Buffalo residents considering practical nursing as a career option should know that they must graduate from a state-approved licensed professional nurse (LPN) training program before seeking licensure in New York.
Practical nursing programs in the United States are regulated at the state level. The New York State Education Department is the official government body charged with granting approval to qualified LPN Buffalo nursing schools.
This article offers advice on how prospective nursing students can locate accredited Buffalo LPN programs and details New York's practical nurse licensing guidelines.
LPN Buffalo Nursing License
Individuals who have never completed a year of learning in an accredited nursing program in the United States or been licensed to practice as a nurse in another state must fulfill the following requirements in order to become a Buffalo LPN:
- complete a New York-approved LPN program
- pass the national NCLEX-PN licensing examination
- complete a criminal history review
Working nurses who hold an out-of-state license can apply to transfer their licensure to the State of New York through the New York State Education Department (NYSED). To inquire about the state's endorsement application process, call 518-474-3817.
Buffalo LPN Programs' Classes
NYSED-approved nursing schools throughout the state have the flexibility to mold their own unique curricular structures and course offerings. However, students should know that all state-approved LPN Buffalo nursing schools are required by state law to provide students with the following minimum instructional elements:
- a combined academic and training program no shorter than 9 full months
- at least 500 hours of supervised clinical training
- a theory-based classroom component
Buffalo nursing students learn a number of critical content areas in approved schools, including the following classroom-based subjects:
- Anatomy
- Basic nursing diagnostic procedures
- Pharmacology
- Medical nursing
- Infection control
- Physiology
- Nursing for the elderly
- Rehabilitation nursing
- Pediatric nursing
- Social sciences
- Surgical nursing
- Physical sciences
In the clinical-based portion of state-approved Buffalo LPN training programs, students work alongside professional nurses as they treat a wide range of patients, thus gaining the experience necessary to become successful practical nurses after graduation.
LPN Buffalo Nursing Schools
State-accredited nursing schools throughout New York are offered by a range of educational providers, including community colleges, technical institutions and career schools.
To find approved programs in Buffalo, see the NYSED LPN program list and search for those schools situated in and around Buffalo.
Advantage of Buffalo LPN Training
Students who finish a state-approved LPN Buffalo nursing program and pass the national licensing exam are legally allowed to work as a practical nurse in state medical facilities throughout New York.
To find more nurse training opportunities in New York and elsewhere, see also:
The Best Nursing Programs Online
David Harris-Gershon - David Harris-Gershon – a blogger for Tikkun magazine and a freelance writer on Israel, the Middle East and America’s role in ...
Join the Conversation