Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Colleges
How to Select the Best One Near Dodge City Kansas

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 school near Dodge City KS that will help you enter the rewarding profession of nursing. Texas or California residents will alternatively enroll in an LVN school to train to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. There is no difference, apart from the names, between an LVN and an LPN. Both practice in medical facilities supervised by Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors and perform identical job functions. Although, as we will discuss in this report, their routine job functions can vary based on the state where they are employed. When initiating their search for schools, many prospective nursing students start with those that are the closest to their homes or that are the least expensive. But there are other credentials that a school should have and a decision should not be made based on location and cost alone. 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 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 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 internet, you can use the following guidelines to start narrowing down your options. As you no doubt realize, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Dodge City KS as well as within Kansas and throughout the United States. So it is essential to decrease the number of schools to choose from to ensure that you will have a manageable list. As we earlier pointed out, the location of the school and the expense of tuition are most likely going to be the first two factors that you will look at. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So prior to making your ultimate selection, use the following questions to see how your pick compares to the other schools.

• 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 organization. Aside from helping confirm that you get a premium education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools near Dodge City KS.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements 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 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 readies you to meet the minimum licensing standards for Kansas or the state where you will be working.
• Reputation. Visit internet rating companies to see what the reviews are for each of the LPN or LVN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Also, contact the Kansas school licensing authority to determine if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some local Dodge City KS 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 displeased with the program and dropped out. It's also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the Dodge City KS medical community, but that it also has the network of relationships to assist students gain 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. Various states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing too. Find out if the schools have a working relationship with local Dodge City KS community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the positioning of students in internships.

Find Out More About Training to Be an LVN or LPN in Dodge City

Enroll in the Best Dodge City LPN or LVN Program

Deciding on the right Licensed Practical Nurse program is probably the most important phase to launching a new career in the health care industry. There are numerous factors that you should take into account when deciding on a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career goals, obligations, and financial situation. As we have pointed out in this post, it is critical that you enroll in an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the healthcare community. By utilizing our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to develop a short list of schools to select from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your hard work and drive to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurse in Dodge City Kansas.

 

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