Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Training Programs
How to Choose the Best One Near Bardstown Kentucky

Now that you have decided on a rewarding vocation in the field of nursing, it's imperative that you choose a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) program near Bardstown KY that will deliver the proper instruction. California or Texas students will alternatively enroll in an LVN school to train to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. There is no difference, other than the names, between an LPN and LVN. They both work in medical facilities under the supervision of Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors and perform identical job duties. However, as we will cover in this article, their routine job functions can vary depending on the state where they are employed. Most new students begin by searching for schools that are close to their homes and of those lean towards the one that has the lowest tuition. Even though price and location are important considerations, they are not the only qualifications 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 extremely important as well. There are even more questions that you should ask prospective schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN program that we will talk about 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.

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What does an LPN or LVN Do?

Licensed Practical Nurses have many functions that they complete in the Bardstown KY medical facilities where they work. As their titles signify, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Kentucky. Although they may be accountable for overseeing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves usually work under the oversight of either an RN or a doctor. The health care facilities where they work are numerous and diverse, such as hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can find patients requiring medical attention is their dominion. Every state not only regulates their licensing, but also what functions an LPN can and can't perform. So based on the state, their daily job functions may include:

• • Taking vital signs
  • Providing medicines
  • Starting IV drips
  • Monitoring patients
  • Taking blood or urine samples
  • Maintaining patient records
  • Assisting physicians or Registered nurses with procedures

In addition to their job functions being controlled by each state, the healthcare facilities or other Bardstown KY healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job roles within those parameters. In addition, they can work in different specialties of nursing, which include long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LVN and LPN Training Programs

There are generally two scholastic credentials available that provide training to become an LPN near Bardstown KY. The one that may be concluded in the shortest period of time, usually about 12 months, is the certificate or diploma program. The other choice is to obtain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma option and usually require 2 years to complete. The advantage of Associate Degrees, aside from offering a higher credential and more comprehensive instruction, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor's Degree in nursing. Regardless of the kind of credential you pursue, 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 guarantees that the core curriculum effectively prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that the majority of graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

LPN and LVN Programs Online

Attending LPN or LVN programs online is growing into a more favored way to receive instruction and attain a nursing certificate or degree in Bardstown KY. Certain schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and almost all programs call for a certain number of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare facility. But since the rest of the training can be accessed online, this option may be a more accommodating solution to finding the free time to attend college for many students. Pertaining to tuition, some online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus alternatives. Even other expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be minimized, helping to make education more economical. And numerous online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. Therefore if your job and family responsibilities have left you with limited time to pursue your academic goals, maybe an online LPN program will make it easier to fit a degree into your active schedule.

Things 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 on the internet, you can use the following pointers to start narrowing down your options. As you undoubtedly are aware, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Bardstown KY as well as within Kentucky and throughout the United States. So it is necessary to reduce the number of schools to select from so that you will have a workable list. As we already mentioned, the location of the school and the price of tuition are probably going to be the initial two things that you will take into consideration. But as we also stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your ultimate choice, use the following questions to evaluate how your selection measures up to the other schools.

• Accreditation. It's a good idea to make sure that the certificate or degree program as well as the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Aside from helping make sure that you receive an excellent education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not offered for non-accredited schools near Bardstown KY.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing criteria for LPNs and LVNs vary from state to state. In all states, a passing score is needed on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) in addition to graduation from an accredited school. Many states require a specified number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It's important that the school you are attending not only provides an excellent education, but also prepares you to comply with the minimum licensing requirements for Kentucky or the state where you will be practicing.
• Reputation. Visit online rating companies to see what the assessments are for each of the LPN or LVN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Also, check with the Kentucky school licensing authority to determine if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some nearby Bardstown KY 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 schools 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 essential that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only verify that the school has a favorable reputation within the Bardstown KY healthcare community, but that it also has the network of relationships to assist students attain employment.
• Internship Programs. The best way to acquire experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Essentially all nursing degree programs require a specified number of clinical hours be completed. A number of states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing too. Find out if the schools have associations with nearby Bardstown KY community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placing of students in internships.

Find Out More Info About Learning to Become an LVN or LPN in Bardstown

Enroll in the Best Bardstown LPN or LVN Program

Selecting the right Licensed Practical Nurse school is probably the most important step to starting a new career in the medical care field. There are various aspects that you need to think about when deciding on a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career goals, obligations, and economic situation. As we have stressed in this article, it is essential that you pick an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have excellent reputations within the healthcare community. By utilizing our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a short list of schools to select from so that you can make your final selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your hard work and ambition to succeed, you can become an LPN or LVN in Bardstown Kentucky.

 

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