Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Programs
How to Choose the Right One Near East Pennsboro Pennsylvania

One of the first things that you need to do after deciding to become a Licensed Practical Nurse is to locate and enroll in the right LPN program near East Pennsboro PA that will help guarantee your entrance into the gratifying vocation of nursing. Texas or California students will instead enroll in an LVN school to learn to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. Apart from the names, there is no difference between an LPN and LVN. They both practice in medical facilities supervised by Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors and fulfill the same job functions. However, as we will cover in this article, their routine job functions can vary depending on the state where they are employed. When beginning their search for schools, many future nursing students begin with the ones that are the closest to their residences or that are the least expensive. While price and location are significant considerations, they are not the only qualifications that you should base your decision on. Such as are the schools accredited or do they have high pass rates on the licensing exam, which are both very important as well. There are even more questions that you should ask prospective schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN course that we will address later in this article. But first, let's have a look at the function of an LPN and what is involved in the education and licensing process.

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What does an LPN or LVN Do?

Licensed Practical Nurses have a number of functions that they complete in the East Pennsboro PA health facilities where they practice. As their titles signify, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including Pennsylvania. Although they may be accountable for overseeing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves typically work under the guidance of either an RN or a doctor. The medical care facilities where they work are numerous and assorted, for instance hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anywhere that you can encounter patients in need of medical care is their domain. Every state not only oversees their licensing, but also what work activities an LPN can and can't perform. So based on the state, their day-to-day job functions can include:

• • Taking vital signs
  • Giving medicines
  • Starting IV drips
  • Monitoring patients
  • Taking blood or urine samples
  • Maintaining patient records
  • Assisting physicians or RNs with procedures

Along with their occupational responsibilities being governed by each state, the healthcare facilities or other East Pennsboro PA healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job duties within those parameters. Also, they can work in different specialties of nursing, for example long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LVN and LPN Degree and Certificate Programs

There are principally two scholastic credentials offered that provide education to become an LPN near East Pennsboro PA. The one that can be finished in the shortest amount of time, commonly about 1 year, is the certificate or diploma course. The 2nd alternative is to obtain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma option and usually require 2 years to finish. The advantage of Associate Degrees, aside from offering a higher credential and more comprehensive training, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor's Degree in nursing. Regardless of 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 guarantees that the course of study adequately prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

LPN and LVN Online Programs

Attending LPN or LVN programs online is growing into a more favored way to obtain instruction and attain a nursing certificate or degree in East Pennsboro PA. Some schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and nearly all programs require a specified number of clinical rotation hours conducted in a local healthcare center. But since the balance of the training can be accessed online, this alternative may be a more practical approach to finding the time to attend classes for some students. Pertaining to tuition, some online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus alternatives. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be minimized, helping to make education more economical. And many online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. And so if your job and household commitments have left you with limited time to work toward your academic goals, perhaps an online LPN program will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your active schedule.

Questions 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 online, you can utilize the following pointers to start narrowing down your choices. As you no doubt are aware, there are many nursing schools and colleges near East Pennsboro PA as well as within Pennsylvania and throughout the United States. So it is important to reduce the number of schools to choose from so that you will have a workable list. As we earlier mentioned, the site of the school and the cost of tuition are undoubtedly going to be the initial two points that you will look at. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your ultimate selection, use the following questions to see how your selection measures up to the other schools.

• 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 organization. Aside from helping make sure that you obtain a quality education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not offered for non-accredited schools near East Pennsboro PA.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements 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. Many states require a specific number of clinical hours be completed, 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 preps you to comply with the minimum licensing requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be practicing.
• Reputation. Visit internet rating companies to see what the assessments are for all of the LPN or LVN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Also, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some local East Pennsboro PA 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 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 favorable reputation within the East Pennsboro PA healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students attain employment.
• Internship Programs. The best way to get experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Almost all nursing degree programs require a specific number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing also. Find out if the schools have a working relationship with local East Pennsboro PA community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placement of students in internships.

Find Out More Info About Training to Be an LPN or LVN in East Pennsboro

Enroll in the Right East Pennsboro LPN or LVN Program

Selecting the right Licensed Practical Nurse program is potentially the most critical phase to beginning a new career in the medical care industry. There are various factors that you must take into account when picking a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently contingent on your current career goals, obligations, and economic situation. As we have emphasized within this article, it is essential that you pick an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have excellent reputations within the medical community. By utilizing 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 desire to succeed, you can become an LPN or LVN in East Pennsboro Pennsylvania.

 

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