How to Pick the Right LPN College near Eastford Connecticut
There are principally two academic credentials available that provide education to become an LPN near Eastford CT. The one that can be finished in the shortest time frame, usually about twelve months, is the certificate or diploma course. The other alternative is to attain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma option and normally require 2 years to complete. The benefit of Associate Degrees, along with providing a higher credential and more comprehensive instruction, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. Regardless of the kind of credential you seek, it needs to be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or another national accrediting organization. The NLNAC warrants that the core curriculum properly prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that the majority of graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.
What is an LPN?
Licensed Practical Nurses have many different tasks that they carry out in the Eastford CT healthcare facilities where they work. As their titles signify, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Connecticut. While they may be accountable for monitoring Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves usually work under the guidance of either an RN or a doctor. The healthcare facilities where they work are numerous and assorted, for instance hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can encounter patients in need of medical treatment is their dominion. Every state not only regulates their licensing, but also what functions an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their everyday work activities might include:
- Checking vital signs
- Providing medications
- Setting up IV drips
- Monitoring patients
- Taking blood or urine samples
- Maintaining patient records
- Supporting physicians or Registered nurses with procedures
Along with their occupational functions being mandated by each state, the healthcare facilities or other Eastford CT healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job duties within those parameters. In addition, they can work in various specialties of nursing, such as long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.
LPN Programs Online
Enrolling in LPN schools online is emerging as a more in demand way to receive instruction and attain a nursing certificate or degree in Eastford CT. Many schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and nearly all programs call for a specified amount of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare center. But since the rest of the training may be accessed online, this alternative may be a more practical solution to finding the time to attend college for some students. Regarding tuition, some online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus alternatives. Even supplemental expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be minimized, helping to make education more easily affordable. And numerous online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. So if your work and household commitments have left you with very little time to work toward your academic goals, perhaps an online LPN program will make it easier to fit a degree into your hectic schedule.
LPN Salary
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) was $45,030 in May 2017. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $32,970, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $61,030. Most licensed practical nurses near Eastford CT work full time, although about 1 in 5 worked part time in 2016. Many work nights, weekends, and holidays, because medical care takes place at all hours. They may be required to work shifts of longer than 8 hours. Employment of LPNs is projected to grow 12 percent from 2016 to 2026. Job prospects should be favorable for LPNs who are willing to work in rural and medically under served areas.
Questions to Ask LPN Schools
Now that you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, and if you will attend classes on campus or on the web, you can use the following guidelines to start narrowing down your options. As you no doubt are aware, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Eastford CT as well as within Connecticut and throughout the United States. So it is important to decrease the number of schools to select from in order that you will have a workable list. As we already pointed out, the location of the school and the price of tuition are undoubtedly going to be the first two things that you will consider. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So prior to making your ultimate choice, use the following questions to evaluate how your pick measures up to the other schools.
- Accreditation. It’s a good idea to make sure that the certificate program in addition to the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to helping confirm that you receive an excellent education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not provided for non-accredited schools near Eastford CT.
- Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements for LPNs are different from state to state. In all states, a passing score is needed on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) in addition to graduation from an accredited school. Many states require a specific number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s important that the school you are attending not only delivers an exceptional education, but also preps you to satisfy the minimum licensing standards for Connecticut or the state where you will be practicing.
- Reputation. Check online rating services to see what the assessments are for all of the LPN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. In addition, contact the Connecticut school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some local Eastford CT healthcare organizations you’re interested in working for after graduation and ask what their assessments are of the schools as well.
- Graduation and Job Placement Rates. Find out from the LPN schools you are looking at what their graduation rates are as well as how long on average it takes students to complete their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were displeased with the program and dropped out. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only confirm that the school has a superb reputation within the Eastford CT healthcare community, but that it also has the network of relationships to assist students obtain a position.
- Internship Programs. The best way to get experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Virtually all nursing degree programs require a certain number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing also. Ask if the schools have associations with local Eastford CT community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placement of students in internships.
Enrolling in an LPN Program near Eastford CT?
If you are considering enrolling in and attending an LPN school near Eastford CT, you may find the following information both interesting and useful when making your final decision.
Eastford, Connecticut
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 29.2 square miles (76 km2), of which, 28.9 square miles (75 km2) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) of it (1.20%) is water.
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 1,618 people, 618 households, and 451 families residing in the town. The population density was 56.0 people per square mile (21.6/km²). There were 705 housing units at an average density of 24.4 per square mile (9.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.78% White, 0.43% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.31% from other races, and 0.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.36% of the population.
There were 618 households out of which 100 have children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.1% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.06.
Choose the Right LPN School near Eastford CT
Choosing the right Licensed Practical Nurse program is perhaps the most crucial phase to beginning a new career in the medical care industry. There are many factors that you must take into account when selecting a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently contingent on your existing career objectives, obligations, and economic situation. As we have stressed within this content, it is essential that you choose an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the healthcare community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in LVN Nursing Schools. However, by using our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a shortlist of schools to choose from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the right degree and training, combined with your dedication and ambition to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Eastford CT.
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