Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Training
How to Enroll In the Right One Near East Massapequa New York

A first step that you need to take after deciding to become a Licensed Practical Nurse is to locate and enroll in the right LPN school near East Massapequa NY that will help guarantee your entrance into the rewarding vocation of nursing. If you live in California or Texas, then you will be looking for a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) school instead. Apart from the titles, there is no difference between an LVN and an LPN. They both practice in medical facilities supervised by Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors and fulfill identical job duties. Although, as we will cover in this article, their routine job activities can differ depending on the state where they are practicing. When starting their search for schools, many prospective nursing students begin with the ones that are the nearest to their houses or that are the least costly. But there are other credentials that a school must have and a selection should not be made based on location and cost 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 additional questions that you should ask prospective schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN program that we will talk about later in this article. But to start with, let's take a look at what is involved in the education and licensing process.

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LPN and LVN Degree and Certificate Programs

There are principally two academic credentials available that provide training to become an LPN near East Massapequa NY. The one that may be finished in the shortest time period, usually about one year, is the certificate or diploma program. The other choice is to obtain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma option and typically require 2 years to complete. The advantage of Associate Degrees, besides offering a higher credential and more comprehensive instruction, are that they provide 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 warrants that the course of study properly prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

Online LPN and LVN Programs

Attending LPN or LVN programs online is becoming a more popular way to obtain instruction and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in East Massapequa NY. Many schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and nearly all programs require a specified amount of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare facility. But since the remainder of the training may be accessed online, this alternative may be a more accommodating solution to finding the time to attend classes for some students. Pertaining to tuition, a number of online degree programs are less costly than other on campus choices. Even additional 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. Therefore if your job and family obligations have left you with limited time to pursue your academic goals, maybe an online LPN school will make it easier to fit a degree into your busy schedule.

Things 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 online, you can utilize the following checklist to begin narrowing down your choices. As you no doubt realize, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near East Massapequa 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 earlier mentioned, the location of the school along with the expense of tuition are undoubtedly going to be the primary two points that you will take into consideration. But as we also stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your ultimate selection, use the following questions to see how your pick compares to the other schools.

• Accreditation. It's a good idea to make sure that the certificate or degree program as well as the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to helping confirm that you obtain a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not offered for non-accredited schools near East Massapequa NY.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for LPNs and LVNs are different from state to state. In all states, a passing score is needed on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) together with graduation from an accredited school. Many states require a certain number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It's imperative that the school you are attending not only delivers an exceptional education, but also prepares you to satisfy the minimum licensing standards for New York or the state where you will be working.
• Reputation. Visit online rating companies to see what the reviews are for each of the LPN or LVN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Also, check with the New York school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some nearby East Massapequa 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 complete their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were dissatisfied 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 good reputation within the East Massapequa NY healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students obtain employment.
• Internship Programs. The best way to obtain experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Almost all nursing degree programs require a specified number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing as well. Find out if the schools have a working relationship with nearby East Massapequa NY community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the positioning of students in internships.

Learn More About Learning to Become an LPN or LVN in East Massapequa

Choose the Right East Massapequa LPN or LVN School

Picking the right Licensed Practical Nurse school is perhaps the most important step to beginning a new career in the medical care industry. There are a number of aspects that you need to think about when picking a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career goals, obligations, and financial status. As we have highlighted within this content, it is critical that you pick an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the medical community. By using our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a shortlist of schools to select from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the right degree and training, combined with your dedication and ambition to succeed, you can become an LPN or LVN in East Massapequa New York.

 

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