Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Schools
How to Select the Best One Near Hawthorne New Jersey
A first step that you need to take after making the decision to become a Licensed Practical Nurse is to find and enroll in the right LPN college near Hawthorne NJ that will help you enter the rewarding profession of nursing. California or Texas residents will instead enroll in an LVN school to train to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. There is no difference, apart from the names, between an LVN and an LPN. They both work in health care facilities supervised by Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors and perform identical job duties. Although, as we will discuss in this article, their daily job functions can vary based on the state where they are employed. When starting their search for schools, many potential nursing students begin with those that are the nearest to their houses or that are the least costly. But there are other qualifications that a school must have and a selection should not be made based on cost and location alone. 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 even more questions that you should ask potential schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN course that we will cover below.
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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 on the internet, you can use the following guidelines to start narrowing down your options. As you probably are aware, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Hawthorne NJ as well as within New Jersey and throughout the United States. So it is essential to decrease the number of schools to select from in order that you will have a workable list. As we already discussed, 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 stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your final 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 acknowledged accrediting organization. Aside from helping verify that you receive a premium education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not offered for non-accredited schools near Hawthorne NJ.
- Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for LPNs and LVNs vary from state to state. In all states, a passing score is required on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) together with graduation from an accredited school. Some 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 a top-notch education, but also preps you to meet the minimum licensing standards for New Jersey or the state where you will be working.
- Reputation. Visit internet rating companies to see what the evaluations 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 New Jersey school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some nearby Hawthorne NJ healthcare organizations you're interested in working for after graduation and ask what their assessments 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 finish their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It's also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only substantiate that the school has a good reputation within the Hawthorne NJ medical community, but that it also has the network of relationships to assist students obtain employment.
- Internship Programs. The most effective way to get experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Essentially all nursing degree programs require a specified number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing too. Find out if the schools have a working relationship with nearby Hawthorne NJ community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placing of students in internships.
Find Out More Info About Learning to Become an LVN or LPN in Hawthorne
Enroll in the Best Hawthorne LPN or LVN School
Enrolling in the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is perhaps the most critical step to launching a new career in the health care field. There are a number of factors that you should take into account when deciding on a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career goals, obligations, and financial status. As we have pointed out in this article, it is important that you select an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have excellent reputations within the health care community. By utilizing our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to develop 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 ambition to succeed, you can become an LPN or LVN in Hawthorne New Jersey.
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