Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Courses
How to Pick the Best One Near Bethlehem New York

Now that you have chosen a rewarding career in the field of nursing, it's essential that you select a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) program near Bethlehem NY that will provide the necessary education. Texas or California students will instead enroll in an LVN school to train to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. There is no difference, other than the names, between an LVN and an LPN. Both practice in health care facilities under the supervision of Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors and perform the same job functions. But their duties do fluctuate depending on the state they practice in, which we will cover in the next segment. When beginning their search for schools, many potential nursing students begin with those that are the nearest to their residences or that are the least costly. While price and location are relevant considerations, they are not the only criteria that you should base your selection 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 various other questions that you should ask prospective schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN program that we will discuss later in this article. But to start with, let's take a 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 accomplish in the Bethlehem NY health facilities where they practice. As their titles imply, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including New York. Even though they may be accountable for managing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves usually work under the oversight of either an RN or a doctor. The healthcare facilities where they work are numerous and diverse, for example hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anywhere that you can find patients in need of medical care is their dominion. Each state not only regulates their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can't perform. So depending on the state, their routine work activities can include:

• • Checking vital signs
  • Providing medicines
  • Starting IV drips
  • Overseeing patients
  • Collecting blood or urine samples
  • Keeping patient records
  • Supporting physicians or Registered nurses with procedures

In addition to their job functions being governed by each state, the health facilities or other Bethlehem NY healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job duties within those parameters. Additionally, they can work in various specialties of nursing, including long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LVN and LPN Degree and Certificate Programs

There are essentially two academic credentials available that provide instruction to become an LPN near Bethlehem NY. The one that can be concluded in the shortest amount of time, typically about one year, is the certificate or diploma program. The other choice is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and usually require 2 years to complete. The advantage of Associate Degrees, along with providing a higher credential and more in-depth instruction, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor's Degree in nursing. No matter the type of credential you seek, 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 core curriculum adequately 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 schools online is becoming a more preferred way to get training and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in Bethlehem NY. Some schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and nearly all programs call for a specified amount of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare center. But since the remainder of the training can be accessed online, this method may be a more practical solution to finding the free time to attend school for some students. Pertaining to tuition, some online degree programs are less costly than other on campus options. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be lessened, helping to make education more economical. And many online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. So if your job and household responsibilities have left you with little time to work toward your academic goals, it could be that an online LPN school will make it easier to fit a degree into your hectic schedule.

Things 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 use the following guidelines to start narrowing down your choices. As you probably are aware, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges near Bethlehem NY as well as within New York 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 previously mentioned, the site of the school as well as the price of tuition are most likely going to be the primary two things that you will look at. But as we also stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your ultimate selection, use the following questions to evaluate how your pick 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. In addition to helping make sure that you obtain a quality education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not offered for non-accredited schools near Bethlehem NY.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing criteria 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 specified 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 delivers an exceptional education, but also prepares you to comply with the minimum licensing standards for New York or the state where you will be working.
• Reputation. Check internet rating companies to see what the assessments are for all of the LPN or LVN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews too. Additionally, check with the New York school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some local Bethlehem NY 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 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 verify that the school has a favorable reputation within the Bethlehem NY healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts 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. Almost all nursing degree programs require a certain number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing too. Check if the schools have associations with nearby Bethlehem NY community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placing of students in internships.

Learn More About Learning to Become an LPN or LVN in Bethlehem

Choose the Best Bethlehem LPN or LVN Program

Choosing the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse school is arguably the most critical step to launching a new career in the healthcare industry. There are various aspects that you need to take into account when deciding on a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently contingent on your existing career objectives, obligations, and economic status. As we have highlighted in this content, it is important that you enroll in an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have exceptional reputations within the medical community. By utilizing 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 ultimate selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your hard work and ambition to succeed, you can become an LPN or LVN in Bethlehem New York.

 

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