Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Training Programs
How to Choose the Right One Near Norfolk Virginia

A first step that you need to take after deciding to become a Licensed Practical Nurse is to locate and enroll in the right LPN school near Norfolk VA 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, except for the names, between an LVN and an LPN. Both work in health care facilities supervised by Physicians and Registered Nurses and fulfill the same job duties. Although, as we will discuss in this article, their routine job activities can differ based on the state where they are employed. When starting their search for schools, many future nursing students begin with those that are the nearest to their houses or that are the least expensive. But there are additional qualifications that a school should have and a selection 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 potential schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN course that we will address below. 

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Things to Ask LPN and LVN Schools

Now that 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 begin narrowing down your choices. As you probably are aware, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges near Norfolk VA as well as within Virginia 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 mentioned, the site of the school as well as the price of tuition are probably going to be the primary two factors that you will look at. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So prior to making your final choice, use the following questions to see how your pick measures up to the field.

• 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 acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides helping make sure that you obtain a premium education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not provided for non-accredited schools near Norfolk VA.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements 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) together with graduation from an accredited school. Some states require a specific number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It's important that the school you are attending not only delivers an exceptional education, but also prepares you to meet the minimum licensing requirements for Virginia 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 considering. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews too. In addition, contact the Virginia school licensing authority to determine if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some local Norfolk VA 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 important that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only confirm that the school has a superb reputation within the Norfolk VA healthcare community, but that it also has the network of relationships to assist students obtain employment.
• Internship Programs. The most effective way to obtain experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Virtually all nursing degree programs require a specific number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing also. Check if the schools have associations with local Norfolk VA community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placing of students in internships.

Learn More About Becoming an LPN or LVN in Norfolk

Choose the Right Norfolk LPN or LVN Program

Selecting the right Licensed Practical Nurse program is perhaps the most critical phase to beginning a new career in the health care industry. There are a number of aspects that you need to think about when choosing a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career objectives, lifestyle, and economic situation. As we have pointed out in this article, it is important that you select an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have exceptional reputations within the healthcare community. By using our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to develop a short list of schools to select from so that you can make your final selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your dedication and ambition to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurse in Norfolk Virginia.

 

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