Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Schools
How to Select the Right One Near Hendersonville Tennessee

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 Hendersonville TN that will help you enter the gratifying vocation of nursing. Texas or California students will instead enroll in an LVN school to train to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. There is no distinction, apart from the names, between an LPN and LVN. Both practice in medical facilities supervised by Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors and fulfill identical job functions. However, as we will cover in this report, their daily job activities can vary based on the state where they are practicing. When initiating their search for schools, many future nursing students start with those that are the closest to their houses or that are the least costly. But there are additional qualifications that a school should have and a decision should not be made based on location and cost alone. For example are the schools accredited or do they have high pass rates on the licensing exam, which are both very important too. There are various other questions that you should ask potential schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN training program that we will cover later in this article. But to start with, let's look at the role of an LPN and what is involved in the instruction and licensing process.

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What is an LPN or LVN?

Licensed Practical Nurses have many duties that they perform in the Hendersonville TN medical facilities where they are employed. As their titles indicate, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including Tennessee. Even though they may be responsible for supervising Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves generally work under the direction of either an RN or a doctor. The medical facilities where they work are numerous and varied, for instance hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anywhere that you can encounter patients requiring medical care is their dominion. Each state not only controls their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can't perform. So depending on the state, their day-to-day job functions may include:

• • Checking vital signs
  • Administering medications
  • Initiating IV drips
  • Overseeing patients
  • Taking blood or urine samples
  • Maintaining patient records
  • Assisting physicians or RNs with procedures

In addition to their job responsibilities being regulated by each state, the health care facilities or other Hendersonville TN healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job duties within those parameters. Additionally, they can practice in various specialties of nursing, for instance long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN and LVN Training Programs

There are generally two scholastic credentials offered that provide education to become an LPN near Hendersonville TN. The one that can be completed in the shortest period of time, commonly about twelve months, is the certificate or diploma program. The 2nd choice is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma alternative and normally require 2 years to complete. The benefit of Associate Degrees, in addition to offering a higher credential and more extensive instruction, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor's Degree in nursing. No matter the type of credential you seek, it should be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or another national accrediting organization. The NLNAC guarantees that the core curriculum effectively prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

LPN and LVN Programs Online

Enrolling in LPN or LVN programs online is becoming a more popular way to receive training and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in Hendersonville TN. Many schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and almost all programs call for a certain number of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare center. But since the balance of the training can be accessed online, this alternative may be a more practical answer to finding the time to attend classes for some students. Pertaining to 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 minimized, helping to make education more easily affordable. And numerous online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. So if your work and family commitments have left you with limited time to pursue your academic goals, it could be that an online LPN training program will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your hectic schedule.

What to Ask LPN and LVN Schools

Once 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 utilize the following guidelines to start narrowing down your options. As you probably realize, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Hendersonville TN as well as within Tennessee and throughout the United States. So it is necessary to reduce the number of schools to select from in order that you will have a manageable list. As we earlier discussed, the location of the school and the price of tuition are probably going to be the initial two things that you will consider. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So prior to making your ultimate selection, use the following questions to evaluate how your pick 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 acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to helping make sure that you receive a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools near Hendersonville TN.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing criteria for LPNs and LVNs vary 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 performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It's essential that the school you are attending not only delivers a top-notch education, but also preps you to comply with the minimum licensing requirements for Tennessee or the state where you will be practicing.
• Reputation. Check online rating companies to see what the assessments are for all of the LPN or LVN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Also, get in touch with the Tennessee school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some nearby Hendersonville TN 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 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 confirm that the school has a good reputation within the Hendersonville TN healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students attain a position.
• Internship Programs. The most effective way to get experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Virtually 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 associations with local Hendersonville TN community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placement of students in internships.

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

Enroll in the Right Hendersonville LPN or LVN Program

Selecting the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is potentially the most critical phase to launching a new career in the medical care field. There are many variables that you should think about when choosing a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently depending on your current career goals, lifestyle, and financial situation. As we have emphasized within this article, it is essential that you select an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the healthcare community. By utilizing our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to develop a shortlist of schools to select from so that you can make your final selection. And with the proper degree and training, combined with your dedication and drive to succeed, you can become an LPN or LVN in Hendersonville Tennessee.

 

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