Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Courses
How to Find the Right One Near Grenada Mississippi

One of the first things that you need to do after deciding to become a Licensed Practical Nurse is to find and enroll in the right LPN school near Grenada MS that will help guarantee your entrance into the gratifying vocation of nursing. California or Texas residents will alternatively enroll in an LVN school to train to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. Apart from the names, there is no difference between an LPN and LVN. They both work in medical facilities supervised by Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors and perform identical job duties. However, as we will cover in this article, their routine job activities can vary based on the state where they are practicing. Many new students begin by looking for schools that are close to their homes and of those target the one that is least expensive. But there are additional credentials that a school must have and a decision should not be made based on cost and location alone. Such as are the schools accredited or do they have high pass rates on the licensing exam, which are both extremely important as well. There are even more questions that you should ask potential schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN training program that we will address later in this article. But to start with, let's take a look at the function of an LPN and what is involved in the instruction and licensing process.

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What is an LPN or LVN?

Licensed Practical Nurses have many different duties that they perform in the Grenada MS health care facilities where they are employed. As their titles indicate, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Mississippi. While they may be responsible for overseeing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves normally work under the direction of either an RN or a doctor. The medical care facilities where they work are numerous and diverse, including hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anywhere that you can find patients requiring medical care is their dominion. Each 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 activities may include:

• • Taking vital signs
  • Giving medicines
  • Initiating IV drips
  • Overseeing patients
  • Taking blood or urine samples
  • Keeping patient records
  • Helping physicians or RNs with procedures

Along with their job duties being controlled by each state, the medical facilities or other Grenada MS healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job roles within those parameters. Additionally, they can work in different specialties of nursing, which include long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LVN and LPN Certificates and Degrees

There are basically two academic credentials available that provide training to become an LPN near Grenada MS. The one that can be completed in the shortest time frame, usually about one year, is the certificate or diploma course. The second alternative is to obtain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma option and commonly require 2 years to finish. The benefit of Associate Degrees, aside from offering a higher credential and more in-depth training, 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 attests that the course of study properly 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 emerging as a more popular way to receive training and attain a nursing certificate or degree in Grenada MS. Certain schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and virtually all programs call for a specific number of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare center. But since the rest of the training can be accessed online, this option may be a more accommodating solution to finding the time to attend school for many students. Concerning tuition, some online degree programs are less costly than other on campus options. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be reduced, helping to make education more economical. And a large number of online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. And so if your work and household obligations have left you with very 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 active schedule.

Things to Ask LPN and LVN Programs

Once you have decided on obtaining your LPN or LVN certificate or degree, and if you will attend classes on campus or online, you can use the following pointers to begin narrowing down your choices. As you probably are aware, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Grenada MS as well as within Mississippi and throughout the United States. So it is important to lower the number of schools to select from so that you will have a manageable list. As we already discussed, the location of the school along with the cost of tuition are undoubtedly going to be the initial two things that you will take into consideration. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So prior to making your ultimate selection, use the following questions to evaluate how your selection 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 recognized accrediting organization. Besides helping make sure that you get a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not offered for non-accredited schools near Grenada MS.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for LPNs and LVNs are different from state to state. In all states, a passing score is required on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) in addition to graduation from an accredited school. Certain states require a certain number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It's imperative that the school you are attending not only delivers an excellent education, but also preps you to meet the minimum licensing requirements for Mississippi or the state where you will be practicing.
• Reputation. Look at online rating services to see what the reviews are for all of the LPN or LVN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. In addition, check with the Mississippi school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some nearby Grenada MS 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 complete their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were displeased with the program and dropped out. It's also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only confirm that the school has a favorable reputation within the Grenada MS medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students attain employment.
• Internship Programs. The most effective way to obtain experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Almost all nursing degree programs require a specific number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing as well. Ask if the schools have a working relationship with nearby Grenada MS community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the positioning of students in internships.

Learn More About Learning to Become an LPN or LVN in Grenada

Enroll in the Right Grenada LPN or LVN School

Choosing the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is probably the most crucial first step to beginning a new career in the medical care industry. There are a number of variables that you should think about when picking a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career objectives, obligations, and financial status. As we have highlighted in this content, it is essential that you enroll in an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the healthcare community. By using our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a shortlist of schools to select from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the proper degree and training, combined with your dedication and drive to succeed, you can become an LPN or LVN in Grenada Mississippi.

 

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