Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Courses
How to Enroll In the Best One Near Southington Connecticut
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 program near Southington CT that will help you enter the rewarding field of nursing. Texas or California students will alternatively enroll in an LVN school to train to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. Other than the titles, there is no difference between an LPN and LVN. They both work in health care facilities supervised by Physicians and Registered Nurses and perform identical job functions. But their functions do fluctuate depending on the state they practice in, which we will look at in the following section. When starting their search for schools, many future nursing students begin with the ones that are the nearest to their homes or that are the least costly. Although price and location are relevant points to consider, they are not the only criteria that you should base your decision on. Such as 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 talk about below.
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Questions to Ask LPN and LVN Schools
Now that 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 pointers to begin narrowing down your choices. As you undoubtedly realize, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Southington CT as well as within Connecticut and throughout the United States. So it is important to reduce the number of schools to choose from so that you will have a workable list. As we already mentioned, the site of the school and the price of tuition are most likely going to be the first two factors that you will consider. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So prior to making your ultimate decision, use the following questions to evaluate how your pick measures up 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 recognized accrediting agency. Aside from helping verify that you receive a quality education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not available for non-accredited schools near Southington CT.
- Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites 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) as well as graduation from an accredited school. Some states require a specified number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It's essential that the school you are attending not only provides an exceptional education, but also readies you to satisfy the minimum licensing requirements for Connecticut or the state where you will be working.
- Reputation. Look at online rating companies 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 too. In addition, check with the Connecticut school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some local Southington CT healthcare organizations you're interested in working for after graduation and ask what their judgements are of the schools as well.
- Graduation and Job Placement Rates. Find out from the LPN or LVN programs you are considering 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 verify that the school has a superb reputation within the Southington CT medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students obtain a position.
- Internship Programs. The best way to acquire experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Virtually all nursing degree programs require a certain number of clinical hours be completed. A number of states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing too. Find out if the schools have a working relationship with local Southington CT community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placement of students in internships.
Find Out More Info About Training to Be an LVN or LPN in Southington
Enroll in the Best Southington LPN or LVN School
Selecting the right Licensed Practical Nurse school is perhaps the most critical phase to beginning a new career in the health care industry. There are numerous variables that you need to think about when deciding on a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently depending on your current career goals, obligations, and financial status. As we have highlighted within this post, it is critical that you pick an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the healthcare community. By utilizing 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 ambition to succeed, you can become an LPN or LVN in Southington Connecticut.
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