Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Schools
How to Choose the Right One Near Shelby North Carolina

Once you have chosen a rewarding career in the field of nursing, it's imperative that you locate a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) college near Shelby NC that will furnish the right instruction. Texas or California residents will instead enroll in an LVN school to train to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. Apart from the titles, there is no difference between an LVN and an LPN. They both practice in health care facilities supervised by Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors and perform the same job functions. However, as we will cover in this article, their daily job activities 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 nearest to their homes or that are the least costly. But there are other credentials 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 very important too. There are various other questions that you should ask prospective schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN training program that we will talk about later in this article. But first, let's have a look at the role of an LPN and what is involved in the training and licensing process.

It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your LPN or LVN Career Below

LPN and LVN Job Description

Licensed Practical Nurses have many tasks that they carry out in the Shelby NC health care facilities where they work. As their titles indicate, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including North Carolina. Although they may be accountable for monitoring Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves typically work under the guidance of either an RN or a doctor. The healthcare facilities where they work are numerous and varied, for instance hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can find patients in need of medical assistance is their dominion. Each state not only oversees their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can't perform. So based on the state, their day-to-day job functions might include:

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

In addition to their occupational functions being regulated by each state, the healthcare facilities or other Shelby NC healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job roles within those parameters. In addition, they can work in different specialties of nursing, which include long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN and LVN Training

There are principally two academic credentials available that provide instruction to become an LPN near Shelby NC. The one that can be concluded in the shortest period of time, usually about 12 months, is the certificate or diploma course. The next choice is to attain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma option and commonly require 2 years to finish. The benefit of Associate Degrees, besides providing a higher credential and more extensive instruction, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor's Degree in nursing. No matter the type of credential you pursue, it should be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or another national accrediting organization. The NLNAC warrants that the course of study effectively prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

Online LPN and LVN Programs

Enrolling in LPN or LVN programs online is becoming a more popular way to get instruction and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in Shelby NC. Some schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and virtually all programs call for a specified number of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare facility. But since the remainder of the training can be accessed online, this method may be a more convenient approach to finding the free time to attend college for many students. Pertaining to tuition, some online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus alternatives. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be minimized, helping to make education more affordable. And numerous online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. And so if your work and family commitments have left you with little time to work toward your academic goals, maybe an online LPN program will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your active schedule.

What to Ask LPN and LVN Schools

Once you have decided on obtaining your LPN or LVN certificate or degree, and 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 probably are aware, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges near Shelby NC as well as within North Carolina and throughout the United States. So it is important to lower the number of schools to select from so that you will have a manageable list. As we previously pointed out, the location of the school along with the expense of tuition are most likely going to be the first two factors that you will consider. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So prior to making your ultimate decision, 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 in addition to the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Aside from helping make sure that you get a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not provided for non-accredited schools near Shelby NC.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for LPNs and LVNs differ from state to state. In all states, a passing score is required on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) along with graduation from an accredited school. Certain 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 attending not only provides an excellent education, but also readies you to comply with the minimum licensing standards for North Carolina or the state where you will be working.
• Reputation. Look at online rating services to see what the evaluations are for each of the LPN or LVN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews too. Also, check with the North Carolina school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some nearby Shelby 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 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 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 substantiate that the school has a good reputation within the Shelby NC medical community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students attain employment.
• Internship Programs. The best way to get experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Essentially all nursing degree programs require a specified number of clinical hours be completed. A number of states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing also. Ask if the schools have a working relationship with nearby Shelby NC community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placing of students in internships.

Find Out More About Learning to Become an LPN or LVN in Shelby

Enroll in the Best Shelby LPN or LVN School

Choosing the right Licensed Practical Nurse program is arguably the most crucial first step to launching a new career in the health care industry. There are numerous aspects that you need to think about when deciding on a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career objectives, lifestyle, and financial situation. As we have stressed within this article, it is essential that you select an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have outstanding reputations within the health care community. By utilizing our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce 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 desire to succeed, you can become an LPN or LVN in Shelby North Carolina.

 

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