Licensed Practical Nursing Schools Kirkland IL - LPN and LVN Schools Near You

How to Choose the Right LPN Program near Kirkland Illinois

Kirkland IL LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are essentially two scholastic credentials available that provide instruction to become an LPN near Kirkland IL. The one that can be finished in the shortest period of time, generally about one year, is the certificate or diploma program. The next alternative is to obtain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma alternative and commonly require 2 years to finish. The benefit of Associate Degrees, along with providing a higher credential and more in-depth training, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. No matter the type 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 guarantees 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?

Kirkland IL Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have numerous duties that they carry out in the Kirkland IL medical facilities where they are employed. As their titles indicate, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Illinois. Although they may be responsible for managing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves typically work under the supervision of either an RN or a doctor. The healthcare facilities where they work are numerous and varied, for instance hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anywhere that you can encounter patients requiring medical assistance is their dominion. Every state not only controls their licensing, but also what functions an LPN can and can’t perform. So based on the state, their daily job activities can include:

Checking vital signs
Administering medicines
Initiating IV drips
Observing patients
Taking blood or urine samples
Maintaining patient records
Helping physicians or RNs with procedures

In addition to their work functions being controlled by each state, the health facilities or other Kirkland IL healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job roles within those parameters. Also, they can work in various specialties of nursing, including long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN Programs Online

female student attending LPN school online in Kirkland IL Enrolling in LPN schools online is emerging as a more in demand way to get instruction and earn a nursing certificate or degree in Kirkland IL. Certain schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and almost all programs require a specific amount of clinical rotation hours carried out in a local healthcare center. But since the rest of the training can be accessed online, this alternative may be a more accommodating answer to finding the free time to attend college for some students. Concerning tuition, many online degree programs are less costly than other on campus alternatives. Even other expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be lessened, helping to make education more affordable. And a large number of online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. So if your work and household obligations have left you with little time to pursue your academic goals, it could be that an online LPN training program will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your active 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 Kirkland IL 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

Questions to ask Kirkland IL LPN programs Once you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, and if you will attend classes on campus or on the internet, you can utilize the following pointers to start narrowing down your options. As you probably realize, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Kirkland IL as well as within Illinois and throughout the United States. So it is important to lower the number of schools to select from so that you will have a manageable list. As we earlier pointed out, the location of the school as well as the expense of tuition are most likely going to be the primary two factors that you will look at. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So prior to making your final choice, use the following questions to see how your pick measures up to the other programs.

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 acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to helping make sure that you obtain a quality education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools near Kirkland IL.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for LPNs vary 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 specified number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s important that the school you are enrolled in not only delivers an excellent education, but also prepares you to meet the minimum licensing requirements for Illinois or the state where you will be practicing.
Reputation. Look at online rating companies to see what the reviews are for each of the LPN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews too. Also, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some nearby Kirkland IL 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 unhappy with the program and dropped out. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only substantiate that the school has a favorable reputation within the Kirkland IL healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students attain employment.
Internship Programs. The most ideal way to obtain experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Virtually all nursing degree programs require a specific number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing too. Find out if the schools have a working relationship with local Kirkland IL community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placement of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Kirkland IL?

If you are considering enrolling in and attending an LPN school near Kirkland IL, you may find the following information both interesting and useful when making your final decision.

Kirkland, Illinois

According to the 2010 census, Kirkland has a total area of 1.232 square miles (3.19 km2), of which 1.22 square miles (3.16 km2) (or 99.03%) is land and 0.012 square miles (0.03 km2) (or 0.97%) is water.[9]

As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 1,166 people, 430 households, and 307 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,036.0 people per square mile (398.4/km²). There were 442 housing units at an average density of 392.7 per square mile (151.0/km²). 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.26.

In the village, the population was spread out with 29.5% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 31.8% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.5 males.

Select the Right LPN Program near Kirkland IL

Kirkland IL LPN geriatric nurse with patient Picking the right Licensed Practical Nurse program is potentially the most crucial step to beginning a new career in the healthcare field. There are numerous variables that you must think about when deciding on a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently contingent on your current career goals, lifestyle, and financial status. As we have highlighted within this post, it is essential that you pick an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have outstanding reputations within the health care community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in Licensed Practical Nursing Schools. However, by using our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to develop a short list of schools to choose from so that you can make your final selection. And with the right degree and training, combined with your dedication and desire to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Kirkland IL.