Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Colleges
How to Select the Best One Near Morristown Tennessee

Now that you have chosen a fulfilling vocation in the field of nursing, it's imperative that you choose a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) program near Morristown TN that will deliver the appropriate education. California or Texas residents will alternatively enroll in an LVN school to train to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. Apart from the titles, there is no difference between an LVN and an LPN. They both work in medical facilities supervised by Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors and fulfill the same job functions. However their responsibilities do fluctuate depending on the state they practice in, which we will look at in the next section. When initiating their search for schools, many future nursing students begin with those that are the closest to their residences or that are the least costly. But there are other qualifications that a school should have and a decision should not be made based on cost and location alone. Such as 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 prospective schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN course that we will address later in this article. But to start with, let's take a look at the function of an LPN and what is involved in the instruction and licensing process.

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What does an LPN or LVN Do?

Licensed Practical Nurses have many different functions that they complete in the Morristown TN health care facilities where they work. As their titles signify, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Tennessee. While they may be responsible for overseeing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves generally work under the oversight of either an RN or a doctor. The medical care facilities where they work are numerous and varied, such as hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anywhere that you can find patients requiring medical care is their domain. Each 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 may include:

• • Checking vital signs
  • Giving medications
  • Initiating IV drips
  • Overseeing patients
  • Getting blood or urine samples
  • Managing patient records
  • Supporting physicians or Registered nurses with procedures

Along with their job responsibilities being mandated by each state, the medical facilities or other Morristown TN healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job roles within those parameters. In addition, they can work in different specialties of nursing, including long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN and LVN Training Programs

There are basically two academic credentials offered that provide education to become an LPN near Morristown TN. The one that may be concluded in the shortest amount of time, generally about 1 year, is the certificate or diploma course. The 2nd alternative is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma option and generally require 2 years to finish. The advantage of Associate Degrees, aside from providing a higher credential and more extensive training, are that they provide 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 any other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC attests that the syllabus properly prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

LPN and LVN Online Programs

Enrolling in LPN or LVN schools online is growing into a more popular way to obtain training and attain a nursing certificate or degree in Morristown TN. Certain schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and nearly all programs require a certain amount of clinical rotation hours conducted in a local healthcare facility. But since the rest of the training may be accessed online, this alternative may be a more practical approach to finding the free time to attend school for many students. Pertaining to tuition, a number of online degree programs are less costly than other on campus alternatives. Even supplemental expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be lessened, helping to make education more affordable. And numerous online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. So if your work and household responsibilities have left you with little time to pursue your academic goals, maybe an online LPN program will make it easier to fit a degree into your busy schedule.

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 checklist to begin narrowing down your options. As you undoubtedly realize, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Morristown TN as well as within Tennessee and throughout the United States. So it is necessary to lower the number of schools to choose from to ensure that you will have a workable list. As we already pointed out, the location of the school and the price of tuition are probably going to be the first two things that you will consider. But as we also stressed, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your final decision, use the following questions to evaluate how your pick compares to the field.

• 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 acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to helping verify that you receive a premium education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not provided for non-accredited schools near Morristown TN.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites 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) in addition to 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 enrolled in not only delivers an outstanding education, but also prepares you to satisfy the minimum licensing requirements for Tennessee or the state where you will be working.
• 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 agencies for their reviews as well. Also, contact the Tennessee school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some local Morristown 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 displeased 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 favorable reputation within the Morristown TN healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students obtain a position.
• Internship Programs. The most ideal way to obtain 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. A number of states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing too. Ask if the schools have associations with nearby Morristown TN community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placement of students in internships.

Find Out More About Becoming an LPN or LVN in Morristown

Enroll in the Right Morristown LPN or LVN School

Picking the right Licensed Practical Nurse school is arguably the most crucial phase to beginning a new career in the health care industry. There are many factors that you should take into account when picking a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently contingent on your existing career objectives, obligations, and financial situation. As we have pointed out in this content, it is critical 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 utilizing our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a short list 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 ambition to succeed, you can become an LPN or LVN in Morristown Tennessee.

 

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