Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Colleges
How to Select the Best One Near Lawrence New Jersey

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 program near Lawrence NJ that will help guarantee your entrance into the rewarding field of nursing. If you reside in Texas or California, then you will be looking for a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) school instead. There is no distinction, other than the names, between an LVN and an LPN. Both work in health care facilities supervised by Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors and perform the same job functions. However, as we will cover in this article, their daily job activities can vary based on the state where they are employed. When beginning their search for schools, many potential nursing students start with the ones that are the nearest to their residences or that are the least costly. Although cost and location are relevant considerations, they are not the only qualifications 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 even more questions that you should ask potential schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN program that we will talk about later in this article. But first, let's look at the job 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 a number of duties that they accomplish in the Lawrence NJ healthcare facilities where they work. As their titles signify, they are required to be licensed in all states, including New Jersey. Even though they may be responsible for overseeing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves generally work under the guidance of either an RN or a doctor. The medical facilities where they work are numerous and assorted, such as hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anyplace that you can encounter patients in need of medical assistance is their domain. Every state not only oversees their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can't perform. So depending on the state, their daily job functions might include:

• • Checking vital signs
  • Administering medications
  • Starting IV drips
  • Observing patients
  • Getting blood or urine samples
  • Maintaining patient records
  • Helping doctors or RNs with procedures

Along with their work functions being mandated by each state, the healthcare facilities or other Lawrence NJ healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job duties within those parameters. Also, they can practice in different specialties of nursing, for instance long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN and LVN Training Programs

There are essentially two scholastic credentials available that provide instruction to become an LPN near Lawrence NJ. The one that may be completed in the shortest time period, normally about 12 months, is the certificate or diploma course. The other option is to attain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma alternative and commonly require 2 years to complete. The advantage of Associate Degrees, along with supplying a higher credential and more comprehensive training, are that they provide 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 some other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC warrants 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 Online Programs

Enrolling in LPN or LVN programs online is becoming a more popular way to get training and earn a nursing certificate or degree in Lawrence NJ. Some schools will require attendance on campus for a component of the training, and almost all programs require a specified number of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare facility. But since the rest of the training can be accessed online, this method may be a more practical approach to finding the free time to attend classes for some students. Regarding tuition, a number of online degree programs are less costly than other on campus choices. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be minimized, helping to make education more affordable. And numerous online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. And so if your work and household obligations have left you with limited time to work toward your academic goals, perhaps an online LPN school will make it easier to fit a degree into your hectic schedule.

What to Ask LPN and LVN Programs

Now that you have decided on obtaining your LPN or LVN certificate or degree, and if you will attend classes on campus or online, you can utilize the following checklist to begin narrowing down your choices. As you probably are aware, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Lawrence NJ as well as within New Jersey 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 manageable list. As we previously pointed out, the location of the school as well as the cost of tuition are probably going to be the initial two things that you will consider. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So prior to making your ultimate decision, use the following questions to evaluate how your pick measures up to the other programs.

• Accreditation. It's a good idea to make sure that the certificate or degree program in addition to the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to helping confirm that you obtain an excellent education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not provided for non-accredited schools near Lawrence 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) in addition to graduation from an accredited school. Many states require a specific number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It's essential that the school you are attending not only delivers a top-notch education, but also preps you to comply with the minimum licensing requirements for New Jersey or the state where you will be working.
• Reputation. Look at internet rating companies to see what the assessments are for all of the LPN or LVN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Additionally, get in touch with the New Jersey school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some local Lawrence NJ 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 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 unhappy with the program and dropped out. It's also important that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only verify that the school has a good reputation within the Lawrence NJ healthcare community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students attain a position.
• 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 specific number of clinical hours be completed. A number of states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing too. Find out if the schools have associations with local Lawrence NJ community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placement of students in internships.

Learn More About Training to Be an LVN or LPN in Lawrence

Choose the Right Lawrence LPN or LVN Program

Deciding on the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is probably the most crucial step to beginning a new career in the medical care industry. There are many aspects that you should take into account when choosing a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career objectives, lifestyle, and financial status. As we have highlighted in this content, it is important that you choose an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have exceptional reputations within the healthcare community. By using our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a short list of schools to choose from so that you can make your final selection. And with the right degree and training, combined with your hard work and desire to succeed, you can become an LPN or LVN in Lawrence New Jersey.

 

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