This article is the second on a series on healthcare today. This installment focuses on the differences between RN (Registered Nurse) and LVN/LPN (Licensed Vocational/Practical/Professional Nurse) and what it means to you.
Much media attention has been focused on the lack of nurses, as mentioned in the first article on this series. However, much of that attention has been poorly focused. This is due in part from lazy reporting. Other influences have been political influences in the medical field.
The nurse shortage is not and does not need to be as drastic as it appears to be at this moment. Almost every statistic stated about the lack of nurses focuses on RN’s. This ignores the fact that there is another classification of nurses. The other classification is called LVN or LPN, depending on which state you refer to. While the title changes, the educational requirements remain the same due to national standards of education and testing.
For the remainder of this article, I will employ LPN for simplicity.
Most of the general public has been led to believe that there is a large difference between RN and LPN and the care they provide. There is petite or no truth to this.
What is the difference between the two?
The role of the LPN has historically been to provide direct care to patients in the medical setting. The role of the RN was designed to be a supervisory position. Years ago, it was normal for many LPN’s to work under the supervision of one RN.
Educationally, LPN’s go through about one year of vocational training to attain their title. RN’s must attend about 2 years of nursing school to collect an Associate’s Degree. Not too common any more is an RN Diploma, which took about 18 months to achieve. Both RN’s and LPN’s engage many of the same classes, such as Anatomy and Physiology, Medications and safety, Medical Terminology, Basic Charting Methods, Age Appropriate Care, Cultural Sensitivity, Developmental Psychology, Developing Care Plans, Nursing Diagnoses.. Each must also attend clinical experiences, in which they must provide notify care of actual patients in hospitals, nursing homes and clinics for psychiatric, medical/surgical, labor and delivery and geriatric patients. However, RN’s must attend classes which LPN’s do not. Most of these focus on theory and administrative functions. Some of these classes are on subjects such as Biological Chemistry, Role of the Charge Nurse, Community Health. They must also take classes which are focused solely on the educational requirement toward gaining a degree, such as elective classes on arts or languages. One state used to have a requirement of a mandatory history class.
In short, the actual medical educations of RN’s and LPN’s are nearly, if not completely, identical. In the clinical setting, there have been numerous references to patients being safer under the care of an RN than an LPN. Yet no studies have ever proven this. Ever. One thing that has been proven is that LPN’s typically are assigned more patients to provide voice care to than RN’s have been. Most of the time, LPN’s have been considered to be working “under the RN’s license”.
The trend in new years has been to force LPN’s out of the hospital setting. The results have been many of the problems causing the lack of safety for patients in the hospital today.
The most obvious execute has been the lack of nurses, especially in the hospital setting. Though many LPN’s are competent, capable and experienced in acute care, most hospitals today will not hire them for that role. Leaving patients at risk.
Studies have shown that the more patients assigned to a nurse (LPN or RN does not matter), the risk of serious medical error increases drastically. On a medical/surgical unit, the advised ratio of nurses to patients is 1:5. Some studies state 1:4. However, in states which do not legislate a certain ratio, 1 nurse for 8-10 patients is not weird. Personally, I have been the sole nurse for as many as 18 patients on a surgical unit.
The higher the ratio of patients to nurses, the higher the risk of hospital-acquired infection rises. This is for one simple reason: The faster a nurse must move, the less likely they are to wash their hands or glimpse infection control methods.
With each patient assigned to a nurse, the amount of charting required increases. The more time a nurse spends with a chart, the less time that nurse can spend with the patients.
With the increased time primary to finish education in a shortage field, the waiting lists for RN schools has grown long. Some schools or geographic areas have waiting lists as long as two years. This is after all pre-requisites are met. Some schools must turn away qualified applicants due to lack of resources to vow them. Other applicants choose another career choice during that waiting time. In my own case, I was on a waiting list two years long for RN school, then chose to go to LVN school. Waiting list? About 3 months. A year later, I was licensed, while others were still waiting to initiate RN school. Others simply never became nurses.
Due to RN’s being paid more than LPN’s, this has led to no small part of the drastic increase in the cost of medical care. Other aspects to this are the higher number of lawsuits due to inadequate care related to lack of staffing. Foolish station, when you consider a lawsuit probably costs a minimum of over $100k, while an LPN salary would probably cost about $45k or less.
So, how did this come about?
The primary force behind this situation is who runs the hospitals today. Hospitals today are, of course, businesses. They are urge by boards of people educated and experienced in business. Most know nothing about medicine. As advisers, they use a chain of command. Most of the people acting as advisers regarding nursing are RN’s who have never been LPN’s. The situation is similar to that of military officers who believe they are superior to enlisted personnel.
