Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Training Programs
How to Pick the Best One Near Oak Ridge Tennessee

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 Oak Ridge TN that will help guarantee your entrance into the gratifying vocation of nursing. If you reside in California or Texas, then you will be looking for a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) school instead. Apart from the names, there is no difference between an LVN and an LPN. They both work in medical facilities under the supervision of Physicians and Registered Nurses and fulfill identical job functions. Although, as we will cover in this article, their routine job activities can vary based on the state where they are employed. Most new students begin by looking for schools that are within commuting distance of their homes and of those lean towards the one that has the lowest tuition. While cost and location are relevant points to consider, they are not the only criteria 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 additional questions that you should ask potential schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN program that we will discuss below. 

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Questions 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 internet, you can use the following pointers to start narrowing down your choices. As you probably are aware, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges near Oak Ridge TN as well as within Tennessee and throughout the United States. So it is important to reduce the number of schools to choose from in order that you will have a workable list. As we previously discussed, the location of the school along with the expense of tuition are probably going to be the first two factors that you will consider. But as we also stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your final choice, 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 as well as the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides helping verify that you obtain a premium education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not offered for non-accredited schools near Oak Ridge 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) along with graduation from an accredited school. Many states require a specific 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 provides a top-notch education, but also preps you to meet the minimum licensing requirements for Tennessee or the state where you will be working.
• Reputation. Check online rating companies to see what the reviews are for each of the LPN or LVN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Additionally, contact the Tennessee school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some nearby Oak Ridge TN 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 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 Oak Ridge TN healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students obtain employment.
• Internship Programs. The most ideal way to obtain experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Almost all nursing degree programs require a certain number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing also. Ask if the schools have a working relationship with nearby Oak Ridge TN community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placement of students in internships.

Learn More About Becoming an LVN or LPN in Oak Ridge

Enroll in the Right Oak Ridge LPN or LVN School

Deciding on the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is perhaps the most important step to launching a new career in the medical care industry. There are numerous factors that you must think about when choosing a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently depending on your current career objectives, lifestyle, and financial situation. As we have emphasized within this article, it is critical that you choose an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have exceptional reputations within the medical community. By utilizing our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to develop a short list of schools to pick from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the proper degree and training, combined with your hard work and ambition to succeed, you can become an LPN or LVN in Oak Ridge Tennessee.

 

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