Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Programs
How to Find the Best One Near Wichita Falls 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 college near Wichita Falls TX that will help you enter the rewarding profession of nursing. Texas or California students will instead enroll in an LVN school to learn to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. There is no difference, except for the names, between an LVN and an LPN. They both work in medical facilities supervised by Physicians and Registered Nurses and perform the same job duties. However their responsibilities do differ depending on the state they practice in, which we will look at in the following section. When beginning their search for schools, many future nursing students begin with those that are the nearest to their houses or that are the least expensive. Although tuition and location are significant points to consider, they are not the only qualifications 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 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 what is involved in the education and licensing process.

It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your LPN or LVN Career Below

LVN and LPN Training Programs

There are essentially two scholastic credentials available that provide training to become an LPN near Wichita Falls TX. The one that can be finished in the shortest amount of time, generally about one year, is the certificate or diploma course. The 2nd alternative is to obtain 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 benefit of Associate Degrees, aside from offering a higher credential and more comprehensive instruction, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor's Degree in nursing. No matter the kind of credential you seek, it needs to be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or some other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC warrants that the core curriculum properly prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that the majority of graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

Online LPN and LVN Programs

Attending LPN or LVN schools online is growing into a more in demand way to get instruction and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in Wichita Falls TX. Some schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and almost all programs require a certain number of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare facility. But since the rest of the training can be accessed online, this option may be a more accommodating approach to finding the free time to attend college for some students. Concerning tuition, some online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus options. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be reduced, helping to make education more affordable. And a large number of online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. Therefore if your work and household obligations have left you with little time to work toward your academic goals, perhaps an online LPN program will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your hectic 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 utilize the following checklist to start narrowing down your choices. As you no doubt realize, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Wichita Falls TX as well as within Texas and throughout the United States. So it is important to reduce the number of schools to select from so that you will have a workable list. As we previously pointed out, the site of the school and the expense of tuition are probably going to be the first two things that you will take into consideration. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So prior to making your ultimate 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 ensure that you obtain a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools near Wichita Falls TX.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing criteria for LPNs and LVNs are different from state to state. In all states, a passing score is needed on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) along with graduation from an accredited school. Some states require a specified number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It's imperative that the school you are attending not only delivers a top-notch education, but also prepares you to meet the minimum licensing standards for Texas or the state where you will be working.
• Reputation. Visit online rating companies to see what the assessments are for each of the LPN or LVN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews too. In addition, get in touch with the Texas school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some nearby Wichita Falls 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 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 unhappy with the program and dropped out. It's also important that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only verify that the school has a superb reputation within the Wichita Falls TX medical community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students gain employment.
• Internship Programs. The best way to get experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Virtually all nursing degree programs require a specific number of clinical hours be completed. A number of states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing as well. Check if the schools have a working relationship with nearby Wichita Falls TX community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placement of students in internships.

Learn More Info About Becoming an LPN or LVN in Wichita Falls

Choose the Right Wichita Falls LPN or LVN Program

Deciding on the right Licensed Practical Nurse school is probably the most important first step to beginning a new career in the medical care field. There are numerous factors that you should take into account when picking a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently contingent on your existing career goals, lifestyle, and economic status. As we have emphasized within this content, it is critical that you enroll in an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have outstanding reputations within the health care community. By using our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a short list of schools to choose from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the proper degree and training, combined with your hard work and desire to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurse in Wichita Falls Texas.

 

WICHITA FALLS LPN OR LVN SCHOOLS NEAR ME | WICHITA FALLS LPN OR LVN CLASSES