Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Schools
How to Select the Right One Near Rocky Point New York

A first step that you need to take after making the decision to become a Licensed Practical Nurse is to locate and enroll in the right LPN school near Rocky Point NY that will help you enter the rewarding vocation of nursing. Texas or California residents will instead enroll in an LVN school to train to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. Other than the titles, there is no difference between an LPN and LVN. They both work in medical facilities under the supervision of Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors and fulfill identical job duties. However, as we will cover in this report, their routine job activities can vary depending on the state where they are practicing. When initiating their search for schools, many potential nursing students start with the ones that are the closest to their homes or that are the least costly. But there are other qualifications that a school must have and a decision 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 training program that we will talk about later in this article. But first, let's take a look at the function of an LPN and what is involved in the training and licensing process.

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What is an LPN or LVN?

Licensed Practical Nurses have many duties that they accomplish in the Rocky Point NY health care facilities where they are employed. As their titles signify, they are required to be licensed in all states, including New York. While they may be responsible for overseeing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves normally work under the supervision of either an RN or a doctor. The health care facilities where they work are numerous and diverse, including hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anywhere that you can encounter patients requiring medical assistance is their dominion. Each state not only controls their licensing, but also what functions an LPN can and can't perform. So depending on the state, their everyday job activities might include:

• • Taking vital signs
  • Giving medicines
  • Setting up IV drips
  • Overseeing patients
  • Taking blood or urine samples
  • Maintaining patient records
  • Helping physicians or RNs with procedures

Along with their job functions being mandated by each state, the health facilities or other Rocky Point NY healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job duties within those parameters. Additionally, they can work in various specialties of nursing, for instance long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN and LVN Training Programs

There are essentially two academic credentials available that provide instruction to become an LPN near Rocky Point NY. The one that may be concluded in the shortest time frame, typically about 1 year, is the certificate or diploma program. The 2nd choice is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma alternative and typically require 2 years to complete. The advantage of Associate Degrees, along with offering a higher credential and more extensive training, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor's Degree in nursing. Regardless of the kind of credential you seek, it should be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or another national accrediting organization. The NLNAC guarantees that the core curriculum effectively prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

LPN and LVN Programs Online

Attending LPN or LVN schools online is emerging as a more favored way to obtain training and earn a nursing certificate or degree in Rocky Point NY. Some schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and nearly all programs call for a certain amount of clinical rotation hours carried out in a local healthcare facility. But since the balance of the training can be accessed online, this alternative may be a more convenient solution to finding the free time to attend college for some students. Pertaining to tuition, many online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus choices. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be minimized, helping to make education more economical. And many online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. So if your work and family responsibilities have left you with limited time to work toward your academic goals, maybe an online LPN training program will make it easier to fit a degree into your hectic schedule.

What 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 begin narrowing down your choices. As you undoubtedly are aware, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges near Rocky Point NY as well as within New York and throughout the United States. So it is necessary to reduce the number of schools to select from in order that you will have a workable list. As we already mentioned, the site of the school and the cost of tuition are undoubtedly 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 before making your final choice, 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 in addition to the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides helping ensure that you obtain an excellent education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not provided for non-accredited schools near Rocky Point NY.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing criteria 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) in addition to 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 important that the school you are enrolled in not only provides an exceptional education, but also readies you to satisfy the minimum licensing requirements for New York or the state where you will be working.
• Reputation. Look at internet rating companies to see what the evaluations are for each of the LPN or LVN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Additionally, check with the New York school licensing authority to determine if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some nearby Rocky Point 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 schools 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 Rocky Point NY healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students obtain a position.
• Internship Programs. The best way to acquire 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 prerequisites for licensing also. Find out if the schools have a working relationship with local Rocky Point NY community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the positioning of students in internships.

Find Out More Info About Learning to Become an LVN or LPN in Rocky Point

Enroll in the Right Rocky Point LPN or LVN Program

Enrolling in the right Licensed Practical Nurse school is potentially the most important first step to starting a new career in the medical care field. There are numerous factors that you need to consider when choosing a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently contingent on your current career objectives, lifestyle, and financial status. As we have highlighted in this content, it is important that you enroll in an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have outstanding 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 Rocky Point New York.

 

ROCKY POINT LPN OR LVN SCHOOLS | ROCKY POINT LPN OR LVN PROGRAMS ONLINE