Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Programs
How to Enroll In the Right One Near Erie Colorado

Now that you have decided on a rewarding career in the field of nursing, it's essential that you locate a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) program near Erie CO that will deliver the proper instruction. If you live in California or Texas, then you will be searching for a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) school instead. There is no distinction, aside from the names, between an LPN and LVN. They both practice in health care facilities supervised by Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors and perform the same job duties. However, as we will discuss in this article, their routine job activities can differ depending on the state where they are practicing. When starting their search for schools, many future nursing students begin with the ones that are the closest to their residences or that are the least expensive. While cost and location are relevant points to consider, they are not the only qualifications that you should base your selection on. Such as do the schools offer job placement assistance and do they have high placement rates, which are both extremely important as well. There are additional questions that you should ask prospective schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN course that we will discuss later in this article. But to start with, let's take a look at the job of an LPN and what is involved in the training and licensing process.

It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your LPN or LVN Career Below

LPN and LVN Job Description

Licensed Practical Nurses have numerous duties that they perform in the Erie CO medical facilities where they practice. As their titles signify, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including Colorado. Although they may be accountable for monitoring Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves normally work under the supervision of either an RN or a doctor. The healthcare facilities where they work are numerous and varied, such as hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anyplace that you can find patients requiring medical assistance is their domain. Every state not only regulates their licensing, but also what functions an LPN can and can't perform. So based on the state, their daily job functions might include:

• • Checking vital signs
  • Administering medicines
  • Initiating IV drips
  • Observing patients
  • Taking blood or urine samples
  • Keeping patient records
  • Assisting physicians or Registered nurses with procedures

Along with their work responsibilities being controlled by each state, the medical facilities or other Erie CO healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job duties within those parameters. Additionally, they can practice in numerous specialties of nursing, for instance long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN and LVN Degree and Certificate Programs

There are generally two academic credentials offered that provide training to become an LPN near Erie CO. The one that may be finished in the shortest time period, normally about twelve months, is the certificate or diploma course. The 2nd option is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma option 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 provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor's Degree in nursing. No matter the kind of credential you seek, it needs to be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or some other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC attests that the syllabus 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 becoming a more in demand way to get instruction and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in Erie CO. Certain schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and virtually all programs require a specific number of clinical rotation hours carried out in a local healthcare facility. But since the remainder of the training can be accessed online, this alternative may be a more practical solution to finding the time to attend classes for some students. Pertaining to tuition, many online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus alternatives. Even supplemental expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be reduced, helping to make education more affordable. And numerous online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. And so if your work and household commitments have left you with very little time to pursue your academic goals, perhaps an online LPN school will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your busy schedule.

Questions to Ask LPN and LVN Programs

Once you have decided on obtaining your LPN or LVN certificate or degree, as well as if you will attend classes on campus or on the web, you can use the following guidelines to start narrowing down your choices. As you no doubt are aware, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Erie CO as well as within Colorado and throughout the United States. So it is important to decrease the number of schools to select from so that you will have a workable list. As we earlier discussed, the location of the school along with the expense of tuition are undoubtedly going to be the first two things that you will consider. But as we also stressed, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your final selection, use the following questions to evaluate how your selection measures up to the other schools.

• Accreditation. It's a good idea to make sure that the certificate or degree program along with the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides helping make sure that you obtain a premium education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools near Erie CO.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing criteria for LPNs and LVNs differ from state to state. In all states, a passing score is required on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) together with graduation from an accredited school. Certain states require a specified number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It's important that the school you are enrolled in not only delivers an excellent education, but also prepares you to satisfy the minimum licensing standards for Colorado or the state where you will be working.
• Reputation. Look at internet rating services to see what the assessments are for each of the LPN or LVN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. In addition, contact the Colorado school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some nearby Erie CO healthcare organizations you're interested in working for after graduation and ask what their opinions are of the schools as well.
• Graduation and Job Placement Rates. Find out from the LPN or LVN schools you are looking at what their graduation rates are as well as how long on average it takes students to finish their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were displeased with the program and dropped out. It's also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only confirm that the school has a superb reputation within the Erie CO healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students obtain employment.
• Internship Programs. The best way to acquire experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Almost all nursing degree programs require a certain number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing also. Find out if the schools have associations with nearby Erie CO community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placing of students in internships.

Find Out More About Becoming an LPN or LVN in Erie

Enroll in the Right Erie LPN or LVN Program

Deciding on the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse school is potentially the most important step to starting a new career in the healthcare field. There are many aspects that you need to take into account when deciding on a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your current career goals, obligations, and economic situation. As we have emphasized within this article, it is important that you choose an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have outstanding reputations within the health care community. By using our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a short list of schools to choose from so that you can make your ultimate 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 Erie Colorado.

 

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