For quite some time, several organizations of RN’s have been attempting to eliminate the entire classification of LPN and have lobbied political organizations, the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association and more in their attempts.
Schools are a huge influence on the matter. Seeing dollar signs from the idea of one person paying for two or more years of college, as opposed to one year has made them eliminate (until recently) many LPN courses.
Last and most importantly is JCAHO (Joint Commission for Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations). JCAHO is an organization which applies voluntary (but very, very expensive) certifications to medical organizations, if they meet their standards of certification. While some of their standards are intelligent and reasonable, others are questionable, at best. JCAHO certifications require that hospitals have a certain percentage of RN’s over LPN’s. This remains one of their standards, even with the knowledge that this is a significant contributor to the nursing shortage and increased risk to patients. The interesting part of this is that certification by JCAHO is not mandatory by government standards because most, if not all, states inspect healthcare facilities for safety.
I will not be too redundant in the effects of all of this. It’s really simple. You are paying more for healthcare. You have fewer nurses to monitor your condition, provide for your safety and comfort. Experienced, qualified nurses are unemployed /underemployed or are forced to spend more time and money to gain a higher degree, usually to relieve classes which they could teach, while taking time and money away from their family in order to do so. At the current rate, schools cannot keep up with the increasing demand for nurses.
There is no true defense against this issue. Most of it is political. Until the state becomes truly critical, JCAHO will beget the same standards. Until hospitals reason out that it costs far less to employ LPN’s instead of understaffing and paying out lawsuits, they will maintain the status quo.
In short, for this to change, it will take many millions more illnesses, infections, injuries and lives.
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Trade and technical colleges or vocational schools are designed for individuals who want to prepare for a new job or advance their career skills without filling up their time with unrelated classes or studies. Many two- and four-year colleges offer job-focused training, but they can also require expensive side courses in the arts or sciences that don’t fit with your career aspirations. Technical colleges and vocational schools won’t force you to enroll in time and money-consuming classes you don’t need to succeed.
Today’s trade colleges won’t force you to sacrifice quality training or professional skills development for many well-liked fields today. On the contrary, you’ll find technical colleges that provide expert instruction recognized by employers for jobs in health care, arts, engineering, law, criminal justice, culinary arts, and computer technology. Trade college programs can provide the quickest preparation for entering your chosen field.
Technical College and Trade School Opportunities
If your chosen field doesn’t require a degree to join the profession, why spend four years preparing for it? Technical colleges offer programs leading to certificates, diplomas–and degrees! Some require hands-on training, some are offered entirely online, and some technical or trade schools combine online learning with practical on-campus workshops.
Vocational and trade schools offer a range of programs in specialties such as:
Information Technology: Computer programming, network administration, security, web development, and e-commerce, CAD design.
Technical: Automotive (repair and body), aircraft (maintenance and repair), engineering, HVAC (installation and repair), electronics, appliances, construction, truck driving, and medical equipment.
Business: Office administration, accounting and bookkeeping, business, sales, marketing, and more.
Health Care: Medical coding and billing, office assisting, nursing (LVN or registered nursing), home healthcare aide, medical transcription, health care administration, dental assisting, dental hygiene, lab technician, physical therapy aiding, EMT and paramedic, and more.
Arts and Design: Fashion design and merchandising, interior design, graphic arts, video game form, photography, animation, and multimedia development.
Law and Criminal Justice: Paralegal, court reporting, law office administration, criminal justice, homeland security, and police science.
Culinary Arts: Hospitality management, culinary arts, baking and patisserie, spirits management.
Evaluating Technical Colleges and Trade Schools
If you’re considering enrolling in a technical or vocational trade school, do your homework. Ask employers about the specific training you’ll need to succeed in the field. Evaluate the class listings and costs at your prospective schools. Interview graduates of your final school choices and see if they’re working and how well they have been prepared.
Many technical and vocational schools offer career counseling and job-placement programs to their students. Ask the school about those benefits and for documentation of their success rate in placing graduates into their chosen fields. And you can aid from discovering whether your chosen school teaches on the standard equipment, software, and practices currently used by employers in your prospective vocation.
The right match can mean you’ll receive expert training in the field of your choice that requires the quickest, high-quality training to speed you into the career you really want.
