Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Schools
How to Find the Best One Near Clearwater Florida

One of the first things that you need to do after deciding to become a Licensed Practical Nurse is to find and enroll in the right LPN college near Clearwater FL that will help guarantee your entrance into the gratifying field of nursing. If you reside in California or Texas, then you will be looking for a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) school instead. Other than the names, there is no difference between an LPN and LVN. They both perform the same job functions and work in medical facilities under the supervision of Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors. However, as we will discuss in this report, their daily job functions can vary based on the state where they are employed. Many new students begin by searching for schools that are within commuting distance of their homes and of those target the one that is least expensive. Even though price and location are important 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 even more 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 training 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 duties that they perform in the Clearwater FL health facilities where they work. As their titles imply, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including Florida. While they may be accountable for managing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves typically work under the guidance of either an RN or a doctor. The medical care facilities where they work are numerous and varied, including hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can find patients in need of medical care is their domain. Each state not only regulates their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can't perform. So based on the state, their everyday work activities may include:

• • Checking vital signs
  • Administering medicines
  • Initiating IV drips
  • Observing patients
  • Getting blood or urine samples
  • Managing patient records
  • Supporting physicians or Registered nurses with procedures

Along with their job duties being controlled by each state, the health care facilities or other Clearwater FL healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job duties within those parameters. Also, they can work in numerous specialties of nursing, including long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN and LVN Training Programs

There are basically two scholastic credentials offered that provide education to become an LPN near Clearwater FL. The one that may be completed in the shortest time period, normally about one year, is the certificate or diploma program. The next choice is to obtain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and typically require 2 years to finish. The advantage of Associate Degrees, aside from offering a higher credential and more in-depth training, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor's Degree in nursing. No matter the kind of credential you pursue, it should be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or another national accrediting organization. The NLNAC attests that the course of study properly 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 schools online is becoming a more in demand way to get training and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in Clearwater FL. Some schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and nearly all programs call for a certain amount of clinical rotation hours carried out in a local healthcare facility. But since the remainder of the training may be accessed online, this option may be a more accommodating approach to finding the free time to attend college for many students. Regarding tuition, a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus alternatives. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be minimized, helping to make education more easily affordable. And a large number of online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. Therefore if your job and household responsibilities have left you with very 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 active schedule.

What to Ask LPN and LVN Schools

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 utilize the following checklist to begin narrowing down your choices. As you probably realize, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Clearwater FL as well as within Florida and throughout the United States. So it is necessary to reduce the number of schools to choose from so that you will have a workable list. As we already pointed out, the site of the school as well as the cost of tuition are undoubtedly going to be the initial two factors that you will consider. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your final choice, use the following questions to see how your pick compares to the field.

• 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. In addition to helping make sure that you get a premium education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools near Clearwater FL.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing criteria for LPNs and LVNs are different 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. Certain states require a specified number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It's imperative that the school you are attending not only provides an exceptional education, but also readies you to meet the minimum licensing requirements for Florida or the state where you will be practicing.
• Reputation. Look at online rating companies to see what the evaluations are for each of the LPN or LVN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting agencies 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 speak with some nearby Clearwater 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 programs 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 displeased with the program and dropped out. It's also important that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only substantiate that the school has a good reputation within the Clearwater FL medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students gain a position.
• Internship Programs. The most ideal way to get experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Virtually all nursing degree programs require a specified number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing also. Check if the schools have a working relationship with local Clearwater FL community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placing of students in internships.

Learn More About Becoming an LVN or LPN in Clearwater

Enroll in the Right Clearwater LPN or LVN Program

Enrolling in the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is perhaps the most critical phase to launching a new career in the medical care field. There are numerous variables that you must consider when deciding on a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your current career objectives, lifestyle, and financial status. As we have stressed in this post, it is essential that you enroll in an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have outstanding reputations within the health care community. By utilizing our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a shortlist of schools to choose 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 Clearwater Florida.

 

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