How to Pick the Best LVN or LPN Program Near Gainesville Florida

Once you have decided on a rewarding career in the field of nursing, it's imperative that you locate a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) program near Gainesville FL that will deliver the right instruction. If you live in Texas or California, then you will be looking for a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) school instead. There is no distinction, other than the names, between an LPN and an LVN. They both carry out the same job functions and work in medical facilities under the guidance of Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors. But their duties do vary 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 the ones that are the closest to their houses or that are the least expensive. Although tuition and location are important factors, they are not the only criteria that you should base your selection on. Other factors, for example if the schools are accredited or have high pass rates on the licensing exam are very important as well. Let's take a look at the function of an LPN and what is involved in the education and licensing process.

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Job Duties of an LPN or LVN

Licensed Practical Nurses have many different functions that they carry out in the Gainesville FL healthcare facilities where they are employed. As their titles indicate, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Florida. While they may be responsible for supervising Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves usually work under the oversight of either an RN or a doctor. The healthcare facilities where they work are numerous and varied, for instance hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anyplace that you can encounter patients in need of medical assistance is their dominion. Each state not only regulates their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can't perform. So based on the state, their day-to-day work activities might include:

• • Measuring vital signs
  • Providing medicines
  • Initiating IV drips
  • Observing patients
  • Collecting blood or urine samples
  • Keeping patient records
  • Helping doctors or RNs with procedures

Along with their occupational responsibilities being mandated by each state, the health care facilities or other Gainesville FL healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job duties within those parameters. Also, they can work in numerous specialties of nursing, such as long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LVN and LPN Courses

There are generally two academic credentials offered that provide training to become an LPN or LVN near Gainesville FL. The one that can be finished in the shortest amount of time, generally about twelve months, is the certificate or diploma course. The other choice is to attain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and normally require 2 years to finish. The benefit of Associate Degrees, besides providing a higher credential and more comprehensive instruction, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor's Degree in nursing. No matter the type of credential you seek, it needs to be state approved and ideally accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or any other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC attests that the syllabus effectively prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that the majority of graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

Attending LVN and LPN Online Classes

Attending LPN schools online is emerging as a more favored way to obtain training and earn a nursing certificate or degree in Gainesville FL. Many schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and nearly all programs call for a certain number of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare facility. But since the rest of the training may be accessed online, this option may be a more convenient answer to finding the free time to attend college for some students. Pertaining to tuition, a number of online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus alternatives. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be lessened, helping to make education more affordable. And many online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. And so if your job and household commitments have left you with very little time to work toward your academic goals, perhaps an online LPN program will make it easier to fit a degree into your busy schedule.

More Info on How to Become an LVN or LPN in Gainesville

 

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