Practical and vocational nursing degrees are available at a variety of nursing schools and community colleges across the country. Since the information age has brought the internet’s potential to the academic world one can be assured that your career choice will offer at least part of the course online. Since there is a substantial practical component to nursing however, not all entire modules can be done virtually. Considering these requirements, there are blended courses and online LPN certificate programs designed to kick off or enhance your nursing career. For the next level, LPN to BSN degrees can also be done online to assist practical nurses with their career advancements.
The National Council Of State Boards Of Nursing
The NCSBN, community colleges and vocational schools in each offer virtual online LPN programs in the areas of theory and administration. NCSBN is a non profit entity with membership made up of fifty state partnership boards coming together including 4 territories: Guam, the Mariana Islands (northern) DC, Samoa (American) the Virgin Islands. These nursing boards ensure that the public are protected by offering high quality licensed nursing skills. These nursing boards oversee the regulation of well over two million nurses who are licensed. This is the 2nd biggest licensed individual group of professionals in the States.
By choosing to align an online LPN program research with NCSBN, one would be doing so with an organization whose primary objectives are aligned with the development of a high caliber psychometric licensing exam, which has legal ramifications of compliance to its content quality in line with cutting edge nurses practices. NCSBN has adopted numerous statements, principles, acts and rules for use by member boards of nursing such as the Model Practice Act, which includes the authority to conduct criminal background checks and offer standards for drug screening results.
Both NCLEX PN and RN exams under NCSBN development and administration, are consistently re-evaluated to keep pace with evolutions within the health care system. Offering online LPN programs and other licensed nursing courses is a part of the organization’s aims to offer cutting edge services. In 1994 they became the first organization to adopt adaptive testing via computer (CAT) on a nation-wide scale for licensing exams. Over two million individuals up for nursing license candidature have participated in the CAT-facilitated version of the NCLEX exam.
The demand for the program and nurses went abroad and now NCSBN has created an extension to the learning to facilitate educational career goals for educators and students. This Learning Extension is comprised of online LPN programs as part of thirty five courses which focus on extensive materials and topics for both regulators and nurses.
The Learning Extension
This extended learning service from the NCSBN – www.learningext.com – empowers nursing professionals various career phases whether student, nurse in practice or educator nurse. The catalogue offers the following:
- A review of the NCLEX
- Practice standards : SOP
- Compassionate Care
- Patient Outcomes-management
- Co-Worker relations
- Nurses Instruction
A choice of online LPN programs and other course choices can be viewed by visiting the website where one can enroll in a course. Courses at NCSBN Learning Extension offering E-Learning for the Nursing Community accommodate Nursing Students via the NCLEX online review, which prepare students for the expectations of the professional practice.
Practicing Nurses can enhance their primary areas of competence from the course with expert developed material. The educator nurse can be more easily enabled to conduct assessments of student learning during the preparation of the leaders in the nursing field via CE modules and specialty courses. The site allows access to more than two thousand pages of substantial information including online LPN programs, exam question for practice and tools for interaction.
The following are examples of online courses offered. The website additionally lists prices and contact hours;
- Nursing Acts of Practice
- Ethics in Nursing
- Nursing Legal Accountability and Liability
- What nurses need to know in the case of a disciplinary action
- Life-end care
- Keeping boundaries professional
- Patient outcome management
- Critical thinking
- Errors in Medicating
- Privacy of the patient
- Documenting the Client
- Effective delegation
- Chemical Dependency in colleges and how to confront it.
Online LPN programs as well as other nursing course options at Learning Extension such as Nursing Instruction, include modules that cover the developments of tests and writing Items for the 4.0 version, as well Assessing Critical Thinking. Imagine the diversity you can bring to your career such as a sporting the specialization of, for example, a forensic nursing certificate.