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According to the site Nursing School Degrees, only a GED is required as pre-requisite education for the Licensed Vocational Nursing (LVN) program in California. With an LVN certificate, candidates can earn up to $25 hourly in hospitals, home-health and nursing home facilities under the supervision of a physician or licensed nurse. There are a number of programs in and around Ontario to encourage you study to become an LVN, prepare for your state test or bridge from an LVN to an associate’s degree as a registered nurse (RN).
Sycamore Learning Center for Nurses
The Sycamore Learning Center for Nurses has a 32-hour training program for the state of California’s NCLEX-LPN/LVN test. The course is taught by Esther P. Gomez, R.N., B.S.N., M.S.N., C.P.C who has more than 30 years’ experience as a clinical nurse in a hospital environment. The course is re-structured regularly to stay current with all elements of the state exam. The course is delivered in a lecture format with Power Point presentations and group discussion. At the conclusion of the course, a multiple-choice test is administered to ensure comprehension and test readiness. The class is designed for those who are preparing to take the LVN test for the first time and for those who are re-taking the exam following a failed test. The course is offered in the Los Angeles office as well as a satellite location in Ontario.
Sycamore Learning Center for Nurses Corporate Office
3251 6th Street #105
Los Angeles, California 90020
323-610-5169
sycamorenurses.com
Ontario Nursing School at West Soar University
The Ontario Nursing School at West Coast University was the second private post-secondary school in the set of California to be granted an LVN to RN bridge program by the Board of Registered Nursing in 2005. The 73 credit hour curriculum will give current LVNs the required classroom and clinical instruction necessary to transition to a higher paying registered nurse career. The school also offers a 39-month bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) and an 18-month bridge program for RNs who want to move onto a career as a BSN.
Ontario Nursing School at West Sail University
3130 East Guasti Road
Ontario, California 91761
909-467-6100
866-508-2684 toll-free
westcoastuniversity.edu
Mira Costa College
The Mira Costa Collge in Oceanside is the next closest LVN program in California, about 1 1/2 hours from Ontario. The college has three LVN program offerings. The LVN program is a 1,536 hour two-year part-time program that runs through the drop, spring and summer sessions. The program was founded in 1965, and according to the college’s website, graduates have a 92 percent state exam success rate. Existing LVN licensees may elect for the LVN to RN Step Up program, a full-time three semester course that meets on nights and weekends. Hospital corpsman can take advantage of the Nursing 166 program that gives college credit for past experience and advanced placement in the LVN class.
Mira Costa College
One Barnard Drive
Oceanside, California 92056
760-757-2121
888-201-8480 toll-free
miracosta.edu
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It’s a new world out there. When I first began college, distance learning was a unique concept that some of my professors were bumbling with and trying to gain work. My first online professor, in fact, had such a hard time with it that you could begin up your online tests and all of the answers were pre-filled. (I made a an A in that course.) Today, I could become Dr. Danielle Reynolds without ever stepping my actual foot into a classroom. The idea of distance learning was highly appealing to me from the moment I started college. I began college with a toddler at home and pregnant with my second child. I was a single mother/mother-to-be and had to work two jobs to support my children. Having to also find time to go into a classroom was difficult, to say the least. I was committed to going to college so that I no longer had to work two jobs to survive, but I struggled with attendance. The work was easy enough to manage after the kids were asleep. The schedule wasn’t as easy to manage. Then I found distance learning.
I spent the first year and a half of my ten years of college going to traditional classes. The rest were obtained through online courses. I’ve learned a lot about how to fetch, manage, and be successful with online learning. I’ve also learned a lot about how to manage the degrees once you obtain them. I find that a lot of people don’t know how to accept information, acquire or are unable to manage the programs, or are just haunted of them altogether. I hope this article can help.
Finding the right school
The first step is to find the right school. If you’ve already found the right school, skip to You’re enrolled, Now What? If you are afraid to go fully into distance learning, explore colleges near you that offer both online and traditional classes. Try them both. Almost every college now offers course online. If you are committed to distance learning and want to pursue it from beginning to kill, you don’t have to rule out colleges in your area. Many colleges and universities now offer entire degrees online right in your hometown. This also applies if you already have an undergraduate degree and are looking into graduate school. In another time, I could have given you the entire list of schools offering online degrees. Now, you will have to come by it for yourself. There are many, many websites where you can search. Most will put you on the upright track. A small amount of research will result in a large amount of options.Don’t limit yourself to only schools you have heard of. I ended up attending a school that I had never heard of and obtained my BS from that school. With so many options, how do you know which school is right?
