Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Programs
How to Choose the Best One Near South Kingstown Rhode Island

A first step that you need to take after making the decision to become a Licensed Practical Nurse is to locate and enroll in the right LPN college near South Kingstown RI that will help you enter the rewarding vocation of nursing. Texas or California residents will alternatively enroll in an LVN school to train to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. There is no distinction, aside from the names, between an LPN and LVN. They both undertake the same job functions and work in health care facilities under the guidance of Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors. But their duties do vary depending on the state they practice in, which we will look at in the next section. When beginning their search for schools, many potential nursing students start with the ones that are the closest to their houses or that are the least expensive. But there are other qualifications that a school must have and a selection should not be made based on location and cost alone. 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 prospective schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN course that we will address later in this article. But first, let's take a look at the function 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 duties that they complete in the South Kingstown RI medical facilities where they are employed. As their titles signify, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Rhode Island. Although they may be accountable for overseeing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves typically work under the oversight of either an RN or a doctor. The healthcare facilities where they work are numerous and varied, including hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anyplace that you can find patients in need of medical care is their dominion. Every state not only oversees their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can't perform. So depending on the state, their routine work activities can include:

• • Taking vital signs
  • Providing medicines
  • Initiating IV drips
  • Overseeing patients
  • Getting blood or urine samples
  • Maintaining patient records
  • Helping physicians or RNs with procedures

In addition to their occupational duties being regulated by each state, the health facilities or other South Kingstown RI healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job duties within those parameters. In addition, they can practice in numerous specialties of nursing, such as long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LVN and LPN Training Programs

There are essentially two academic credentials available that provide education to become an LPN near South Kingstown RI. The one that can be finished in the shortest time frame, normally about twelve months, is the certificate or diploma course. The other alternative is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma option and commonly require 2 years to finish. The advantage of Associate Degrees, besides providing a higher credential and more in-depth instruction, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor's Degree in nursing. No matter the kind 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 attests 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.

Online LPN and LVN Programs

Enrolling in LPN or LVN programs online is becoming a more favored way to get training and attain a nursing certificate or degree in South Kingstown RI. Some schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and nearly all programs call for a specified amount 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 practical solution to finding the time to attend school for many students. Concerning tuition, a number of online degree programs are less costly than other on campus options. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be lessened, helping to make education more affordable. And numerous online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. Therefore if your job and family obligations have left you with very little time to work toward your academic goals, it could be that an online LPN training program will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your busy schedule.

Questions to Ask LPN and LVN Programs

Now that you have decided on obtaining your LPN or LVN certificate or degree, and if you will attend classes on campus or online, you can utilize the following guidelines to begin narrowing down your options. As you no doubt realize, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near South Kingstown RI as well as within Rhode Island and throughout the United States. So it is important to lower the number of schools to select from so that you will have a manageable list. As we already pointed out, the site of the school along with the expense of tuition are most likely going to be the primary two things that you will take into consideration. But as we also stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your ultimate choice, use the following questions to see how your selection compares to the other programs.

• Accreditation. It's a good idea to make sure that the certificate or degree program along with the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to helping make sure that you get a quality education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not offered for non-accredited schools near South Kingstown RI.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements for LPNs and LVNs are different from state to state. In all states, a passing score is required 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 completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It's important that the school you are attending not only delivers an excellent education, but also readies you to satisfy the minimum licensing requirements for Rhode Island or the state where you will be practicing.
• Reputation. Check internet rating services to see what the evaluations are for all of the LPN or LVN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews too. In addition, get in touch with the Rhode Island school licensing authority to determine if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some local South Kingstown RI 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 imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only confirm that the school has a superb reputation within the South Kingstown RI healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students obtain a position.
• Internship Programs. The best way to acquire experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Essentially all nursing degree programs require a specified number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing too. Check if the schools have a working relationship with local South Kingstown RI community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placement of students in internships.

Learn More Info About Becoming an LVN or LPN in South Kingstown

Enroll in the Best South Kingstown LPN or LVN Program

Selecting the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is arguably the most crucial step to starting a new career in the medical care industry. There are many factors that you need to take into account when choosing a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently contingent on your current career goals, obligations, and economic situation. As we have stressed in this content, it is important that you select an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have outstanding reputations within the healthcare community. By using our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to develop a short list of schools to choose from so that you can make your final selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your dedication and drive to succeed, you can become an LPN or LVN in South Kingstown Rhode Island.

 

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