Wanting an LPN degree

Nursing Students LPN/LVN Students

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Hello there!

My name is Stephanie, I am 25yrs old. I currently live in Charleston, SC...I am a mommy of a cute 2yr old boy and also a military wife.

I've been living here for almost 2 years now and am super interested in becoming an LPN. I found a school really close to home called Trident Technical College, I looked into their program but the waiting list is up to a year. I looked into other schools but I don't feel they can be trusted with them being accredited or not.

I was wondering if you guys can give me some pointers in becoming an LPN, schools you guys have gone too... Also I have read that there are schools that let you do your classes online and get your clinicals done at medical offices or hospitals around your area. Is this true?

HELP PLEASE:)

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You should consider taking every non nursing class while you are waiting to enter nursing school. This will help you remain busy while you wait, and it will benefit you while in school.

There are very few LPN programs that allow you to take classes online and perform the typical clinicals, although many LPN-RN bridge programs work in that manner.

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I am not familiar with any programs that allow you to become an LPN online. I would research through your State Board of Nursing the NCLEX pass rate of schools you are considering. Best of luck.

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Specializes in Postpartum, Mother/Baby, Comm. Health, Geriatric.

Yes, I agree with VioletKali, take all the pre-reqs you can and go with the accredited program.

I went through the same thing with accreditation issues (here in MI), so I checked CCNE/NLNAC websites and found a practical nursing program I was comfortable with. I was accepted into an ADN-RN program, but I'd rather go with a program accredited by a nursing body and bridge my way through.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Academic accreditation is not an important consideration with 'contact hour' (vocational/technical) schools because they only need to be approved by the state's nursing board, who also establish the minimum number of training hours that are required. In my state, LVN programs must have a minimum of 840 hours of training. These types of schools can award a diploma or certificate, but this does NOT a college degree with transferable credits. These programs can simply include 'general education' like nutrition or pharmacology into the program rather than having separate classes.

Some LPN programs are based on "college hours" - divided into courses that count as college credit & provided by a community college. Academic courses (not clinical) courses for these programs are usually transferable, just like any other college course.

Overall, contact hour (technical) programs are shorter in length than college hour programs, but they can be much more expensive if they are provided by a commercial (for-profit) school. Graduates from both types of programs are entitled to take the NCLEX-PN. When you pass that, you will be an LPN.

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