Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Courses
How to Find the Right One Near Newark 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 program near Newark NJ that will help you enter the gratifying profession 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, aside from the names, between an LVN and an LPN. Both practice in health care facilities under the supervision of Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors and fulfill the same job functions. Although, as we will discuss in this article, their routine job functions can differ based on the state where they are employed. Many nursing candidates begin by looking for schools that are close to their homes and of those lean towards the one that has the lowest tuition. Although price and location are relevant points to consider, they are not the only qualifications that you should base your decision on. For example are the schools accredited or do they have high pass rates on the licensing exam, which are both extremely important too. There are even more questions that you should ask potential schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN course that we will address later in this article. But to start with, let's have a look at the job of an LPN and what is involved in the education and licensing process.

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What is an LPN or LVN?

Licensed Practical Nurses have numerous functions that they carry out in the Newark NJ health care facilities where they are employed. As their titles signify, they are required to be licensed in all states, including New Jersey. While they may be accountable for supervising Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves normally work under the guidance of either an RN or a doctor. The medical facilities where they work are numerous and varied, for instance hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anyplace that you can find patients requiring medical treatment is their domain. Each state not only controls their licensing, but also what work activities an LPN can and can't perform. So based on the state, their routine job functions may include:

• • Measuring vital signs
  • Administering medications
  • Initiating IV drips
  • Monitoring patients
  • Taking blood or urine samples
  • Keeping patient records
  • Assisting doctors or Registered nurses with procedures

Along with their occupational duties being controlled by each state, the medical facilities or other Newark NJ healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job duties within those parameters. Also, they can work in different specialties of nursing, including long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN and LVN Training

There are essentially two scholastic credentials offered that provide education to become an LPN near Newark NJ. The one that can be completed in the shortest period of time, usually about one year, is the certificate or diploma course. The other choice is to obtain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative 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 furnish 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 syllabus properly prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that the majority of graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

Online LPN and LVN Programs

Enrolling in LPN or LVN schools online is becoming a more popular way to get training and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in Newark NJ. Certain schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and virtually all programs require a specific amount of clinical rotation hours conducted in a local healthcare facility. But since the rest of the training can be accessed online, this alternative may be a more practical approach to finding the time to attend school for many students. Concerning tuition, a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus alternatives. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be reduced, helping to make education more easily affordable. And a large number of online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. So if your job and household commitments have left you with little time to work toward your academic goals, it could be that 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 guidelines to start narrowing down your options. As you no doubt are aware, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Newark NJ as well as within New Jersey and throughout the United States. So it is important to reduce the number of schools to choose from so that you will have a workable list. As we earlier discussed, the location of the school and the cost of tuition are most likely going to be the initial two points that you will look at. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So prior to making your final selection, use the following questions to evaluate how your selection 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. Besides helping confirm that you get a premium education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not provided for non-accredited schools near Newark 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. Many states require a specified number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It's essential that the school you are attending not only provides an outstanding education, but also prepares you to comply with the minimum licensing requirements for New Jersey or the state where you will be working.
• Reputation. Check internet rating services to see what the reviews are for all of the LPN or LVN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. In addition, check with the New Jersey school licensing authority to determine if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some local Newark 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 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 verify that the school has a superb reputation within the Newark NJ healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students obtain employment.
• Internship Programs. The best way to get experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Essentially all nursing degree programs require a certain number of clinical hours be completed. A number of states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing too. Check if the schools have associations with nearby Newark NJ community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placement of students in internships.

Find Out More About Training to Be an LPN or LVN in Newark

Enroll in the Right Newark LPN or LVN School

Choosing the right Licensed Practical Nurse program is potentially the most crucial step to beginning a new career in the health care industry. There are numerous aspects that you should take into account when picking a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently depending on your current career objectives, lifestyle, and financial situation. As we have stressed in this post, it is important that you choose an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have exceptional reputations within the healthcare community. By utilizing our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a short list of schools to choose 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 Newark New Jersey.

 

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