How to Select the Best LVN or LPN Training Program Near Melrose Park Illinois

Once you have chosen a fulfilling career in the field of nursing, it's important that you locate a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) program near Melrose Park IL that will provide the right instruction. If you reside in Texas or California, then you will be searching for a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) school instead. There is no distinction, apart from the names, between an LPN and an LVN. They both perform the same job functions and work in healthcare facilities under the supervision of Registered Nurses (RN) or Doctors. But their duties do differ depending on the state they practice in, which we will talk about in the next segment. When initiating their search for schools, many potential nursing students begin with those that are the closest to their houses or that are the least costly. Even though cost and location are important considerations, they are not the only criteria that you should base your selection on. Other variables, for example if the schools are accredited or have high pass rates on the licensing exam are very important too. Let's 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 Melrose Park IL healthcare facilities where they practice. As their titles indicate, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including Illinois. Even though they may be responsible for managing 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 diverse, for instance hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can find patients requiring medical care is their domain. Each state not only oversees their licensing, but also what functions an LPN can and can't perform. So based on the state, their day-to-day work functions may include:

• • Taking vital signs
  • Providing medicines
  • Starting IV drips
  • Overseeing patients
  • Collecting blood or urine samples
  • Managing patient records
  • Supporting doctors or RNs with procedures

Along with their work duties being governed by each state, the health care facilities or other Melrose Park IL healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job duties within those parameters. In addition, they can work in different specialties of nursing, which include long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN and LVN Programs

There are principally two scholastic credentials available that provide education to become an LPN or LVN near Melrose Park IL. The one that may be completed in the shortest period of time, typically about twelve months, is the certificate or diploma program. The second choice is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and generally require 2 years to complete. The advantage of Associate Degrees, in addition to providing a higher credential and more in-depth instruction, are that they furnish 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 some other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC attests that the syllabus properly prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that the majority of graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

Taking LPN and LVN Online Courses

Attending LPN schools online is becoming a more favored way to obtain instruction and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in Melrose Park IL. Certain schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and almost all programs call for a certain amount of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare center. But since the balance of the training may be accessed online, this option may be a more accommodating answer to finding the free time to attend college for many students. Concerning tuition, some online degree programs are less costly than other on campus choices. 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. Therefore if your job and family responsibilities have left you with limited time to work toward your academic goals, perhaps an online LPN program will make it easier to fit a degree into your active schedule.

Find Out How to Become an LPN or LVN in Melrose Park

 

MELROSE PARK HOW TO BECOME AN LPN OR LVN | MELROSE PARK LPN OR LVN PROGRAMS NEAR ME