Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Courses
How to Choose the Best One Near South Whitehall Pennsylvania

Once you have decided on a fulfilling career in the field of nursing, it's essential that you find a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) college near South Whitehall PA that will furnish the right education. If you reside in Texas or California, then you will be searching for a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) school instead. There is no difference, except for the names, between an LVN and an LPN. Both practice in medical facilities under the supervision of Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors and perform the same job functions. However, as we will discuss in this report, their daily job functions can vary based on the state where they are employed. Many nursing candidates start looking for schools that are close to their homes and of those target the one that has the lowest tuition. Even though cost and location are important considerations, they are not the only qualifications 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 various other questions that you should ask potential schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN program that we will cover later in this article. But first, let's have a look at the job of an LPN and what is involved in the education and licensing process.

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LPN and LVN Job Description

Licensed Practical Nurses have many different functions that they complete in the South Whitehall PA health care facilities where they are employed. As their titles indicate, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including Pennsylvania. Even though they may be responsible for managing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves usually work under the supervision of either an RN or a doctor. The medical care facilities where they work are numerous and diverse, 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. Each state not only oversees their licensing, but also what work activities an LPN can and can't perform. So based on the state, their daily job activities may include:

• • Measuring vital signs
  • Administering medications
  • Initiating IV drips
  • Observing patients
  • Getting blood or urine samples
  • Managing patient records
  • Helping physicians or Registered nurses with procedures

Along with their job responsibilities being controlled by each state, the health facilities or other South Whitehall PA healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job duties within those parameters. Also, they can work in various specialties of nursing, for instance long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LVN and LPN Certificates and Degrees

There are basically two academic credentials available that provide training to become an LPN near South Whitehall PA. The one that can be finished in the shortest time period, generally about 12 months, is the certificate or diploma program. The 2nd option is to attain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma option and usually require 2 years to complete. The advantage of Associate Degrees, besides supplying a higher credential and more comprehensive instruction, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor's Degree in nursing. Regardless of the type of credential you seek, it needs to be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or another national accrediting organization. The NLNAC attests that the syllabus properly prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that the majority of graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

Online LPN and LVN Programs

Attending LPN or LVN programs online is emerging as a more popular way to obtain training and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in South Whitehall PA. Many schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and virtually all programs call for a specified number of clinical rotation hours carried out in a local healthcare center. But since the rest of the training may be accessed online, this option may be a more convenient answer to finding the time to attend college for some students. Pertaining to tuition, a number of online degree programs are less costly than other on campus options. Even other expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be lessened, helping to make education more economical. And a large number of online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. Therefore if your work and household obligations have left you with limited time to pursue your academic goals, it could be that an online LPN training program will make it easier to fit a degree into your hectic schedule.

Things to Ask LPN and LVN Schools

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 web, you can use the following guidelines to start narrowing down your options. As you no doubt realize, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges near South Whitehall PA as well as within Pennsylvania and throughout the United States. So it is necessary to decrease the number of schools to choose from in order that you will have a manageable list. As we previously pointed out, the site of the school as well as the price of tuition are most likely going to be the first 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 selection, 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 acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to helping make sure that you receive a quality education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not provided for non-accredited schools near South Whitehall PA.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements 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) along with graduation from an accredited school. Certain 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 attending not only provides a top-notch education, but also readies you to meet the minimum licensing requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working.
• Reputation. Check internet rating services to see what the evaluations are for each of the LPN or LVN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. In addition, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some nearby South Whitehall 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 finish their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It's also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only verify that the school has a favorable reputation within the South Whitehall PA 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. Essentially all nursing degree programs require a specific number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing also. Find out if the schools have a working relationship with local South Whitehall PA community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placement of students in internships.

Find Out More Info About Learning to Become an LPN or LVN in South Whitehall

Choose the Right South Whitehall LPN or LVN School

Deciding on the right Licensed Practical Nurse school is probably the most crucial phase to starting a new career in the health care industry. There are a number of factors that you need to think about when picking a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career goals, obligations, and economic situation. As we have highlighted within this post, it is critical that you enroll in an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have excellent reputations within the healthcare community. By using our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a shortlist of schools to pick from so that you can make your final selection. And with the right degree and training, combined with your hard work and desire to succeed, you can become an LPN or LVN in South Whitehall Pennsylvania.

 

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