Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Training
How to Select the Right One Near Columbus Ohio

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 college near Columbus OH that will help you enter the rewarding field of nursing. Texas or California students will alternatively enroll in an LVN school to learn to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. There is no difference, except for the names, between an LPN and LVN. They both work in medical facilities supervised by Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors and fulfill identical job functions. Although, as we will cover in this article, their daily job activities can differ depending on the state where they are employed. When beginning their search for schools, many prospective nursing students begin with the ones that are the closest to their houses or that are the least costly. Although price and location are relevant points to consider, they are not the only qualifications that you should base your decision on. For example are the schools accredited or do they have high pass rates on the licensing exam, which are both extremely important too. There are additional questions that you should ask prospective schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN course that we will cover below. 

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What to Ask LPN and LVN Programs

Once you have decided on obtaining your LPN or LVN certificate or degree, and if you will attend classes on campus or online, you can use the following guidelines to start narrowing down your choices. As you no doubt are aware, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Columbus OH as well as within Ohio and throughout the United States. So it is important to reduce the number of schools to select from to ensure that you will have a manageable list. As we earlier discussed, the location of the school along with the cost of tuition are most likely going to be the initial two things that you will take into consideration. But as we also stressed, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your ultimate decision, use the following questions to see how your selection measures up to the field.

• 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. Aside from helping make sure that you get a quality education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not offered for non-accredited schools near Columbus OH.
• 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) together with graduation from an accredited school. Some states require a specified number of clinical hours be completed, 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 preps you to meet the minimum licensing requirements for Ohio 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 also. In addition, get in touch with the Ohio school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some nearby Columbus OH 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 finish their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were unhappy 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 superb reputation within the Columbus OH healthcare community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students gain a position.
• Internship Programs. The most ideal way to get experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Essentially all nursing degree programs require a certain number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing also. Check if the schools have associations with nearby Columbus OH community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the positioning of students in internships.

Learn More About Becoming an LVN or LPN in Columbus

Choose the Best Columbus LPN or LVN School

Enrolling in the right Licensed Practical Nurse school is probably the most important first step to beginning a new career in the medical care industry. There are numerous aspects that you must take into account when selecting a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently depending on your current career objectives, obligations, and financial status. As we have emphasized in this post, it is critical that you choose an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have outstanding reputations within the health care community. By utilizing our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a shortlist of schools to choose from so that you can make your final selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your hard work and ambition to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurse in Columbus Ohio.

 

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