Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Colleges
How to Pick the Best One Near Owings Mills Maryland

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 Owings Mills MD that will help you enter the rewarding field of nursing. If you live in California or Texas, then you will be looking for a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) school instead. Other than the names, there is no difference between an LPN and LVN. Both practice in health care facilities supervised by Physicians and Registered Nurses and perform identical job functions. But their responsibilities do fluctuate depending on the state they practice in, which we will talk about in the following section. When beginning their search for schools, many potential nursing students begin with the ones that are the nearest to their houses or that are the least expensive. Even though cost and location are significant points to consider, they are not the only criteria that you should base your selection 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 additional 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 look at the function of an LPN and what is involved in the education and licensing process.

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LPN and LVN Job Description

Licensed Practical Nurses have many duties that they perform in the Owings Mills MD health facilities where they are employed. As their titles signify, they are required 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 guidance of either an RN or a doctor. The health care facilities where they work are numerous and varied, such as hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can encounter patients in need of medical attention is their dominion. Every state not only controls their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can't perform. So depending on the state, their routine job functions might include:

• • Taking vital signs
  • Providing medications
  • Initiating IV drips
  • Observing patients
  • Collecting blood or urine samples
  • Keeping patient records
  • Supporting physicians or RNs with procedures

Along with their occupational functions being governed by each state, the health care facilities or other Owings Mills MD healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job duties within those parameters. Also, they can work in different specialties of nursing, for instance long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LVN and LPN Training

There are generally two scholastic credentials offered that provide training to become an LPN near Owings Mills MD. The one that can be concluded in the shortest time frame, normally about twelve months, is the certificate or diploma course. The 2nd choice is to attain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma option and generally require 2 years to finish. The benefit of Associate Degrees, aside from providing a higher credential and more comprehensive instruction, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor's Degree in nursing. No matter the kind 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 core curriculum properly prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

LPN and LVN Programs Online

Attending LPN or LVN programs online is emerging as a more popular way to receive instruction and earn a nursing certificate or degree in Owings Mills MD. Certain schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and nearly all programs require a specific amount of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare center. But since the remainder of the training may be accessed online, this alternative may be a more convenient answer to finding the free time to attend classes for many students. Concerning tuition, a number of online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus choices. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be reduced, helping to make education more affordable. And a large number of online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. And so if your job and household commitments have left you with little time to work toward your academic goals, perhaps an online LPN training program will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your hectic 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 utilize the following checklist to start narrowing down your choices. As you probably are aware, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Owings Mills MD as well as within Maryland and throughout the United States. So it is necessary to lower the number of schools to select from so that you will have a workable list. As we previously discussed, the site of the school as well as the cost of tuition are most likely going to be the initial two points that you will look at. But as we also stressed, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your final decision, use the following questions to evaluate how your pick measures up 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 acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides helping confirm that you get a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not available for non-accredited schools near Owings Mills MD.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for LPNs and LVNs differ from state to state. In all states, a passing score is required on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) as well as 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 imperative that the school you are attending not only provides an exceptional education, but also prepares you to comply with the minimum licensing requirements for Maryland or the state where you will be practicing.
• Reputation. Visit online rating services to see what the assessments are for each of the LPN or LVN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews too. Additionally, get in touch with the Maryland school licensing authority to determine if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some nearby Owings Mills MD 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 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 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 Owings Mills MD healthcare community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students attain employment.
• Internship Programs. The best way to obtain 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 mandates for licensing too. Ask if the schools have a working relationship with local Owings Mills MD community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the positioning of students in internships.

Learn More Info About Becoming an LVN or LPN in Owings Mills

Choose the Right Owings Mills LPN or LVN School

Choosing the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse school is arguably the most critical step to starting a new career in the healthcare industry. There are a number of aspects that you need to think about when selecting a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently contingent on your existing career goals, lifestyle, and financial status. As we have emphasized 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 medical community. By utilizing our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to develop a short list of schools to select from so that you can make your final selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your dedication and desire to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurse in Owings Mills Maryland.

 

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