Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Classes
How to Choose the Right One Near Owings Mills Maryland

Once you have decided on a fulfilling vocation in the field of nursing, it's imperative that you locate a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) college near Owings Mills MD that will furnish the appropriate education. Texas or California students will instead enroll in an LVN school to learn to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. There is no difference, other than the names, between an LPN and LVN. They both work in health care facilities supervised by Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors and perform identical job functions. However their functions do fluctuate depending on the state they practice in, which we will cover in the following section. When starting their search for schools, many potential nursing students start with the ones that are the nearest to their homes or that are the least expensive. Even though price and location are relevant factors, 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 prospective schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN program 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 training and licensing process.

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What is an LPN or LVN?

Licensed Practical Nurses have many different functions that they perform in the Owings Mills MD health care facilities where they practice. As their titles indicate, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Maryland. Even though they may be accountable for monitoring Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves generally work under the oversight of either an RN or a doctor. The healthcare facilities where they work are numerous and diverse, for instance hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can encounter patients requiring medical assistance is their dominion. Each state not only regulates their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can't perform. So depending on the state, their routine work activities may include:

• • Taking vital signs
  • Giving medicines
  • Initiating IV drips
  • Monitoring patients
  • Collecting blood or urine samples
  • Maintaining patient records
  • Helping doctors or RNs with procedures

In addition to their work responsibilities being regulated by each state, the health care facilities or other Owings Mills MD healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job roles within those parameters. In addition, they can work in numerous specialties of nursing, including long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LVN and LPN Degree and Certificate Programs

There are basically two scholastic credentials offered that provide training to become an LPN near Owings Mills MD. The one that may be finished in the shortest time period, generally about one year, is the certificate or diploma course. The other alternative is to obtain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma option and usually require 2 years to finish. The benefit of Associate Degrees, in addition to offering a higher credential and more extensive instruction, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor's Degree in nursing. Regardless of the kind of credential you pursue, it should be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or another national accrediting organization. The NLNAC warrants that the core curriculum properly 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 becoming a more popular way to receive instruction and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in Owings Mills MD. Some schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and virtually all programs require a certain amount of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare center. But since the balance of the training may be accessed online, this alternative may be a more accommodating answer to finding the time to attend classes for some students. Regarding tuition, many online degree programs are less costly than other on campus options. Even supplemental expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be lessened, helping to make education more economical. And many online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. So 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 busy 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 online, you can use the following checklist to begin narrowing down your choices. As you undoubtedly are aware, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges near Owings Mills MD as well as within Maryland and throughout the United States. So it is necessary to decrease the number of schools to select from to ensure that you will have a workable list. As we earlier discussed, the site of the school and the cost of tuition are probably going to be the primary two things that you will consider. But as we also stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So prior to making your final decision, 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 as well as the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to helping make sure that you receive a quality education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not provided for non-accredited schools near Owings Mills MD.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing criteria 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) along with graduation from an accredited school. Many states require a certain 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 exceptional education, but also preps you to meet the minimum licensing standards for Maryland or the state where you will be working.
• Reputation. Check 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 as well. In addition, get in touch with the Maryland school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some local Owings Mills 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 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 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 confirm that the school has a favorable reputation within the Owings Mills MD healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help 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. Virtually all nursing degree programs require a specific number of clinical hours be completed. A number of states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing too. Check if the schools have associations with local Owings Mills MD community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placing of students in internships.

Learn More Info About Learning to Become an LPN or LVN in Owings Mills

Enroll in the Right Owings Mills LPN or LVN School

Deciding on the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is perhaps the most crucial first step to beginning a new career in the healthcare field. There are various factors that you should take into account when picking a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career objectives, obligations, and economic situation. As we have pointed out within this article, it is essential that you choose an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have exceptional reputations within the health care community. By utilizing our checklist 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 proper degree and training, combined with your dedication and ambition to succeed, you can become an LPN or LVN in Owings Mills Maryland.

 

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