Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Colleges
How to Enroll In the Best One Near North Arlington New Jersey

Now that you have decided on a rewarding career in the field of nursing, it's essential that you find a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) college near North Arlington NJ that will furnish the right education. If you live in Texas or California, then you will be searching for a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) school instead. Apart from the titles, there is no difference between an LVN and an LPN. Both work in medical facilities under the supervision of Physicians and Registered Nurses and perform identical job duties. However, as we will discuss in this article, their routine job activities can differ depending on the state where they are practicing. Many new students begin by searching for schools that are close to their homes and of those lean towards the one that has the lowest tuition. But there are other credentials that a school must have and a selection should not be made based on cost and location alone. For example are the schools accredited or do they have high pass rates on the licensing exam, which are both extremely important as well. There are additional questions that you should ask potential schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN program that we will discuss later in this article. But to start with, let's look at the job 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 many duties that they perform in the North Arlington NJ medical facilities where they are employed. As their titles imply, they are required to be licensed in all states, including New Jersey. Although they may be accountable for managing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves typically work under the oversight of either an RN or a doctor. The medical care facilities where they work are numerous and diverse, for example hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anyplace that you can find patients seeking medical assistance is their domain. Each state not only oversees their licensing, but also what work activities an LPN can and can't perform. So depending on the state, their routine work functions may include:

• • Checking vital signs
  • Providing medications
  • Setting up IV drips
  • Overseeing patients
  • Collecting blood or urine samples
  • Maintaining patient records
  • Assisting physicians or Registered nurses with procedures

Along with their job duties being governed by each state, the medical facilities or other North Arlington NJ healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job roles within those parameters. Additionally, they can work in different specialties of nursing, for example long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LVN and LPN Certificates and Degrees

There are principally two academic credentials offered that provide education to become an LPN near North Arlington NJ. The one that may be finished in the shortest time period, normally about twelve months, is the certificate or diploma course. The 2nd alternative 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 finish. The benefit of Associate Degrees, in addition to offering a higher credential and more comprehensive training, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor's Degree in nursing. Regardless of the type of credential you seek, 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 attests that the course of study effectively prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that the majority of graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

LPN and LVN Programs Online

Attending LPN or LVN programs online is becoming a more favored way to receive training and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in North Arlington NJ. Many schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and almost all programs require a specific amount of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare facility. But since the balance of the training can be accessed online, this alternative may be a more accommodating solution to finding the time to attend school for many students. Regarding tuition, a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus alternatives. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be lessened, helping to make education more easily affordable. And numerous online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. And so if your job and household responsibilities have left you with little time to pursue your academic goals, perhaps an online LPN program will make it easier to fit a degree into your active schedule.

Questions to Ask LPN and LVN Schools

Once you have decided on obtaining your LPN or LVN certificate or degree, as well as if you will attend classes on campus or on the web, you can utilize the following pointers to start narrowing down your options. As you no doubt realize, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near North Arlington NJ as well as within New Jersey and throughout the United States. So it is necessary to lower the number of schools to select from to ensure that you will have a manageable list. As we earlier pointed out, the location of the school and the price of tuition are most likely going to be the first two things that you will look at. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So prior to making your ultimate choice, use the following questions to see how your selection compares to the other schools.

• 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 organization. Besides helping confirm that you obtain a quality education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not offered for non-accredited schools near North Arlington NJ.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing criteria for LPNs and LVNs differ from state to state. In all states, a passing score is required on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) as well as graduation from an accredited school. Some 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 delivers an excellent education, but also preps you to meet the minimum licensing standards for New Jersey or the state where you will be working.
• Reputation. Look at online rating companies to see what the reviews are for all of the LPN or LVN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. 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 contact some nearby North Arlington 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 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 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 confirm that the school has a favorable reputation within the North Arlington NJ healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students obtain employment.
• Internship Programs. The best way to acquire experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Essentially all nursing degree programs require a specific number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing as well. Check if the schools have associations with local North Arlington NJ community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placing of students in internships.

Find Out More About Learning to Become an LPN or LVN in North Arlington

Choose the Right North Arlington LPN or LVN School

Enrolling in the right Licensed Practical Nurse program is probably the most crucial first step to starting a new career in the health care industry. There are numerous aspects that you need to take into account when selecting a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently contingent on your current career objectives, lifestyle, and financial situation. As we have emphasized in this article, it is critical 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 checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to develop a shortlist of schools to select from so that you can make your final selection. And with the right degree and training, combined with your dedication and drive to succeed, you can become an LPN or LVN in North Arlington New Jersey.

 

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