Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing Schools
How to Pick the Best One Near Eau Claire Wisconsin

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 Eau Claire WI that will help you enter the rewarding vocation of nursing. California or Texas students will alternatively enroll in an LVN school to learn to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. Other than the names, there is no difference between an LVN and an LPN. They both carry out the same job functions and work in health care facilities under the supervision of Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors. However, as we will cover in this article, their daily job activities can differ based on the state where they are employed. Most nursing candidates start 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 location and cost alone. For example are the schools accredited or do they have high pass rates on the licensing exam, 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 talk about 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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LPN and LVN Job Description

Licensed Practical Nurses have a number of tasks that they perform in the Eau Claire WI healthcare facilities where they work. As their titles imply, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Wisconsin. While they may be responsible for monitoring Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves usually work under the supervision of either an RN or a doctor. The healthcare facilities where they work are numerous and diverse, such as hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anywhere that you can encounter patients requiring medical treatment is their dominion. Each state not only oversees their licensing, but also what functions an LPN can and can't perform. So depending on the state, their everyday work activities can include:

• • Checking vital signs
  • Providing medicines
  • Setting up IV drips
  • Overseeing patients
  • Getting blood or urine samples
  • Keeping patient records
  • Supporting doctors or RNs with procedures

Along with their occupational functions being mandated by each state, the medical facilities or other Eau Claire WI healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job roles within those parameters. Additionally, they can work in different specialties of nursing, including long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN and LVN Training

There are principally two academic credentials offered that provide education to become an LPN near Eau Claire WI. The one that may be finished in the shortest amount of time, normally about 1 year, is the certificate or diploma course. The next option is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and typically require 2 years to finish. The benefit of Associate Degrees, along with providing a higher credential and more comprehensive instruction, 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 attests that the course of study effectively prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that the majority of graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

LPN and LVN Programs Online

Enrolling in LPN or LVN programs online is growing into a more favored way to receive instruction and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in Eau Claire WI. Many schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and virtually all programs call for a certain amount of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare facility. But since the remainder of the training can be accessed online, this method may be a more convenient answer to finding the free time to attend school for some students. Regarding tuition, a number of online degree programs are less costly than other on campus options. Even supplemental expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be reduced, helping to make education more easily affordable. And numerous online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. Therefore if your job and household obligations have left you with little time to pursue your academic goals, it could be that an online LPN program will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your active schedule.

Questions 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 on the web, you can use the following checklist to begin narrowing down your choices. As you probably are aware, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Eau Claire WI as well as within Wisconsin and throughout the United States. So it is essential to lower the number of schools to select from to ensure that you will have a manageable list. As we previously pointed out, the location of the school and the price of tuition are probably going to be the first two factors that you will consider. But as we also stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So prior to making your ultimate selection, use the following questions to see how your pick compares to the field.

• Accreditation. It's a good idea to make sure that the certificate or degree program along with the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Aside from helping verify that you get a premium education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not provided for non-accredited schools near Eau Claire WI.
• Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for LPNs and LVNs vary 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. Certain states require a specific number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It's imperative that the school you are enrolled in not only provides an excellent education, but also prepares you to meet the minimum licensing requirements for Wisconsin or the state where you will be practicing.
• Reputation. Look at online rating companies to see what the evaluations are for all of the LPN or LVN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews too. In addition, contact the Wisconsin school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some local Eau Claire WI healthcare organizations you're interested in working for after graduation and ask what their assessments 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 verify that the school has a good reputation within the Eau Claire WI healthcare community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students obtain 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 requirements for licensing also. Ask if the schools have associations with nearby Eau Claire WI community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the positioning of students in internships.

Learn More Info About Becoming an LPN or LVN in Eau Claire

Choose the Best Eau Claire LPN or LVN Program

Deciding on the right Licensed Practical Nurse school is perhaps the most crucial step to beginning a new career in the health care industry. There are many aspects that you must think about when selecting a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career objectives, obligations, and economic situation. As we have emphasized in this article, it is essential that you enroll in an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have excellent reputations within the medical community. By utilizing our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to develop a shortlist of schools to choose from so that you can make your final selection. And with the proper degree and training, combined with your dedication and desire to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurse in Eau Claire Wisconsin.

 

EAU CLAIRE LPN OR LVN PROGRAMS | EAU CLAIRE LPN OR LVN SCHOOLS