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

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 Wake Forest NC that will help guarantee your entrance into the rewarding profession of nursing. If you reside in California or Texas, then you will be searching for a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) school instead. Apart from the titles, there is no difference between an LVN and an LPN. Both practice in medical facilities supervised by Physicians and Registered Nurses and fulfill the same job duties. However their functions do vary depending on the state they practice in, which we will cover in the following segment. Most nursing candidates begin by looking for schools that are close to their homes and of those lean towards the one that is least expensive. While tuition and location are important points to consider, they are not the only criteria that you should base your selection on. 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 potential schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN training program that we will address later in this article. But to start with, let's look at the function of an LPN and what is involved in the training and licensing process.

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LPN and LVN Job Description

Licensed Practical Nurses have numerous functions that they complete in the Wake Forest NC healthcare facilities where they practice. As their titles imply, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including North Carolina. While they may be accountable for managing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves typically work under the supervision of either an RN or a doctor. The health care facilities where they work are numerous and assorted, such as hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can find patients requiring medical care is their domain. Each state not only oversees their licensing, but also what work activities an LPN can and can't perform. So depending on the state, their everyday job activities might include:

• • Measuring vital signs
  • Providing medications
  • Setting up IV drips
  • Observing patients
  • Getting blood or urine samples
  • Managing patient records
  • Supporting physicians or Registered nurses with procedures

Along with their occupational functions being controlled by each state, the healthcare facilities or other Wake Forest NC healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job duties within those parameters. Additionally, they can work in numerous specialties of nursing, including long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN and LVN Certificates and Degrees

There are principally two academic credentials offered that provide instruction to become an LPN near Wake Forest NC. The one that may be completed in the shortest amount of time, usually about 1 year, is the certificate or diploma program. The 2nd alternative is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma alternative and generally require 2 years to complete. The benefit of Associate Degrees, aside from offering a higher credential and more in-depth training, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor's Degree in nursing. No matter the type of credential you seek, it should 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 core curriculum adequately prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that the majority of graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

LPN and LVN Online Programs

Enrolling in LPN or LVN programs online is growing into a more preferred way to get instruction and earn a nursing certificate or degree in Wake Forest NC. Many schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and nearly all programs require a specific number of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare center. But since the rest of the training can be accessed online, this method may be a more accommodating solution to finding the free time to attend school for some students. Pertaining to tuition, many online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus choices. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be reduced, helping to make education more affordable. And many online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. Therefore if your job and household responsibilities have left you with little time to work toward your academic goals, it could be that an online LPN program will make it easier to fit a degree into your hectic schedule.

What to Ask LPN and LVN Programs

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 internet, you can use the following guidelines to start narrowing down your options. As you probably are aware, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges near Wake Forest 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 in order that you will have a workable list. As we previously mentioned, the site of the school along with the price of tuition are most likely going to be the first two things that you will look at. But as we also stressed, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So prior to making your final decision, use the following questions to evaluate how your selection compares to the field.

• 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 agency. In addition to helping ensure that you get a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not offered for non-accredited schools near Wake Forest NC.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for LPNs and LVNs vary 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. Many states require a certain number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It's essential that the school you are attending not only delivers a top-notch education, but also readies you to comply with the minimum licensing requirements for North Carolina or the state where you will be working.
• Reputation. Check online rating services to see what the reviews are for all of the LPN or LVN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews too. Also, contact the North Carolina school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some nearby Wake Forest 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 complete their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were displeased with the program and dropped out. It's also important that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only confirm that the school has a favorable reputation within the Wake Forest NC medical community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students attain employment.
• Internship Programs. The best way to obtain experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Almost all nursing degree programs require a specified number of clinical hours be completed. A number of states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing too. Ask if the schools have associations with local Wake Forest 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 Wake Forest

Enroll in the Best Wake Forest LPN or LVN Program

Selecting the right Licensed Practical Nurse school is probably the most important step to starting a new career in the medical care field. There are numerous factors that you should consider when choosing a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently contingent on your current career goals, obligations, and economic status. As we have stressed within this post, it is important that you choose an LPN school 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 develop a short list of schools to pick from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the proper degree and training, combined with your dedication and ambition to succeed, you can become an LPN or LVN in Wake Forest North Carolina.

 

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