Search by degree
After you find the massive list of colleges that you can back online, search by degree to find the ones that offer what you want. Be realistic when making the decision to attend distance learning. If you want to become an LVN or are trying to relieve med school online, you just aren’t going to find it and you aren’t going to be well served by the degree if you do find it. If you are interested in a degree in psychology, English literature, teaching, computer information, business, and so on, you’re in the right place. That said, if you don’t find the degree you’re interested in in the drop down list of whichever website you choose, it doesn’t mean you can’t get that degree online. Try another site or search by a related degree and check the specific web pages of the schools from those results. For example, you are enthusiastic in a degree in child development. This may not be specifically on the list, but psychology or sociology are related and you can obtain that degree.
Check their credentials.
In order for you to build use of your degree in the real world, your degree must be from an accredited university. Beware that just because a college or university advertisement or homepage states they are accredited, it does not mean that they are. The easiest way to ensure that the school you are most interested in is accredited is to check with CHEA (Council for Higher Education Accreditation). This website tells you everything you need to know about accreditation and has a comprehensive search where you can find out if the school is accredited and by what agency. You will see the term “diploma mills” regularly used with the term “beware” as you embark on this search. Pay attention. You should beware of diploma mills. Diploma mills are schools that voice diplomas without any true requirements. You can’t earn a degree with one paper, life experience, or by paying a fee. Checking is worth your time. Graduate schools, employers, and others will and can verify if your degree is accredited. It’s famous that you know that it is.
Make sure you can afford it.
Any school will have a way for you to calculate tuition. Your best bet is to find the financial aid page for the school and survey. If you know nothing about what tuition should be, check comparable schools. Peterson’s offers great information about the cost of tuition and allows you to compare different schools’ cost. Rep the search tool here. If you need financial aid, check the website and beget sure that they offer financial aid. If the school does in-house financial aid or states that financial assistance can be obtained through a private bank, they may not be eligible for federal financial aid such as pell grants or federal student loans. Personally, I’m leery of any school that isn’t eligible or doesn’t offer federal financial aid. Otherwise, you have to rely on your credit in order to get these types of financial aid, your interest rates will likely be higher, you aren’t eligible for any of the loan reduction programs offered by the federal government, and you will have a harder (or impossible) time getting deferments or forbearances. Make sure you do your research because you can’t be successful if you can’t afford to go
Read reviews from trusty people.
Just because a school is accredited, it does not mean that it is a advantageous school and it doesn’t mean it is right for you. Reading reviews can go a long way to gain distinct that you don’t get yourself into a school that will not work for you. GetEducated.com is a gigantic place to score information on what a school is like from real people who have gone there. If all else fails, google it and see if there are a lot of complaints and rants about the school popping up. You can’t always trust just a few people’s opinion. But, if you inspect a distinct pattern, take trace. You can also find out what type of work you are expected to do. For example, most of the online universities that I attended required that you mainly write essays as assignments. I, personally, would prefer an essay to a test or book work. If you hate writing essays, make positive you don’t befriend a college where this is your primary way of making the grade. You can find this out by getting feedback from real students who have attended.
Check admission guidelines.
You need to be positive that you qualify for admission. If you are interested in entering graduate school to regain your Master’s online, be sure that your undergrad credentials are acceptable. If you are applying for college for the first time, make sure you meet the admission requirements and have access to the information the school needs. This applies to any college, but distance learning can be particularly tricky because you can’t prance into the admissions office and hand them what they need.
It is not unusual or suspicious to have to have an application fee. Most online schools are very easy to apply to and likely require an admission fee to pay the salary of the person processing all of those applications. This can also weed out people who are just exploring and don’t really intend to apply. This should not make you suspicious unless this fee is more than $100.00. The fee is usually closer to $50.00.
Once you have found the school, applied and meet the guidelines, you need to enroll. This is dazzling straightforward, but you need to understanding for this to take longer for a distance learning college. You will be mailing information (or having it mailed) to the school and it may take longer to process. As I’ve already said, you can’t usually walk in and hand them what they need. This makes it take longer. If you don’t provide them with the right information the first time, it can take even longer.
Talk to the school
Even though you can’t walk in, the college has staff to help you through the admission and enrollment process. Counselors are available. Some schools, such as Walden University, assign you a counselor or admissions ambassador that you are required to work with. Talk to this person, they will serve you. Don’t be afraid to ask every question you can think of.
