Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Classes
How to Enroll In the Best One Near Wheeling West Virginia

A first step that you need to take after deciding to become a Licensed Practical Nurse is to find and enroll in the right LPN school near Wheeling WV that will help you enter the gratifying vocation of nursing. California or Texas residents will alternatively enroll in an LVN school to train to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. There is no distinction, apart from the names, between an LPN and LVN. They both perform the same job functions and work in healthcare facilities under the supervision of Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors. Although, as we will cover in this report, their daily job functions can vary depending on the state where they are employed. Many new students begin by searching for schools that are within commuting distance of their homes and of those target the one that has the lowest tuition. But there are other credentials that a school should have and a decision should not be made based on cost and location alone. 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 additional questions that you should ask potential schools before enrolling in a LPN or LVN training program that we will talk about later in this article. But to start with, let's look at the job of an LPN and what is involved in the instruction and licensing process.

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

LPN and LVN Job Description

Licensed Practical Nurses have many different functions that they accomplish in the Wheeling WV healthcare facilities where they practice. As their titles indicate, they are required to be licensed in all states, including West Virginia. Even though they may be responsible for overseeing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves usually work under the direction of either an RN or a doctor. The medical facilities where they work are numerous and varied, for instance hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anywhere that you can find patients seeking medical treatment is their domain. Every state not only oversees their licensing, but also what work activities an LPN can and can't perform. So based on the state, their daily work activities may include:

• • Checking vital signs
  • Providing medications
  • Setting up IV drips
  • Overseeing patients
  • Taking blood or urine samples
  • Maintaining patient records
  • Helping doctors or Registered nurses with procedures

In addition to their work duties being mandated by each state, the medical facilities or other Wheeling WV healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job duties within those parameters. In addition, they can practice in numerous specialties of nursing, for instance long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN and LVN Training

There are principally two academic credentials available that provide instruction to become an LPN near Wheeling WV. The one that may be finished in the shortest period of time, typically about 12 months, is the certificate or diploma course. The 2nd choice is to attain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma option and commonly require 2 years to finish. The benefit of Associate Degrees, in addition to providing 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 type of credential you pursue, it should be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or another national accrediting organization. The NLNAC guarantees 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 emerging as a more in demand way to obtain training and earn a nursing certificate or degree in Wheeling WV. Certain schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and virtually all programs call for a specific number of clinical rotation hours carried out in a local healthcare facility. But since the remainder of the training may be accessed online, this option may be a more convenient approach to finding the free time to attend college for some students. Concerning tuition, a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus options. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be minimized, helping to make education more affordable. And many online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. And so if your work and family obligations 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 Schools

Once you have decided on obtaining your LPN or LVN certificate or degree, as well as if you will attend classes on campus or on the web, you can utilize the following checklist to begin narrowing down your choices. As you probably realize, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges near Wheeling WV as well as within West Virginia and throughout the United States. So it is important to reduce the number of schools to select from to ensure that you will have a workable list. As we previously mentioned, the site of the school along with the price of tuition are most likely going to be the initial two factors that you will consider. But as we also stressed, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your ultimate decision, 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 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 a quality education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not offered for non-accredited schools near Wheeling WV.
• 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) as well as graduation from an accredited school. Many states require a certain number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It's essential that the school you are attending not only provides a top-notch education, but also preps you to comply with the minimum licensing standards for West Virginia or the state where you will be practicing.
• Reputation. Visit internet rating services to see what the evaluations are for all of the LPN or LVN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews too. In addition, contact the West Virginia school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some nearby Wheeling WV 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 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 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 Wheeling WV medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students obtain employment.
• Internship Programs. The most ideal 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. Many states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing as well. Ask if the schools have a working relationship with local Wheeling WV community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placing of students in internships.

Learn More About Training to Be an LPN or LVN in Wheeling

Enroll in the Right Wheeling LPN or LVN School

Enrolling in the right Licensed Practical Nurse program is potentially the most critical step to starting a new career in the health care field. There are many variables that you should consider when picking a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently contingent on your existing career goals, obligations, and financial status. As we have pointed out within this article, it is essential that you pick an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have excellent reputations within the healthcare community. By utilizing our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to develop 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 Wheeling West Virginia.

 

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