Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Programs
How to Select the Right One Near Bowling Green Kentucky

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 school near Bowling Green KY that will help guarantee your entrance into the gratifying field of nursing. If you live in Texas or California, then you will be looking for a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) school instead. There is no difference, other than the names, between an LVN and an LPN. They both practice in medical facilities supervised by Physicians and Registered Nurses and perform identical job functions. Although, as we will discuss in this article, their routine job functions can vary based on the state where they are employed. Many new students begin by looking for schools that are close to their homes and of those lean towards the one that has the lowest tuition. But there are other qualifications that a school should have and a decision should not be made based on cost and location 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 even more questions that you should ask prospective schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN program that we will cover later in this article. But to start with, let's have a look at the role of an LPN and what is involved in the instruction 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 numerous tasks that they complete in the Bowling Green KY healthcare facilities where they work. As their titles imply, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Kentucky. While they may be responsible for monitoring Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves usually work under the oversight of either an RN or a doctor. The medical facilities where they work are numerous and assorted, including hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can find patients requiring medical assistance is their dominion. Every state not only oversees their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can't perform. So depending on the state, their routine work functions can include:

• • Taking vital signs
  • Giving medications
  • Setting up IV drips
  • Observing patients
  • Collecting blood or urine samples
  • Taking care of patient records
  • Assisting doctors or Registered nurses with procedures

In addition to their occupational functions being regulated by each state, the health care facilities or other Bowling Green KY healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job duties within those parameters. Additionally, they can work in different specialties of nursing, including long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LVN and LPN Training

There are essentially two academic credentials available that provide instruction to become an LPN near Bowling Green KY. The one that may be finished in the shortest time period, usually about 1 year, is the certificate or diploma course. The 2nd alternative is to obtain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma alternative and typically require 2 years to complete. The benefit of Associate Degrees, aside from 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 any other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC guarantees that the course of study effectively prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that the majority of graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

Online LPN and LVN Programs

Attending LPN or LVN programs online is growing into a more popular way to get training and attain a nursing certificate or degree in Bowling Green KY. Many schools will require attendance on campus for a component of the training, and almost all programs call for a specific number of clinical rotation hours carried out in a local healthcare center. But since the rest of the training may be accessed online, this alternative may be a more convenient approach to finding the free time to attend school for many students. Concerning tuition, a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus choices. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be lessened, helping to make education more economical. And a large number of online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. And so if your job and family responsibilities have left you with limited time to pursue your academic goals, maybe an online LPN training program will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your hectic schedule.

Questions to Ask LPN and LVN Programs

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 internet, you can utilize the following checklist to start narrowing down your options. As you no doubt are aware, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Bowling Green KY as well as within Kentucky and throughout the United States. So it is important to decrease the number of schools to choose from to ensure that you will have a workable list. As we already discussed, the location of the school along with the expense of tuition are probably going to be the primary two factors that you will consider. But as we also stressed, they should not be your sole 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 agency. Aside from helping make sure that you get a quality education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not offered for non-accredited schools near Bowling Green KY.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements 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) in addition to 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 important that the school you are enrolled in not only provides an exceptional education, but also preps you to satisfy the minimum licensing standards for Kentucky or the state where you will be practicing.
• Reputation. Look at internet rating companies to see what the reviews are for all of the LPN or LVN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Additionally, contact the Kentucky school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some nearby Bowling Green KY 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 looking at 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 confirm that the school has a superb reputation within the Bowling Green KY medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students attain 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 specific number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing also. Ask if the schools have a working relationship with nearby Bowling Green KY community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placement of students in internships.

Learn More Info About Training to Be an LPN or LVN in Bowling Green

Enroll in the Right Bowling Green LPN or LVN Program

Picking the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is perhaps the most critical first step to starting a new career in the healthcare industry. There are numerous variables that you need to think about when deciding on a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career goals, obligations, and financial situation. As we have pointed out in this article, it is essential that you pick an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the medical community. By utilizing our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a shortlist of schools to pick from so that you can make your final selection. And with the right degree and training, combined with your dedication and desire to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurse in Bowling Green Kentucky.

 

BOWLING GREEN LPN OR LVN COURSES | BOWLING GREEN LPN OR LVN TRAINING