You were approved and you are enrolled. Now you need to know how to manage going to college with no professor, classroom, schedule, or classmates. First, understand that you do have professors, a classroom, a schedule, and classmates. You may not be able to view any of them with your right eyes, but they are there. Your professor will be a name on a screen or a say on the telephone. Your classroom will be a webpage, chatroom, or conference call. Your classmates are the other people on the screen or the phone. Your schedule will be a itsy-bitsy more tricky. Your syllabus or assignment list may be your only schedule or you may be given a trusty schedule. I have taken courses where all assignments were due by the end of the semester and that was that. This is fairly rare. Generally, you will be given assignments with due dates and requirements for participating in message board, chat room, or phone discussions. This is your schedule. You have to orient yourself to this type of environment.
Five Tips for Quick Success:
Time management. Time management. Time management.
Did I mention time management?
If you take anything away from this article, it is that the key to success for distance learning is time management. You will not have anyone staring you in the face asking for your assignments or reminding you that you have something due. You will be free to do your work on your schedule, so you have to make that schedule or your work will not get done.
My most potent and my quickest lesson when going online was that I had to come up with a serious strategy for time management. I am a procrastinator. It is likely only because I have so much other stuff to do that I tend to do things about 15 minutes before their latest deadline. After some very long nights and some fairly bad grades, I realized that this doesn’t work well with distance learning. I won’t pretend that I completely learned my lesson. Up to the last course I took online, I waited until the last cramped to turn things in. The difference was, I knew it was coming.
In order to be successful, you must manage your time. I have attended online classes at four different universities. All four allowed me to print the syllabus and assignment list for the semester a week before class began. Like any school, you will have some courses with more work than other. Like most schools, you will likely have a major assignment due at the end of the semester. Knowing what you are expected to do each week will go a long plan in helping you thought ahead of time how powerful time you need to win the assignments prepared.
Things you can do:
Create a calendar in Outlook or comparable programs that set reminders to inform you when things are do and give you fair warning that they are due. (Your school may provide you with a calendar program that does this for you). Put every assignment on that calendar at the beginning of the semester and set appropriate reminders before your semester even starts.
Give yourself a structured schedule. As I’ve said, I had time for education somewhere closer to midnight. I had a set time every day that I checked on my courses and worked on my assignments. My time was 11pm to 1am. (As they say, I went to school in my pajamas.) Although you are making your own time to go to classes, you do have to devote the time to your classes. Create a schedule that works for you.
Check in every day. You may only have to submit assignments weekly, monthly, or even semester-ly. But things change, people discuss, and professors provide you with information. Checking daily can help you catch any changes, get hints or ideas from others and catch all of your professors important comments or updates. Don’t only check in on the day your assignment is due. The due date or assignment may have changed. It has happened to me enough times that I strongly recommend this to anyone.
Get ahead when you can. If you find yourself caught up with time to spare, move on to the next week or assignment. the more ahead you get, the more chance you have to revise or relax later. This also helps you if you have one of the million little emergencies that life tends to throw at you.
Use the tools that are given to you.
You may have access to online tutorials or tours that walk you through your classroom or course. Don’t skip this, no matter how computer savvy you are. Every environment is different and every course is set up differently. You need to know what is available to you and how to use it. Don’t assume that you know or can figure it out.
You will be given access to a Virtual Library. Use it. This will give you access to journals, articles, texts, and other resources that you would otherwise not be able to accept or would have to pay to access. Virtual Libraries can be a much more vast resource than a local University library because you generally have access to a lot of data that is out on the web or available electronically that your local University does not have in-store. Databases such as EBSCO can only be accessed by institutions and your Virtual Library is the only way you are going to get these resources.
You will likely be given access to writing centers, research resources, peer leaders (experienced students who can answer your questions), career development resources, mentors, and tutoring. Exhaust them if you need them.
To find out what is available at your school, search the student pages.
Interact with your classmates.
This has the same advantages as it does in a traditional classroom. The feeling about distance learning goes one of two ways. Either you feel more comfortable talking to your classmates because you feel so anonymous or you feel more anonymous so you don’t feel like there really are other real people in your class. Reach out and talk to someone.
Honest because you are in distance learning, don’t retract you can’t have the college experience. You can join clubs, even fraternities and sororities. You can join study groups. You can make friends. You can even get together in person. You can participate in extra-curricular activities, they objective may be a minute different than the college football game. Buy the T-shirt, have a beer, and chat with your classmates.
