Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Schools
How to Find the Right One Near South Charleston West Virginia

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 school near South Charleston WV that will help guarantee your entrance into the rewarding field of nursing. If you live in Texas or California, then you will be looking for a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) school instead. There is no difference, aside from the names, between an LVN and an LPN. They both work in medical facilities under the supervision of Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors and fulfill identical job functions. Although, as we will cover in this report, their routine job activities can vary based on the state where they are employed. Many new students begin by searching for schools that are close to their homes and of those lean towards the one that has the lowest tuition. But there are additional 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 prospective schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN training program that we will cover later in this article. But to start with, let's have a 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 Degree and Certificate Programs

There are generally two academic credentials offered that provide instruction to become an LPN near South Charleston WV. The one that may be finished in the shortest time period, typically about one year, is the certificate or diploma course. The next choice is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma alternative and typically require 2 years to finish. The advantage of Associate Degrees, besides offering a higher credential and more in-depth training, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor's Degree in nursing. Regardless of the kind of credential you pursue, it needs to be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or any other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC guarantees that the syllabus effectively 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 programs online is emerging as a more preferred way to get instruction and earn a nursing certificate or degree in South Charleston WV. Many schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and virtually all programs require a specific number of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare facility. But since the remainder of the training can be accessed online, this alternative may be a more convenient answer to finding the free time to attend classes for some students. Regarding tuition, a number of online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus alternatives. Even other expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be lessened, helping to make education more economical. And a large number of online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. Therefore if your work and household responsibilities have left you with limited time to pursue your academic goals, maybe an online LPN program will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your active 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 internet, you can utilize the following checklist to begin narrowing down your options. As you no doubt are aware, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges near South Charleston WV as well as within West Virginia and throughout the United States. So it is necessary to reduce the number of schools to choose from to ensure that you will have a manageable list. As we already mentioned, the location of the school along with the price of tuition are probably going to be the primary two points that you will look at. But as we also stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your ultimate choice, use the following questions to see how your selection compares 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 organization. In addition to helping ensure that you obtain an excellent education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools near South Charleston WV.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements for LPNs and LVNs differ 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. Many states require a specific number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It's essential that the school you are enrolled in not only provides an outstanding education, but also readies you to satisfy the minimum licensing standards for West Virginia or the state where you will be practicing.
• Reputation. Visit 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 also. Additionally, check with the West Virginia school licensing authority to determine if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some nearby South Charleston WV 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 considering what their graduation rates are as well as how long on average it takes students to complete 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 verify that the school has a superb reputation within the South Charleston WV healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students attain employment.
• Internship Programs. The best way to obtain experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Essentially all nursing degree programs require a certain number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing also. Ask if the schools have associations with nearby South Charleston WV community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placement of students in internships.

Learn More About Becoming an LPN or LVN in South Charleston

Choose the Best South Charleston LPN or LVN School

Enrolling in the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is perhaps the most crucial step to beginning a new career in the health care field. There are various aspects that you should take into account when picking a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently contingent on your current career objectives, lifestyle, and economic status. As we have emphasized in this content, it is essential that you choose an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the healthcare community. By using our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a short list of schools to pick from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your hard work and ambition to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurse in South Charleston West Virginia.

 

SOUTH CHARLESTON LPN OR LVN CLASSES | SOUTH CHARLESTON LPN OR LVN COURSES