Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Programs
How to Pick the Best One Near Cortlandt New York

One of the first things that you need to do after deciding to become a Licensed Practical Nurse is to find and enroll in the right LPN college near Cortlandt NY that will help you enter the gratifying field of nursing. Texas or California students will alternatively enroll in an LVN school to train to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. Apart from the titles, there is no difference between an LPN and LVN. Both practice in medical facilities supervised by Physicians and Registered Nurses and fulfill the same job duties. Although, as we will cover in this article, their routine job functions can differ based on the state where they are employed. When starting their search for schools, many future nursing students start with the ones that are the closest to their houses or that are the least costly. While price and location are significant factors, they are not the only criteria 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 as well. There are various other questions that you should ask potential schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN program that we will address later in this article. But first, let's look at the job of an LPN and what is involved in the instruction and licensing process.

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What is an LPN or LVN?

Licensed Practical Nurses have a number of duties that they complete in the Cortlandt NY health care facilities where they are employed. As their titles indicate, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including New York. Even though they may be accountable for supervising Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves usually work under the direction of either an RN or a doctor. The medical facilities where they work are numerous and assorted, for example hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can encounter patients requiring medical treatment is their domain. Every state not only controls their licensing, but also what functions an LPN can and can't perform. So depending on the state, their everyday work activities might include:

• • Taking vital signs
  • Giving medications
  • Starting IV drips
  • Observing patients
  • Taking blood or urine samples
  • Maintaining patient records
  • Helping physicians or RNs with procedures

Along with their occupational functions being governed by each state, the healthcare facilities or other Cortlandt NY healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job duties within those parameters. Also, they can work in various specialties of nursing, which include long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN and LVN Training

There are generally two academic credentials offered that provide education to become an LPN near Cortlandt NY. The one that can be completed in the shortest time frame, usually about twelve months, is the certificate or diploma course. The next option is to attain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma option and normally require 2 years to complete. The benefit of Associate Degrees, in addition to providing a higher credential and more extensive training, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor's Degree in nursing. No matter the kind of credential you seek, it needs to be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or any other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC guarantees 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 Programs Online

Enrolling in LPN or LVN schools online is emerging as a more popular way to get instruction and attain a nursing certificate or degree in Cortlandt NY. Many schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and almost all programs require a specific number of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare center. But since the balance of the training may be accessed online, this alternative may be a more convenient solution to finding the free time to attend classes for many students. Pertaining to tuition, some online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus options. Even other expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be reduced, helping to make education more economical. And many online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. Therefore if your work and household responsibilities have left you with little time to pursue your academic goals, maybe an online LPN program will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your active schedule.

Questions to Ask LPN and LVN Programs

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 on the web, you can use the following guidelines to begin narrowing down your choices. As you no doubt realize, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges near Cortlandt 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 so that you will have a workable list. As we already mentioned, the site of the school as well as the cost of tuition are undoubtedly going to be the primary two things that you will consider. But as we also stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your final choice, use the following questions to see 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 acknowledged accrediting organization. Aside from helping verify that you receive a premium education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not provided for non-accredited schools near Cortlandt NY.
• 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) together with 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 imperative that the school you are attending not only delivers an outstanding education, but also preps you to satisfy the minimum licensing requirements for New York or the state where you will be working.
• Reputation. Visit online rating companies to see what the evaluations are for each of the LPN or LVN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews too. Additionally, contact the New York school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some nearby Cortlandt NY 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 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 Cortlandt NY medical community, but that it also has the network of relationships to assist students obtain 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 certain number of clinical hours be completed. A number of states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing too. Find out if the schools have associations with local Cortlandt NY community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the positioning of students in internships.

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

Choose the Best Cortlandt LPN or LVN Program

Choosing the right Licensed Practical Nurse school is arguably the most crucial first step to launching a new career in the medical care field. There are numerous variables that you should take into account when picking a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently contingent on your existing career objectives, lifestyle, and financial situation. As we have emphasized within this content, it is critical that you select an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have excellent reputations within the medical community. By using our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a short list of schools to select from so that you can make your final selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your hard work and drive to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurse in Cortlandt New York.

 

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