Talk to your professor
Your professor is a person. They may be in Ohio and you in south Texas, but they are still a person. You need to interact with your professor to ask questions, clarify assignments, or anything else that you would want or need from a professor you see in the classroom. Your professor will provide you with an email address and a phone number along with times they are available. Get the information and hold it. Use the phone. Don’t be afraid. They are paid to voice you. Many online professor are also professors in a weak classroom. Pay attention to when they are available and call them on those times. If you can’t wait or are unavailable yourself at those times, send them an email. They are living and breathing, even if it doesn’t seem that diagram.
Don’t overload yourself
As I’m sure I’ve made clear, I went to college while heavily obligated to other things. I, personally, am a quite effective multi-tasker and can handle a large load. Create sure that you can handle what you are getting yourself into. If you have a full life outside of school, don’t take five courses at once. You may deem that because it is online, you can take as many courses as you want and do them whenever. If “whenever” is only when you sleep, don’t take as many courses as you want. Take as many courses as you can handle. If you need to take a semester off, do it. Take it from someone who’s made all the mistakes, it’s better to take on less and succeed than to rob off more and fail.
*Go to my associated affirm homepage to look for more on distance learning.
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- Working at home should be treated like working in an office.
- The more a VA learns about a client’s business, the more valuable he/she becomes.
- VAs should be looking for partnerships — long-term relationships with partners, not quickie tasks.
“Falling into” a position such as a Virtual Assistant is not how it happens for everyone; I was very lucky. When I was starting out, I didn’t even realize the career path that I was choosing. My husband was working for a small web services firm as head of their web obtain department. They were often asked if they offered services such as web content writing, editing and proofreading and/or data capturing services for order forms or entry forms. This is where I came in; I had found my niche. I was working from home as a data capturer for a local company. I knew that I had the experience for what his clients were looking for, and with the data capturing position, I knew I had the discipline and time management skills needed to work from home. Offering to help with a few minor projects, I didn’t realize that a few years from that meager originate, I would be working full-time (or at least as full-time as I’d like) from home as a Virtual Assistant, fully self-employed. Since 2000 when this started, I’ve expanded my services and my office. I now enjoy more writing & editing assignments and helping others establish their Virtual Assistant practices.
What is a VA?
A Virtual Assistant, or VA, is an independent contractor who provides administrative, secretarial, creative and/or organizational services to his/her clients via the internet, email, snail mail, fax and telephone, whatever gets the job done! VAs can provide nearly all of the services of an in-house assistant at a fraction of the cost! Virtual Assistants have a vested interest in their clients’ success. The more a VA learns about a client’s business, the more valuable he/she becomes.
Utilizing advanced technological modes of communication and data delivery, a professional VA assists clients in his/her area of expertise from her own office on a contractual basis. Working together virtually opens up a whole unique talent pool to draw from that was previously unavailable to professionals and small business owners. He/she knows that starting a business is an investment, not a way to make money fast. VAs look for partnerships – long-term relationships with partners, not quickie tasks or one-time assignments.
What are the qualities of a great VA?
Commence ears, great listening skills
Active mind, willing to learn unusual things
A ready heart
Believes in him/herself and his/her clients
A magnetic personality
Able to simplify life and work
Flexible, able to adapt to modern ways of doing things
Intelligent, fast learner
Proactive
Attentive and focused
Confident
Committed
Self-disciplined and self-motivated
Education vs. Experience
This seems to be the “hot button” topic among VAs. When something works for one, that is the method that they believe in.
Since the description of a “Virtual Assistant” is so ambiguous, an emphasis on education or experience depends on what services will be offered and what skills are already possessed. Experience in a variety of fields can be helpful: secretarial/administrative, reception, customer service, human resources, billing, etc. And, as much as this position can be discounted in today’s society, don’t forget your most important role as a parent which teaches multi-tasking, time management, grammar correction, diplomacy and learning to pick your battles.
There are a lot of different types of VAs out there. With some, more formal training is required. When doing tasks for specific fields, such as medical, apt or technical jobs, you may need additional certificates, degrees and/or on-the-job training to provide these services.
