Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Courses
How to Select the Best One Near Fort Collins Colorado

A first step that you need to take after making the decision to become a Licensed Practical Nurse is to find and enroll in the right LPN college near Fort Collins CO that will help you enter the gratifying profession of nursing. California or Texas residents will instead enroll in an LVN school to learn to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. Other than the titles, there is no difference between an LPN and LVN. Both practice in health care facilities supervised by Physicians and Registered Nurses and perform the same job functions. But their responsibilities do differ depending on the state they practice in, which we will look at in the following section. When initiating their search for schools, many future nursing students start with those that are the nearest to their houses or that are the least expensive. Although price and location are significant points to consider, they are not the only qualifications that you should base your selection on. Such as are the schools accredited or do they have high pass rates on the licensing exam, which are both extremely important too. There are additional questions that you should ask potential schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN course that we will address below. 

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Questions 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 web, you can utilize the following checklist to start narrowing down your options. As you probably are aware, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Fort Collins CO as well as within Colorado and throughout the United States. So it is important to reduce the number of schools to choose from to ensure that you will have a workable list. As we already pointed out, the site of the school and the cost of tuition are most likely going to be the first two points that you will take into consideration. But as we also stressed, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So prior to making your final decision, use the following questions to see how your pick compares to the other programs.

• Accreditation. It's a good idea to make sure that the certificate or degree program in addition to the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Aside from helping verify that you receive an excellent education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not offered for non-accredited schools near Fort Collins CO.
• 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) together with graduation from an accredited school. Many states require a certain number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It's essential that the school you are attending not only provides an excellent education, but also preps you to satisfy the minimum licensing standards for Colorado or the state where you will be working.
• Reputation. Visit online rating services to see what the reviews are for each of the LPN or LVN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Additionally, check with the Colorado school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some nearby Fort Collins 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 programs 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 favorable reputation within the Fort Collins CO healthcare community, but that it also has the network of relationships to assist students attain a position.
• Internship Programs. The best way to obtain experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Essentially all nursing degree programs require a certain number of clinical hours be completed. A number of states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing as well. Check if the schools have a working relationship with local Fort Collins CO community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the positioning of students in internships.

Learn More About Learning to Become an LVN or LPN in Fort Collins

Enroll in the Right Fort Collins LPN or LVN School

Choosing the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is arguably the most crucial first step to launching a new career in the healthcare industry. There are numerous aspects that you should consider when picking a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently contingent on your current career goals, obligations, and financial status. As we have stressed in this post, it is important that you enroll in an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the health care community. By using our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a shortlist of schools to select from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the right degree and training, combined with your hard work and ambition to succeed, you can become an LPN or LVN in Fort Collins Colorado.

 

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