Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Schools
How to Find the Best One Near Ellicott City Maryland

A first step that you need to take after deciding to become a Licensed Practical Nurse is to find and enroll in the right LPN program near Ellicott City MD that will help guarantee your entrance into the gratifying vocation of nursing. If you live in California or Texas, then you will be looking for a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) school instead. There is no difference, aside from the names, between an LPN and LVN. Both practice in health care facilities under the supervision of Physicians and Registered Nurses and fulfill the same job duties. However, as we will cover in this report, their daily job activities can vary based on the state where they are employed. Many nursing candidates begin by searching for schools that are close to their homes and of those target the one that has the lowest tuition. While tuition and location are important considerations, they are not the only criteria that you should base your selection 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 even more questions that you should ask potential schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN course that we will discuss 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.

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What does an LPN or LVN Do?

Licensed Practical Nurses have many different functions that they accomplish in the Ellicott City MD health facilities where they practice. As their titles imply, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including Maryland. Although they may be responsible for monitoring Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves usually work under the direction of either an RN or a doctor. The health care facilities where they work are numerous and assorted, for example hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can find patients requiring medical treatment is their dominion. Each state not only regulates their licensing, but also what work activities an LPN can and can't perform. So based on the state, their daily job functions might include:

• • Measuring vital signs
  • Administering medications
  • Initiating IV drips
  • Observing patients
  • Getting blood or urine samples
  • Managing patient records
  • Helping physicians or Registered nurses with procedures

In addition to their work functions being mandated by each state, the health care facilities or other Ellicott City MD healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job roles within those parameters. Additionally, they can work in numerous specialties of nursing, which include long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LVN and LPN Certificates and Degrees

There are essentially two academic credentials offered that provide training to become an LPN near Ellicott City MD. The one that may be concluded in the shortest time frame, normally about twelve months, is the certificate or diploma program. The second alternative is to obtain 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, besides supplying a higher credential and more in-depth 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 any other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC attests that the course of study adequately prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

LPN and LVN Online Programs

Enrolling in LPN or LVN schools online is growing into a more preferred way to get instruction and earn a nursing certificate or degree in Ellicott City MD. Some schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and virtually all programs call for a certain number of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare center. But since the remainder of the training can be accessed online, this method may be a more convenient answer to finding the time to attend college for some students. Regarding tuition, many online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus options. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be reduced, helping to make education more easily affordable. 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 little time to pursue your academic goals, it could be that an online LPN program will make it easier to fit a degree into your active schedule.

What to Ask LPN and LVN Schools

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 use the following pointers to begin narrowing down your choices. As you undoubtedly realize, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Ellicott City MD as well as within Maryland and throughout the United States. So it is important to decrease the number of schools to select from to ensure that you will have a workable list. As we earlier pointed out, the site of the school as well as the cost of tuition are most likely going to be the first two points that you will consider. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your ultimate decision, use the following questions to see how your selection measures up to the field.

• 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 organization. Besides helping make sure that you get a quality education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools near Ellicott City MD.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites 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) as well as graduation from an accredited school. Many states require a certain number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It's important that the school you are enrolled in not only provides an excellent education, but also readies you to satisfy the minimum licensing requirements for Maryland or the state where you will be working.
• Reputation. Check online rating services to see what the evaluations are for each of the LPN or LVN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Also, contact the Maryland school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some local Ellicott City MD healthcare organizations you're interested in working for after graduation and ask what their opinions 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 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 substantiate that the school has a favorable reputation within the Ellicott City MD healthcare community, but that it also has the network of relationships to assist students attain employment.
• Internship Programs. The most ideal way to obtain experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Almost all nursing degree programs require a specified number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing as well. Check if the schools have a working relationship with local Ellicott City MD community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the positioning of students in internships.

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

Choose the Best Ellicott City LPN or LVN School

Enrolling in the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is potentially the most critical first step to starting a new career in the healthcare field. There are a number of variables that you need to consider when deciding on a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently contingent on your existing career objectives, obligations, and financial status. As we have stressed in this content, it is important that you enroll in an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the medical community. By utilizing our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a short list of schools to pick from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your hard work and desire to succeed, you can become an LPN or LVN in Ellicott City Maryland.

 

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