Sharon Williams, MVA, Coach and Author (www.the24hoursecretary.com) has mixed feelings about certifications versus coaching versus only experience:
“First, credentialing is very important, no matter the industry. If the virtual assistance industry could develop one credentialing process that is universally accepted across the industry, I would be its staunchest supporter. However, currently, there are several credentialing groups, each establishing its bear criteria for eligibility and some that cannot be transferred when you cease membership. Until there is more uniformity and a ‘standard,’ I do not believe credentialing will have the impact or credibility it should within and outside the industry. That being said, I do own that coaching/training is a vital part of an aspiring VA’s growth. There are many aspects and skills needed when owning and running a business that are not acquired by secretaries, admin assistants, and clerks entering the VA industry. Traditional brick and mortar marketing and promotions do not apply to an internet-based/focused business. Aspiring VAs need to become better educated about the nuts and bolts of running a virtual assistant business and adapting those skills and their niche to a global marketplace. One of the best ways to salvage these skills and knowledge is by teaming with a coach or taking classes geared specifically to their niche. I would caution, however, that everyone who offers a class or coaching is not necessarily qualified and experienced enough to hold those titles (trainer and coach). Perform due diligence before investing money into courses. Finally, for those with extensive experience, yes, you may start your VA practice based on your prior employment and qualifications, but being a VA should be a life-learning process, and I would recommend enrollment in supplemental classes to augment your experiences.”
A.J. Horne of Horne Communications (www.avamas.com) writes that “some type of professional certification is absolutely essential in establishing credentials. A wonderful education is necessary when applying for a job, but that does not quantify you as a VA when you are an independent business person. Membership in a certification program provides a professional image, a solid network of like professionals, as well as vital education that fills the gaps not provided in conventional education.”
One good procedure to get splendid experience while building your business is to volunteer services to local church groups, non-profits, etc. For example, desktop publishing services for newsletters and/or bulletins, volunteer to be on that committee for a group. Do a great job and it will be noticed!
Setting Up Your Home Office
One of the most significant things for a Virtual Assistant to have, in order to establish him/herself “virtually,” is a professional-looking website. If web-building abilities are lacking, hire a reasonably-priced web designer to design the site. To keep costs down, method out exactly what is wanted BEFORE sitting down with a web designer. Don’t go for a lot of flash or glitzy images. Keep the set informative. It’s apt to include a page about yourself (why you do this/your experience), rates and/or pricing information, the services offered and contact information. It’s also a good idea to include any projects worked on, letters of commendation, any awards won, or certificates achieved.
Starting out, especially if this is in addition to a full-time “day job,” it’s okay to be an independent contractor. When you do start to collect clients, it’s recommended that to set up with a business name, license and look into incorporating to protect personal (and family’s) assets. This is not said to horror you – my husband and I have both station up home-based businesses, so this was a concern for us and was done to set aside our minds at ease.
For office equipment, have a nice, big desk that’s comfortable for both writing and typing. And, of course, a very comfortable chair is also a big plus.
The other pieces of office equipment needed to complete your home office depends largely on what services are being offered and what instruments are needed for the day-to-day operations of your business.
Jaime Caris (www.alwaysontime.biz) states that the most important piece of office equipment for her is her PC. “What would we do without them nowadays? It is used for EVERYTHING!”
Kimberley Kenney (www.vakk.biz) says that her most important fragment of office equipment is her filing cabinet. “Keeping things organized and filing all pertinent documents is of the utmost importance to any business!”
A separate phone line is a reasonably-priced way to help establish yourself as a “professional.” Sharon Williams, MVA, Coach and Author (www.the24hoursecretary.com) states that her telephone “provides a state mode of accessibility and relationship-building that communicating via computer does not allow. From hearing a person’s voice, [Sharon] can hear the inferences of his statements and questions and can direct the conversation accordingly.”
Most times, a contract will specify what kind of internet connection you will need. Presently, the majority of contracts seen lately specify a LAN/cable modem for internet connection because of the size of the files you will need to download/upload for clients. A good, reliable PC is also a very basic requirement. As far as a printer and/or fax machine, purchasing or leasing one works the best.
For software, purchase at least the basics: Microsoft Office Suite, Quickbooks (for your bookkeeping and if you offer bookkeeping as a service) and any others that are specific to the services you want to offer. Make sure you’re well-trained in that specific software though before you offer services using it.
The most significant thing when setting up your home-based work area is keeping your WHY in mind. Why are you choosing this path in life? I chose to work from home as a Virtual Assistant because of our first daughter Brady. I keep pictures of both her and her sister Emma up all over the place for that reason. Whenever I get that kink in my back, signaling I’ve spent too many hours sitting mild and working, I watch up and see my girls’ pictures. And it’s all worth it!
Deciding What Services to Offer (Niche vs. General)
When figuring out what services to offer, don’t offer anything you don’t like to do. For example, I HATE making cold calls. I do like writing, editing, proofreading, data capturing and desktop publishing. So, when responding to ads or inquiries, I focus on my personal strengths and the services I like to offer.
