Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Colleges
How to Enroll In the Best One Near Louisville Kentucky

A first step that you need to take after making the decision to become a Licensed Practical Nurse is to locate and enroll in the right LPN school near Louisville KY that will help guarantee your entrance into the gratifying field of nursing. If you reside in Texas or California, then you will be searching for a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) school instead. There is no distinction, 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 fulfill identical job duties. But their responsibilities do vary depending on the state they practice in, which we will address in the following segment. When starting their search for schools, many potential nursing students start with those that are the nearest to their homes or that are the least expensive. While price and location are significant factors, they are not the only qualifications that you should base your decision on. For example are the schools accredited or do they have high pass rates on the licensing exam, which are both extremely important too. There are various other questions that you should ask potential schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN course that we will address later in this article. But first, 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 Louisville KY health care facilities where they practice. As their titles indicate, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including Kentucky. Although they may be responsible for overseeing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves generally work under the guidance of either an RN or a doctor. The healthcare facilities where they work are numerous and assorted, for instance hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can find patients requiring medical care is their dominion. Every state not only controls their licensing, but also what work activities an LPN can and can't perform. So depending on the state, their routine job functions might include:

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

Along with their work responsibilities being regulated by each state, the health facilities or other Louisville KY healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job roles within those parameters. Additionally, they can work in numerous specialties of nursing, such as long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LVN and LPN Degree and Certificate Programs

There are essentially two academic credentials offered that provide education to become an LPN near Louisville KY. The one that can be finished in the shortest period of time, typically about one year, is the certificate or diploma course. The other choice is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma alternative and generally require 2 years to finish. The benefit of Associate Degrees, besides offering a higher credential and more extensive training, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor's Degree in nursing. Regardless of the type of credential you pursue, it needs to be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or another 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

Enrolling in LPN or LVN schools online is growing into a more popular way to obtain training and attain a nursing certificate or degree in Louisville KY. Certain schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and virtually all programs require a specified amount of clinical rotation hours carried out in a local healthcare center. But since the balance of the training may be accessed online, this alternative may be a more accommodating approach to finding the time to attend classes for many students. Concerning tuition, many online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus options. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be lessened, helping to make education more economical. And many online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. Therefore if your job and household commitments 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.

What 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 online, you can use the following pointers to start narrowing down your options. As you probably are aware, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Louisville KY as well as within Kentucky and throughout the United States. So it is important to lower the number of schools to select from so that you will have a workable list. As we earlier pointed out, the location of the school and the expense of tuition are undoubtedly going to be the first two things that you will look at. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your ultimate selection, use the following questions to evaluate how your selection compares to the other schools.

• 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 obtain a premium education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools near Louisville KY.
• 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) together with graduation from an accredited school. Certain 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 delivers an exceptional education, but also preps you to comply with the minimum licensing standards for Kentucky or the state where you will be practicing.
• Reputation. Visit internet rating services to see what the evaluations are for each of the LPN or LVN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Also, contact the Kentucky school licensing authority to determine if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some local Louisville 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 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 verify that the school has a good reputation within the Louisville KY medical community, but that it also has the network of relationships to assist students attain a position.
• Internship Programs. The most effective 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. Various states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing also. Find out if the schools have a working relationship with nearby Louisville KY community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placement of students in internships.

Learn More Info About Becoming an LVN or LPN in Louisville

Enroll in the Best Louisville LPN or LVN Program

Picking the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse school is probably the most important first step to launching a new career in the health care industry. There are various aspects that you need to think about when deciding on a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career objectives, obligations, and financial status. As we have highlighted within this content, it is essential that you enroll in an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the healthcare community. By using 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 proper degree and training, combined with your hard work and desire to succeed, you can become an LPN or LVN in Louisville Kentucky.

 

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