Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Training Programs
How to Find the Right One Near Benbrook Texas

A first step that you need to take after making the decision to become a Licensed Practical Nurse is to find and enroll in the right LPN program near Benbrook TX that will help you enter the rewarding profession of nursing. California or Texas residents will instead enroll in an LVN school to train to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. There is no distinction, other than the names, between an LVN and an LPN. They both carry out the same job functions and work in medical facilities under the guidance of Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors. But their functions do differ depending on the state they practice in, which we will cover in the next section. Most new students begin by searching for schools that are within commuting distance of their homes and of those lean towards the one that is least expensive. While price and location are important factors, 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 various other questions that you should ask prospective schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN course that we will discuss later in this article. But first, let's have a look at the function of an LPN and what is involved in the instruction and licensing process.

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LPN and LVN Job Description

Licensed Practical Nurses have many different duties that they perform in the Benbrook TX health facilities where they practice. As their titles indicate, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including Texas. Although they may be accountable for supervising Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves typically work under the oversight of either an RN or a doctor. The medical facilities where they work are numerous and varied, including hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can find patients seeking medical care is their dominion. Each state not only regulates their licensing, but also what functions an LPN can and can't perform. So depending on the state, their everyday job activities may include:

• • Measuring vital signs
  • Providing medicines
  • Initiating IV drips
  • Observing patients
  • Taking blood or urine samples
  • Managing patient records
  • Assisting doctors or RNs with procedures

Along with their job responsibilities being mandated by each state, the healthcare facilities or other Benbrook TX healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job roles within those parameters. In addition, they can practice in numerous specialties of nursing, such as long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN and LVN Degree and Certificate Programs

There are principally two academic credentials offered that provide instruction to become an LPN near Benbrook TX. The one that may be finished in the shortest period of time, commonly about one year, is the certificate or diploma course. The next option is to attain 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, 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. Regardless of the kind of credential you pursue, 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 core curriculum properly prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

Online LPN and LVN Programs

Attending LPN or LVN schools online is becoming a more popular way to get instruction and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in Benbrook TX. Many schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and nearly all programs call for a specific amount of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare facility. But since the rest of the training can be accessed online, this option may be a more practical approach to finding the free time to attend classes for some students. Concerning tuition, a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus alternatives. Even supplemental expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be minimized, helping to make education more easily affordable. And a large number of online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. So if your work and household responsibilities have left you with very little time to pursue your academic goals, it could be that an online LPN program will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your busy schedule.

Questions to Ask LPN and LVN Programs

Once you have decided on obtaining your LPN or LVN certificate or degree, and if you will attend classes on campus or on the web, you can use the following checklist to begin narrowing down your options. As you undoubtedly realize, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Benbrook TX as well as within Texas and throughout the United States. So it is important to lower the number of schools to select from to ensure that you will have a workable list. As we already discussed, the site of the school along with the expense of tuition are most likely going to be the first two factors that you will look at. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your ultimate decision, use the following questions to see 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 recognized accrediting organization. Besides helping verify that you receive a quality education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not available for non-accredited schools near Benbrook TX.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites 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) together with graduation from an accredited school. Certain states require a certain number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It's important that the school you are enrolled in not only provides an outstanding education, but also readies you to satisfy the minimum licensing standards for Texas or the state where you will be working.
• Reputation. Look at online rating services to see what the reviews are for all of the LPN or LVN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Additionally, check with the Texas school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some nearby Benbrook TX 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 schools you are considering 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 dissatisfied 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 Benbrook TX medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students gain employment.
• Internship Programs. The best way to acquire 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. Various states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing too. Check if the schools have associations with local Benbrook TX community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placement of students in internships.

Learn More Info About Learning to Become an LVN or LPN in Benbrook

Enroll in the Best Benbrook LPN or LVN Program

Choosing the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse school is potentially the most crucial step to launching a new career in the medical care field. There are numerous variables that you must consider when deciding on a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently contingent on your current career objectives, obligations, and economic status. As we have highlighted within this post, it is critical that you select an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have outstanding reputations within the medical community. By utilizing our checklist 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 right degree and training, combined with your dedication and ambition to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurse in Benbrook Texas.

 

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