Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Programs
How to Pick the Best One Near Sugar Land Texas

Once you have chosen a fulfilling vocation in the field of nursing, it's essential that you select a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) college near Sugar Land TX that will deliver the proper education. If you live in Texas or California, then you will be searching for a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) school instead. Apart from the titles, there is no difference between an LVN and an LPN. Both practice in health care facilities supervised by Physicians and Registered Nurses and perform identical job functions. Although, as we will cover in this report, their daily job functions can vary depending on the state where they are employed. When initiating their search for schools, many prospective nursing students begin with the ones that are the closest to their residences or that are the least expensive. But there are other qualifications that a school must have and a decision should not be made based on cost and location alone. For example are the schools accredited or do they have high pass rates on the licensing exam, which are both extremely important too. There are even more 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 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 numerous functions that they perform in the Sugar Land TX health facilities where they practice. As their titles imply, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Texas. Although they may be accountable for overseeing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves typically work under the direction of either an RN or a doctor. The medical care facilities where they work are numerous and assorted, for example hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anywhere that you can encounter patients seeking 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 daily job activities can include:

• • Checking vital signs
  • Providing medicines
  • Setting up IV drips
  • Observing patients
  • Getting blood or urine samples
  • Maintaining patient records
  • Supporting doctors or Registered nurses with procedures

Along with their job duties being governed by each state, the health facilities or other Sugar Land TX healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job roles within those parameters. Additionally, they can practice in different specialties of nursing, for instance long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LVN and LPN Training Programs

There are principally two academic credentials offered that provide education to become an LPN near Sugar Land TX. The one that can be finished in the shortest period of time, normally about twelve months, is the certificate or diploma program. The next choice is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma option and usually require 2 years to finish. The advantage of Associate Degrees, besides providing a higher credential and more extensive instruction, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor's Degree in nursing. Regardless of the type of credential you pursue, it should be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or some other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC guarantees 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 Programs Online

Attending LPN or LVN schools online is becoming a more preferred way to get instruction and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in Sugar Land TX. Some schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and virtually all programs require a certain amount of clinical rotation hours conducted in a local healthcare center. But since the rest of the training can be accessed online, this option may be a more practical answer to finding the time to attend classes for many students. Regarding tuition, some online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus options. Even other expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be reduced, helping to make education more economical. And numerous online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. Therefore 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 active schedule.

What to Ask LPN and LVN Programs

Once you have decided on obtaining your LPN or LVN certificate or degree, as well as if you will attend classes on campus or online, you can use the following guidelines to start narrowing down your choices. As you no doubt are aware, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Sugar Land TX as well as within Texas and throughout the United States. So it is essential to reduce the number of schools to select from so that you will have a workable list. As we already discussed, the site of the school and the expense of tuition are undoubtedly going to be the first two points that you will look at. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So prior to making your final decision, use the following questions to evaluate how your pick compares to the other schools.

• 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 confirm that you receive an excellent education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not available for non-accredited schools near Sugar Land TX.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing criteria 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) as well as graduation from an accredited school. Many states require a specific number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It's imperative that the school you are enrolled in not only delivers an outstanding education, but also readies you to comply with the minimum licensing standards for Texas or the state where you will be working.
• Reputation. Check internet rating companies to see what the reviews are for each of the LPN or LVN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews too. Additionally, get in touch with the Texas school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some nearby Sugar Land TX healthcare organizations you're interested in working for after graduation and ask what their judgements 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 dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It's also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only substantiate that the school has a superb reputation within the Sugar Land TX healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students gain employment.
• Internship Programs. The best way to get 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 mandates for licensing as well. Check if the schools have associations with local Sugar Land TX community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the positioning of students in internships.

Learn More About Becoming an LPN or LVN in Sugar Land

Choose the Right Sugar Land LPN or LVN Program

Selecting the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is probably the most crucial step to launching a new career in the healthcare industry. There are many aspects that you should consider when choosing a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently contingent on your existing career goals, obligations, and economic situation. As we have highlighted in this content, it is essential that you enroll in an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have exceptional reputations within the health care community. By utilizing our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to create 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 hard work and drive to succeed, you can become an LPN or LVN in Sugar Land Texas.

 

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