College Online LPN Program Subjects
Other than 
bodies such as the NCSBN, may colleges offer online LPN programs such as the Terre Haute State University of Indiana . This institution is small and offers personal attention with a rate of student to teacher at seventeen to one. This is perfect for learning’s of an experiential nature. The University offers a campus-based virtual online program for accredited associate, bachelor, master and PhD’s. The institute is split into several colleges, among them College of Human and Health Performance as well as the Nursing College.
While the Nursing College’s online LPN program to RN may be finished virtually or in the classroom whilst its bachelors dept deals with distance learning. Programs are designed to prep the student for communicating, educating and advocating optimally as nurses. When the program is completed, LPNs in the LPN bridge to RN programs will fit the criteria and be eligible to write the RN exam. Many states acknowledge the LPN to RN conversion such as Colorado, Florida, New York and California.
Online LPN programs at the College require students to enter with licensed practical nursing qualification to have done course material which covers psychology, adult nursing care and pediatric care as well as micro-biology and communications. When they have been officially accepted to the major, the student then has to fill 41 class credits such as Mental Illness Nursing, Stress Care for Families and Community Health Nursing with a population focus.
The College’s online LPN programs combine in-class or by studying virtually, with hours spent in the clinical environment. While coursework is taught from textbooks, most foul points are where the student can learn practically from the experienced professionals they work with.
In effect, at the core of most online LPN program offerings are sets of courses which cover theory and conceptual elements within the profession itself. These show the next generation of LPN’s the process of diagnosing and healing a patient, as well as isolating an illness and working clearly and concisely with the patient post and pre treatment. Practical nursing curricula are un – chartered territory for the student.
The nurse course differs from LPN to RN and the specializations, certain of which require students to complete a variety while others mandate a handful. Some can be conducted virtually, via online LPN programs, yet others demand the candidate to demonstrate face-to-face personalized care techniques. On both occasions, the course provides the information and training required to prep the candidate to become a licensed LPN.
An understanding of Anatomy is vital to this profession and LPN’s need to clearly understand various body mechanics and how the components relate to one another. Anatomical training is vital and integrated in all online LPN programs. Distance-based anatomical studies can be imparted virtually via lectures, as well as during laboratory experiments where students can engage in a practical manner.
Classes in Psychology assist LPN’s to gain a developed understanding of the conduct and mental status of patients and students can become familiarized with social matters which serve to more easily treat and communicate with patients. Computer Education is an important element for practical nursing, equipping future LPNs with what is needed to draw up a report, do stats calculations and do internet-based research for illnesses and ways to treat them.
Intrinsic to online LPN program modules is communicating with the patient which is as pivotal for the nurse as the service and care imparted. Understanding the fundamentals for communicating can lend to the patient’s experience and assist their families to deal with the situation at hand. This, in turn, helps the nurse to work with all the information needed to remain as effective as possible.
Online LPN Programs at Various Institutions
- At Walden University, it is encouraged to put knowledge to use in organizations, communities, and families. They offer over 60 online degree programs with more than 300 specializations and concentrations. While their Learning Format is listed as 100% Online Programs, ensure that these include the necessary practical hours required for your qualification.
- Kaplan University education offers a 5-week no tuition obligation and if you choose not to continue after the trial period they will refund your application fee. The University is private offering undergraduate, graduate, and continuing professional education programs delivered through an online LPN programs and other course options.
- The University at Grand Canyon is another option, regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association. Keiser University on the other hand offers accreditation from the Colleges Commission of the Southern Colleges Association for the awarding of certificate, bachelors, masters and PhD level degrees.
- Liberty Online University claims its position as main not for profit among its online compatriot institutions offering over forty five degrees and one hundred specialized areas in a flexi-format in at the bacc, master’s and PhD level.
- Capella University is another option for online LPN programs, offering degrees health care to more than 30,000 students in all 50 states and 45 other countries.
- South University’s online degree programs are designed to provide educational opportunities for the intellectual, social, and professional development of a diverse student population.
An online search will further reveal options for considering the best online LPN programs to apply for, ensure that your chosen institution is accredited and that a balance of theory and practical is adequate to serve the qualification you desire.