Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Training Programs
How to Choose the Best One Near Philadelphia 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 college near Philadelphia PA that will help guarantee your entrance into the rewarding profession of nursing. If you reside in Texas or California, then you will be looking for a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) school instead. There is no difference, aside from the names, between an LVN and an LPN. Both work in health care facilities under the supervision of Physicians and Registered Nurses and perform identical job duties. Although, as we will discuss in this article, their daily job activities can differ depending on the state where they are employed. Most new students begin by searching for schools that are within commuting distance of their homes and of those target the one that has the lowest tuition. While cost and location are important points to consider, they are not the only qualifications that you should base your decision 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 various other questions that you should ask potential schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN course that we will address below. 

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

What to Ask LPN and LVN Schools

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 choices. As you probably are aware, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Philadelphia PA as well as within Pennsylvania and throughout the United States. So it is important to reduce the number of schools to select from in order that you will have a manageable list. As we already discussed, the location of the school as well as the cost of tuition are probably going to be the first two factors that you will look at. But as we also stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your final decision, use the following questions to evaluate how your selection compares to the other schools.

• 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. Besides helping confirm that you obtain a premium education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not provided for non-accredited schools near Philadelphia PA.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for LPNs and LVNs differ from state to state. In all states, a passing score is needed on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) in addition to graduation from an accredited school. Some states require a certain number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It's important that the school you are enrolled in not only provides an outstanding education, but also readies you to meet the minimum licensing requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working.
• Reputation. Look at internet rating services to see what the evaluations are for all of the LPN or LVN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. In addition, get in touch with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some local Philadelphia PA 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 unhappy with the program and dropped out. It's also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only substantiate that the school has a good reputation within the Philadelphia PA healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students obtain a position.
• Internship Programs. The most effective way to acquire experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Essentially all nursing degree programs require a certain number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing also. Check if the schools have associations with local Philadelphia PA community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placement of students in internships.

Learn More About Learning to Become an LVN or LPN in Philadelphia

Enroll in the Best Philadelphia LPN or LVN Program

Choosing the right Licensed Practical Nurse program is perhaps the most important phase to starting a new career in the healthcare field. There are many variables that you must think about when deciding on a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently contingent on your current career objectives, lifestyle, and economic status. As we have highlighted in this article, it is important that you enroll in an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have exceptional 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 proper degree and training, combined with your hard work and desire to succeed, you can become an LPN or LVN in Philadelphia Pennsylvania.

 

PHILADELPHIA LPN OR LVN PROGRAMS | PHILADELPHIA LPN OR LVN SCHOOLS