Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Colleges
How to Select the Right One Near Auburndale Florida

A first step that you need to take after deciding to become a Licensed Practical Nurse is to locate and enroll in the right LPN college near Auburndale FL that will help guarantee your entrance into the rewarding field of nursing. If you live in California or Texas, then you will be looking for a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) school instead. Apart from the names, there is no difference between an LVN and an LPN. They both work in medical facilities supervised by Physicians and Registered Nurses and fulfill the same job functions. But their responsibilities do differ depending on the state they practice in, which we will address in the next segment. Most new students begin by searching for schools that are close to their homes and of those target the one that has the lowest tuition. Although price and location are important considerations, 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 various other questions that you should ask potential schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN course that we will address 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 education and licensing process.

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

What is an LPN or LVN?

Licensed Practical Nurses have many different tasks that they perform in the Auburndale FL healthcare facilities where they practice. As their titles signify, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Florida. While they may be responsible for overseeing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves normally work under the direction of either an RN or a doctor. The medical care facilities where they work are numerous and diverse, for instance hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anyplace that you can encounter patients seeking medical assistance is their dominion. Every state not only oversees their licensing, but also what functions an LPN can and can't perform. So based on the state, their daily work activities may include:

• • Checking vital signs
  • Providing medicines
  • Setting up IV drips
  • Observing patients
  • Taking blood or urine samples
  • Taking care of patient records
  • Assisting physicians or RNs with procedures

In addition to their work duties being controlled by each state, the medical facilities or other Auburndale FL healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job duties within those parameters. In addition, they can work in different specialties of nursing, such as long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN and LVN Certificates and Degrees

There are generally two scholastic credentials available that provide instruction to become an LPN near Auburndale FL. The one that may be finished in the shortest period of time, generally about twelve months, is the certificate or diploma program. The second alternative is to attain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and commonly require 2 years to complete. The advantage of Associate Degrees, besides offering a higher credential and more comprehensive training, 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 warrants that the core curriculum effectively 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 receive instruction and attain a nursing certificate or degree in Auburndale FL. Some schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and nearly all programs require a specified number of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare facility. But since the rest of the training may be accessed online, this method may be a more practical approach to finding the free time to attend college for many students. Pertaining to tuition, a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus alternatives. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be lessened, helping to make education more easily affordable. And a large number of online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. So if your job and household responsibilities have left you with little time to work toward your academic goals, it could be that an online LPN school will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your busy schedule.

Questions to Ask LPN and LVN Schools

Now that you have decided on obtaining your LPN or LVN certificate or degree, as well as if you will attend classes on campus or online, you can use the following pointers to start narrowing down your options. As you probably are aware, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Auburndale FL as well as within Florida 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 pointed out, the location of the school along with the price of tuition are probably going to be the first two points that you will consider. But as we also stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So prior to making your ultimate decision, use the following questions to evaluate how your pick compares to the other programs.

• 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 organization. Aside from helping make sure that you receive a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not offered for non-accredited schools near Auburndale FL.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for LPNs and LVNs differ from state to state. In all states, a passing score is needed on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) along with graduation from an accredited school. Some states require a specific 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 delivers an exceptional education, but also prepares you to meet the minimum licensing standards for Florida or the state where you will be working.
• Reputation. Visit internet rating companies to see what the assessments are for all of the LPN or LVN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Also, check with the Florida school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some nearby Auburndale FL 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 finish their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It's also important that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only verify that the school has a good reputation within the Auburndale FL healthcare community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students obtain employment.
• Internship Programs. The most effective way to obtain 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. Many states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing also. Check if the schools have a working relationship with nearby Auburndale FL community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placement of students in internships.

Find Out More About Becoming an LVN or LPN in Auburndale

Choose the Best Auburndale LPN or LVN Program

Selecting the right Licensed Practical Nurse program is arguably the most crucial phase to beginning a new career in the medical care field. There are various aspects that you should take into account when choosing a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently contingent on your current career goals, lifestyle, and financial status. As we have stressed within this post, it is critical that you enroll in an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have excellent reputations within the health care community. By using our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a shortlist of schools to pick from so that you can make your final selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your hard work and desire to succeed, you can become an LPN or LVN in Auburndale Florida.

 

AUBURNDALE LPN OR LVN PROGRAMS | AUBURNDALE LPN OR LVN SCHOOLS