Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Programs
How to Choose the Right One Near Hendersonville North Carolina

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 college near Hendersonville NC that will help guarantee your entrance into the gratifying field of nursing. If you reside in California or Texas, then you will be looking for a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) school instead. There is no difference, apart from the names, between an LVN and an LPN. Both work in health care facilities supervised by Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors and fulfill the same job functions. Although, as we will discuss in this article, their routine job activities can vary based on the state where they are employed. When starting their search for schools, many future nursing students begin with those that are the nearest to their residences or that are the least expensive. But there are additional qualifications that a school must have and a selection should not be made based on cost and location 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 course that we will discuss later in this article. But first, let's take a look at the role of an LPN and what is involved in the instruction and licensing process.

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What does an LPN or LVN Do?

Licensed Practical Nurses have a number of tasks that they complete in the Hendersonville NC medical facilities where they practice. As their titles indicate, they are required to be licensed in all states, including North Carolina. Although 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 medical care facilities where they work are numerous and diverse, such as hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anywhere that you can encounter patients in need of medical care is their dominion. Every state not only controls their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can't perform. So based on the state, their day-to-day job activities may include:

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

In addition to their job duties being regulated by each state, the medical facilities or other Hendersonville NC healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job duties within those parameters. In addition, they can practice in different specialties of nursing, such as long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LVN and LPN Certificates and Degrees

There are basically two scholastic credentials offered that provide education to become an LPN near Hendersonville NC. The one that can be completed in the shortest amount of time, usually about 12 months, is the certificate or diploma course. The second option is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma option and normally require 2 years to finish. The advantage of Associate Degrees, along with supplying a higher credential and more comprehensive training, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor's Degree in nursing. No matter the type of credential you pursue, 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 warrants that the syllabus effectively prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that the majority of graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

Online LPN and LVN Programs

Enrolling in LPN or LVN programs online is growing into a more in demand way to obtain training and earn a nursing certificate or degree in Hendersonville NC. Many schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and almost all programs require a specified amount of clinical rotation hours carried out in a local healthcare center. But since the balance of the training may be accessed online, this option may be a more practical answer to finding the time to attend classes for many students. Regarding tuition, some online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus options. Even supplemental expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be minimized, helping to make education more economical. And numerous online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. And so if your job and family obligations have left you with very little time to work toward your academic goals, maybe an online LPN training program will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your busy schedule.

What to Ask LPN and LVN Programs

Now that you have decided on obtaining your LPN or LVN certificate or degree, and if you will attend classes on campus or on the internet, you can use the following pointers to begin narrowing down your options. As you probably are aware, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Hendersonville NC as well as within North Carolina and throughout the United States. So it is necessary to lower the number of schools to select from in order that you will have a workable list. As we previously mentioned, the location of the school and the cost of tuition are probably going to be the first two factors that you will take into consideration. But as we also stressed, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your final choice, use the following questions to evaluate how your selection measures up to the other programs.

• 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 agency. Besides helping confirm that you receive a quality education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools near Hendersonville NC.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements 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) along with graduation from an accredited school. Many states require a specified number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It's essential that the school you are enrolled in not only provides a top-notch education, but also prepares you to comply with the minimum licensing requirements for North Carolina or the state where you will be practicing.
• Reputation. Check online rating companies to see what the reviews are for each of the LPN or LVN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. In addition, check with the North Carolina school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some nearby Hendersonville NC 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 dissatisfied 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 Hendersonville NC healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students attain employment.
• Internship Programs. The most ideal 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 too. Ask if the schools have a working relationship with local Hendersonville NC community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the positioning of students in internships.

Learn More About Training to Be an LPN or LVN in Hendersonville

Choose the Right Hendersonville LPN or LVN School

Enrolling in the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse school is perhaps the most important step to beginning a new career in the health care field. There are a number of aspects that you need to consider when deciding on a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently contingent on your existing career objectives, lifestyle, and economic 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 each accredited and have excellent reputations within the health care community. By utilizing 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 right degree and training, combined with your hard work and drive to succeed, you can become an LPN or LVN in Hendersonville North Carolina.

 

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