Another thing to choose on at this point is if you want to be a “general” VA, or if you want to specialize in a certain field such as medical, legal, real estate or technical areas. If you have the training and/or experience in a specialized field, and the desire to work in that field, go after a “niche” in that area. If you don’t have the necessary skills or training, but are interested in a specialized area, try getting in with a firm/company as a general VA and learn the skills you don’t already possess.
There are many VAs who work as general VAs, but market themselves towards sure types of businesses. I have worked as a chiropractic assistant, so it’s a natural extension of my business to do billing and transcription for chiropractors. I have three clients who I do “overflow work” for in this capacity. I also really enjoy writing/editing, so I’ve started marketing myself specifically towards being a “Virtual Writer’s Assistant.”
Setting Fees
Most VAs charge $25-50/hr., depending on the services offered, years of experience and how specialized their field of expertise is. When starting out, it’s good to start in the $15-$25/hr. range, especially if just doing general administrative work. Research what other VAs who offer similar services are charging. Look around at other sites.
Use your discretion when setting prices and rates. Some VAs opt not to list their prices on their sites and charge a per-project fee instead of hourly. If you’re going to do things that way, perform obvious you carefully look at every aspect of the project and how distinguished time is going into it. Be fair both to yourself and your client.
Another obedient suggestion is to give first-time clients a discount on their first project or contract, especially those clients with whom you would like to work. Make sure they know that this is a “First Contract Discount” that you offer to new clients in order to show them the quality of your work and the dedication you have to your clients.
Contracts
A contract is one of the most important tools you should have for this type of work. You can acquire general independent contractor contracts and agreements in many legal books or online. Take one of these and adapt it to your business. Just originate sure it includes the following:
? Your client’s name and company name
? Your legal name and/or company name
? Both addresses and contact info
? The scope of your work on the project or for the client
? The start and end dates of the project/assignment
? A payment and cancellation policy
? The signatures of all people listed in the contract
Make determined to list in detail the scope of what you’re going to be doing. This way, if the client wants to pile more work on you than what you’re supposed to be doing, you can re-negotiate or amend your contract for your novel duties.
Personally, I make it a point not to launch work on any project until I get everything in writing (and signed). Whatever payment or contract policies you settle, make sure you’re willing to enforce them.
Marketing, Advertising and Getting Gigs
One of the most important marketing tools a VA can have is his/her portfolio. Included in this is an updated copy of resume, a complete list of services (detailed), a list of projects you’ve worked on (complete with references), and any client testimonials you’ve collected and a list of awards/certifications/degrees you’ve earned.
A VA can market him/her-self under a variety of titles, depending on the services offered: Virtual Assistant, Virtual Administrative Assistant, Remote Secretarial Services, Virtual Personal Assistant, Virtual Executive Assistant, Virtual Medical Assistant, Virtual Legal Assistant, Virtual Paralegal, etc.
There are also a variety of ways to advertise, depending on what your budget is. One of the cheapest ways to regain clients is by networking. Another way is to space up partnerships with other small businesses whose clientele would be more likely to use a VA. For example, if you write web content, pair up with a web designer to cross-promote each other.
When you survey an ad for temp help in your local paper, write a convincing and persuasive letter to them listing the advantages of using a VA for fill-in or overflow work, the skills you possess and whatever else you “bring to the table.”
Carry business cards with you everywhere! Make them your “calling card!” Leave them everywhere you go that you can exchange them with other businesspeople. Include them in all of your correspondence.
Make sure to get the word of your fresh venture out to your family and friends.
Invest in some brochures/postcards that you can send to targeted companies in your community to announce the services you offer and the advantages of using a VA.
Just a few more thoughts…
In order to succeed in this, or any other, home-based business, you need the support of friends and family and the qualities of determination and perseverance. A “can-do” attitude is needed during the beginning months when the work may be scarce and the money isn’t exactly “rolling in.”
A.J. Horne of Horne Communications offers this idea regarding working from home:
“Working at home should be treated just as working at an office, honest without the commuting. It takes stringent time management and requires flexibility from you as well, juggling the home tasks while doing the work projects. Just remain adaptable, with the thought in mind that “the norm” does not apply to you or your hours.”
Even though the internet is becoming a bigger staple in people’s lives, some business owners and/or individuals will still try to discourage you from this type of work with comments like “How do I know you are really working if you’re not where I can see you? ” DO NOT LISTEN to these people! Believe in yourself. Trust that you’ve made the right decision. Do something every day to build your business. And remove things one step at a time.
As VAs are becoming more widely mature and written about, more employers are coming to realize that there is talent in these overlooked workers.
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