Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Training Programs
How to Pick the Right One Near Florence Kentucky

Once you have decided on a fulfilling career in the field of nursing, it's important that you select a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) school near Florence KY that will provide the right instruction. If you live in Texas or California, then you will be looking for a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) school instead. There is no distinction, aside from the names, between an LVN and an LPN. Both work in health care facilities supervised by Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors and fulfill identical job duties. Although, as we will cover in this article, their daily job functions can vary depending on the state where they are employed. Most new students start searching for schools that are close to their homes and of those target the one that has the lowest tuition. While cost and location are significant points to consider, they are not the only criteria that you should base your decision 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 prospective schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN program that we will address later in this article. But first, let's look at the job of an LPN and what is involved in the education and licensing process.

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What does an LPN or LVN Do?

Licensed Practical Nurses have numerous duties that they perform in the Florence KY health care facilities where they practice. As their titles indicate, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Kentucky. While they may be responsible for managing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves generally work under the oversight of either an RN or a doctor. The health care 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 seeking medical care is their dominion. Every state not only oversees their licensing, but also what functions an LPN can and can't perform. So depending on the state, their daily job activities may include:

• • Checking vital signs
  • Giving medicines
  • Initiating IV drips
  • Observing patients
  • Collecting blood or urine samples
  • Managing patient records
  • Helping doctors or Registered nurses with procedures

In addition to their work responsibilities being mandated by each state, the healthcare facilities or other Florence KY healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job duties within those parameters. Also, they can work in various specialties of nursing, for instance long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN and LVN Training

There are basically two academic credentials offered that provide instruction to become an LPN near Florence KY. The one that may be finished in the shortest period of time, usually 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 option and commonly require 2 years to finish. The benefit of Associate Degrees, along with providing a higher credential and more comprehensive instruction, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor's Degree in nursing. No matter the kind of credential you seek, it should 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 most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

LPN and LVN Online Programs

Attending LPN or LVN schools online is growing into a more in demand way to get instruction and earn a nursing certificate or degree in Florence KY. Many schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and nearly all programs call for a specific number of clinical rotation hours conducted in a local healthcare center. But since the remainder of the training may be accessed online, this alternative may be a more accommodating solution to finding the free time to attend classes for some students. Pertaining to tuition, a number of online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus options. Even other expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be lessened, helping to make education more easily affordable. And numerous online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. And so if your job and family responsibilities have left you with little time to pursue your academic goals, maybe an online LPN program will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your active schedule.

Things to Ask LPN and LVN Programs

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 web, you can utilize the following guidelines to begin narrowing down your options. As you probably are aware, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges near Florence KY as well as within Kentucky and throughout the United States. So it is essential to reduce the number of schools to select from in order that you will have a workable list. As we already mentioned, the location of the school along with the cost of tuition are probably going to be the primary two things that you will take into consideration. But as we also stressed, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So prior to making your final choice, use the following questions to evaluate how your selection compares to the other programs.

• 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 acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to helping make sure that you receive a quality education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools near Florence 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) 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 provides an excellent education, but also preps you to satisfy the minimum licensing requirements for Kentucky or the state where you will be practicing.
• Reputation. Look at internet 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 too. Also, check with the Kentucky school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some local Florence 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 programs 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 imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only substantiate that the school has a superb reputation within the Florence KY healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students gain a position.
• Internship Programs. The best way to acquire experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Essentially all nursing degree programs require a certain number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing also. Ask if the schools have associations with local Florence KY community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the positioning of students in internships.

Find Out More Info About Becoming an LVN or LPN in Florence

Enroll in the Best Florence LPN or LVN School

Choosing the right Licensed Practical Nurse school is arguably the most important first step to beginning a new career in the medical care industry. There are many factors that you need to consider when picking a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently contingent on your current career objectives, lifestyle, and economic status. As we have emphasized within this article, it is essential that you choose an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have outstanding reputations within the health care community. By utilizing our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a short list of schools to choose from so that you can make your final selection. And with the proper degree and training, combined with your dedication and ambition to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurse in Florence Kentucky.

 

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