Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Schools
How to Choose the Right One Near Eastvale California

A first step that you need to take after making the decision to become a Licensed Practical Nurse is to locate and enroll in the right LPN college near Eastvale CA that will help guarantee your entrance into the gratifying field of nursing. Texas or California students will alternatively enroll in an LVN school to learn to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. There is no distinction, except for the names, between an LPN and LVN. They both work in medical facilities supervised by Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors and fulfill identical job functions. However, as we will cover in this report, their routine job activities can vary depending on the state where they are practicing. When beginning their search for schools, many future nursing students begin with those that are the closest to their residences or that are the least costly. While price and location are important factors, they are not the only criteria that you should base your decision on. For example are the schools accredited or do they have high pass rates on the licensing exam, which are both very important as well. There are various other questions that you should ask potential schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN program that we will discuss later in this article. But first, let's take a look at the function of an LPN and what is involved in the training and licensing process.

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What is an LPN or LVN?

Licensed Practical Nurses have a number of tasks that they complete in the Eastvale CA health facilities where they are employed. As their titles imply, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including California. While they may be responsible for overseeing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves usually work under the direction of either an RN or a doctor. The medical facilities where they work are numerous and varied, for instance hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can encounter patients in need of medical treatment is their dominion. Every state not only oversees their licensing, but also what functions an LPN can and can't perform. So depending on the state, their day-to-day work activities may include:

• • Measuring vital signs
  • Providing medications
  • Starting IV drips
  • Monitoring patients
  • Taking blood or urine samples
  • Keeping patient records
  • Supporting physicians or Registered nurses with procedures

In addition to their occupational duties being governed by each state, the healthcare facilities or other Eastvale CA healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job roles within those parameters. In addition, they can practice in numerous specialties of nursing, including long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN and LVN Training

There are basically two scholastic credentials available that provide instruction to become an LPN near Eastvale CA. The one that can be finished in the shortest period of time, generally about 1 year, is the certificate or diploma program. The 2nd option is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma alternative and generally require 2 years to finish. The advantage of Associate Degrees, aside from offering a higher credential and more extensive instruction, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor's Degree in nursing. Regardless of the type of credential you seek, it should be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or any other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC guarantees that the course of study adequately prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

Online LPN and LVN Programs

Attending LPN or LVN programs online is growing into a more preferred way to get training and earn a nursing certificate or degree in Eastvale CA. Some schools will require attendance on campus for a component of the training, and virtually all programs call for a certain amount of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare center. But since the rest of the training can be accessed online, this alternative may be a more convenient approach to finding the free time to attend college for many students. Pertaining to tuition, many online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus options. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be minimized, helping to make education more economical. And a large number of online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. And so if your work and family commitments have left you with little time to pursue your academic goals, perhaps an online LPN program will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your active schedule.

What to Ask LPN and LVN Programs

Once you have decided on obtaining your LPN or LVN certificate or degree, and if you will attend classes on campus or on the internet, you can use the following guidelines to start narrowing down your choices. As you no doubt realize, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Eastvale CA as well as within California and throughout the United States. So it is necessary to decrease the number of schools to select from so that you will have a manageable list. As we already mentioned, the site of the school along with the price of tuition are probably going to be the initial two points that you will take into consideration. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your final decision, use the following questions to see how your pick compares to the other schools.

• Accreditation. It's a good idea to make sure that the certificate or degree program as well as the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides helping ensure that you obtain a premium education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not available for non-accredited schools near Eastvale CA.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing criteria for LPNs and LVNs are different from state to state. In all states, a passing score is required on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) along with graduation from an accredited school. Certain states require a certain number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It's important that the school you are enrolled in not only provides an outstanding education, but also prepares you to meet the minimum licensing standards for California or the state where you will be practicing.
• Reputation. Look at internet rating services to see what the reviews are for all of the LPN or LVN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. In addition, check with the California school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some local Eastvale CA healthcare organizations you're interested in working for after graduation and ask what their assessments are of the schools as well.
• Graduation and Job Placement Rates. Find out from the LPN or LVN schools you are considering what their graduation rates are as well as how long on average it takes students to complete their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It's also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only substantiate that the school has a favorable reputation within the Eastvale CA medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students obtain employment.
• Internship Programs. The most effective way to get experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Almost all nursing degree programs require a specific number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing too. Find out if the schools have a working relationship with nearby Eastvale CA community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placement of students in internships.

Learn More About Learning to Become an LPN or LVN in Eastvale

Enroll in the Right Eastvale LPN or LVN School

Choosing the right Licensed Practical Nurse school is arguably the most important phase to beginning a new career in the healthcare field. There are a number of variables that you need to consider when deciding on a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently contingent on your existing career goals, lifestyle, and financial status. As we have emphasized within this content, it is important that you choose an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have excellent reputations within the medical community. By utilizing our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a short list of schools to pick from so that you can make your final selection. And with the proper degree and training, combined with your hard work and desire to succeed, you can become an LPN or LVN in Eastvale California.

 

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