationships within the local Keithville health care community. And they look good on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Support Offered? Finding your first phlebotomy position will be much easier with the support of a job placement program. Inquire if the programs you are reviewing provide assistance and what their job placement rate is. If a school has a higher rate, meaning they place the majority of their students in positions, it’s an indication that the college has both an excellent reputation together with a substantial network of professional contacts within the Keithville LA healthcare community.

Are Classes Available as Needed? Finally, it’s crucial to confirm that the final college you select provides classes at times that will accommodate your busy schedule. This is particularly important if you opt to still work while attending school. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Keithville LA, make sure they are offered at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend part-time, verify it is an option also. Even if you have decided to study online, with the practical training requirement, make sure those hours can also be fulfilled within your schedule. And find out what the make-up protocol is in case you have to miss any classes as a result of illness or emergencies.

Considering Phlebotomy Training near Keithville LA?

Keithville, Louisiana

Keithville is an unincorporated community in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies to the south of Shreveport along U.S. Route 171. Although unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 71047.[1]

Keithville came into existence when two railroads, the Southern Pacific and the Houston-Shreveport, met on properties of the Keith brothers in the early 1880s.[2] One of the Keith brothers was State Representative Perry Polk Keith, who served four terms from 1912 to 1928.[3]

Perry Keith was born near Macon, Georgia but settled in virgin territory in Caddo Parish when he was three months old with his parents, Henry David Keith and the former Mary Jones. On February 23, 1871, he married the former Narcissa Miller (died 1910) of Caddo Parish.[2] Their children were William Henry Keith (1875-1951), Daniel Wesley Keith (1875-1929), Perry P. Keith, Jr. (1877-1945), David Keith (Perry's twin who died an infant), Mary Slaughter Keith (1880-1931, never married), James Hardy Keith (born and died in 1883), Anna Beulah Keith Darby Cranfield (1885-1966, remarried after death of first husband) of Plaquemine, Louisiana, and Ray Cleveland Keith, who died soon after birth in 1889.[4]

A Democrat, Keith served in the state House alongside David B. Samuel, later a long-term Shreveport city judge, and Lee Emmett Thomas, the Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Caddo Parish and later from 1922 to 1930 the mayor of Shreveport.[3] As a legislator, the taciturn Keith is believed to have made no speeches on the House floor during his entire tenure. Instead he became a "cue giver" whose judgment affected the votes of many of his colleagues on critical issues. As chairman of the House Finance Committee during the administration of Governor John M. Parker from 1920 to 1924, Keith worked to maintain state finances on a sound footing and to treat all state agencies and commissions with fairness in regard to budgetary constraints.[2]

The location could not be found.

Enroll in the Right Phlebotomist College near Keithville LA

Making certain that you pick the ideal phlebotomy training is an important first step toward your success in this gratifying health care career position. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that contribute toward the selection of a premium school. Phlebotomy training programs can be available in a number of academic institutes, including community or junior colleges, vocational schools, and colleges and universities that provide a comprehensive array of programs in medical care and health sciences. Training program options may vary somewhat from state to state as each state has its own prerequisites when it concerns phlebotomist training, licensing and certification. The most important point is that you must diligently research and compare each program before making your ultimate decision. By addressing the questions that we have presented, you will be able to fine tune your choices so that you can select the right college for you. And with the appropriate training, you can realize your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Keithville LA.

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