Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Schools
How to Find the Best One Near New Providence 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 college near New Providence NJ that will help you enter the gratifying vocation of nursing. California or Texas residents will alternatively enroll in an LVN school to train to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. Other than the names, there is no difference between an LPN and LVN. They both practice in medical facilities supervised by Physicians and Registered Nurses and perform the same job duties. However their responsibilities do differ depending on the state they practice in, which we will address in the next segment. Many new students begin by searching for schools that are close to their homes and of those lean towards the one that is least expensive. But there are other qualifications that a school should have and a decision 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 later in this article. But first, let's take a look at the role of an LPN and what is involved in the training and licensing process.

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What does an LPN or LVN Do?

Licensed Practical Nurses have numerous duties that they accomplish in the New Providence NJ health facilities where they practice. As their titles imply, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including New Jersey. Even though they may be accountable for monitoring Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves generally work under the direction 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. Anyplace that you can encounter patients seeking medical treatment is their dominion. Each state not only controls their licensing, but also what functions an LPN can and can't perform. So depending on the state, their routine job functions can include:

• • Taking vital signs
  • Giving medicines
  • Setting up IV drips
  • Monitoring patients
  • Collecting blood or urine samples
  • Managing patient records
  • Supporting doctors or RNs with procedures

Along with their work functions being mandated by each state, the medical facilities or other New Providence NJ healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job roles within those parameters. Additionally, 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 academic credentials offered that provide instruction to become an LPN near New Providence NJ. The one that can be completed in the shortest amount of time, normally about 12 months, is the certificate or diploma course. The next alternative is to obtain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and commonly require 2 years to complete. The advantage of Associate Degrees, aside from providing 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 type 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 warrants that the course of study adequately 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 schools online is becoming a more popular way to receive training and attain a nursing certificate or degree in New Providence NJ. Certain schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and virtually all programs require a certain number of clinical rotation hours conducted in a local healthcare center. But since the balance of the training may be accessed online, this option may be a more practical answer to finding the time to attend classes for some students. Concerning tuition, many online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus choices. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials may 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. So if your job and family obligations have left you with little time to work toward your academic goals, maybe an online LPN program will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your busy schedule.

Things to Ask LPN and LVN Schools

Now that 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 utilize the following guidelines to begin narrowing down your options. As you undoubtedly realize, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges near New Providence NJ as well as within New Jersey and throughout the United States. So it is essential to reduce the number of schools to select from to ensure that you will have a workable list. As we earlier mentioned, the location of the school along with the cost of tuition are probably going to be the primary two points that you will consider. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So prior to making your ultimate selection, use the following questions to see how your selection compares to the field.

• 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 obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not provided for non-accredited schools near New Providence NJ.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing criteria 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) along with 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 excellent education, but also prepares you to satisfy the minimum licensing standards for New Jersey or the state where you will be practicing.
• Reputation. Look at online rating services to see what the evaluations are for each of the LPN or LVN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Also, 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 New Providence NJ 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 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 displeased 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 favorable reputation within the New Providence NJ medical community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students attain employment.
• Internship Programs. The best way to acquire experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Virtually all nursing degree programs require a specific number of clinical hours be completed. A number of states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing also. Check if the schools have associations with nearby New Providence NJ community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placement of students in internships.

Learn More Info About Learning to Become an LVN or LPN in New Providence

Choose the Right New Providence LPN or LVN School

Picking the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is arguably the most crucial phase to starting a new career in the health care field. There are many factors that you must take into account when choosing a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career goals, lifestyle, and economic status. As we have pointed out within this post, it is essential that you enroll in an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the healthcare community. By utilizing our list 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 appropriate degree and training, combined with your hard work and ambition to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurse in New Providence New Jersey.

 

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