Are there any online LPN or LVN programs - Page 2

If you look around, there are no pre-licensure programs that are fully online. The only ones that I have seen that come close are Excelsior's ADN program, Indiana's LPN-BSN program, WGU, and Texas A&M's eline program. Even with these programs, there is an on-site clinical aspect to them and you have prior medical experience (WGU is the exception, but you need an associates or bachelor's degree with all science courses completed). Put it this way, do you think having a licensing program that doesn't have any type of hands on component to it would be a good thing for the profession, or would it make it harder to get hired as an LPN?

Technically, you still are starting out as a brand new nursing student, even though you might have many years of extensive healthcare work experience. There are no shortcuts to becoming an LPN.

Even though you might be able to find a PN (practical nursing) school that offers online classes, every state's board of nursing will require you to complete an extensive amount of hands-on clinical practicum time at various healthcare facilities in person.

For example, the state of California requires PN/VN (practical nursing) students to complete 954 clinical hours. My class accomplished this by completing three 8-hour clinical practicum shifts per week for one year at various hospitals, nursing homes, and subacute facilities. We practiced wound care, enteral tube feedings, IV therapy, insertion of urinary catheters, ostomy care, patient assessments, and other hands-on clinical skills.

As others have mentioned, Excelsior College is a distance-based program that allows paramedics, RTs, and others with extensive healthcare experience to study to become RNs through online courses and testing out. However, you will still need to attend a very expensive 3-day clinical rotation where you display your clinical competencies and skills. You only have 3 chances to pass this 'weekend clinical.'

Don't forget about the challenge process. Here in CA you can challenge the LVN board if you have 5 yrs experience in specific areas plus take pharm.

HTH!

You do all those things and you are not a nurse?

You would still be required to do the clinical portion of nursing school.

Respiratory therapists have a decent scope of practice in many states. Where I live, they perform sticks to arteries to draw arterial blood gas specimins. They do simple dressing changes, especially over trach sites, and they perform focused assessments before and after administering breathing treatments and respiratory medications.

However, I seriously doubt the OP is giving tube feedings, inserting nasogastric tubes, caring for nephrostomy tubes, applying ileostomy bags, performing urinary catheter care, or performing the full range of nursing skills in the RT role. Generally, people don't know what they don't know.

I didn't know the OP was an RT.Sorry.

Why not do RN through excelsior? If you're a RT, you are eligible.