Prerequisites for LPN Program Granger IA

How to Pick the Right LPN College near Granger Iowa

Granger IA LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are essentially two academic credentials offered that provide education to become an LPN near Granger IA. The one that may be concluded in the shortest time period, generally about 12 months, is the certificate or diploma course. The 2nd alternative is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma alternative and commonly require 2 years to complete. The advantage of Associate Degrees, in addition to offering a higher credential and more extensive training, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. No matter the kind of credential you pursue, 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 syllabus effectively prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

What is an LPN?

Granger IA Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have numerous functions that they complete in the Granger IA healthcare facilities where they are employed. As their titles imply, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Iowa. While they may be accountable for supervising Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves typically work under the oversight of either an RN or a doctor. The healthcare facilities where they work are numerous and varied, for example hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anywhere that you can find patients seeking medical assistance is their domain. Each state not only controls their licensing, but also what functions an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their day-to-day work functions may include:

Checking vital signs
Giving medications
Starting IV drips
Overseeing patients
Collecting blood or urine samples
Keeping patient records
Assisting doctors or Registered nurses with procedures

Along with their work duties being mandated by each state, the health care facilities or other Granger IA healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job roles within those parameters. In addition, they can practice in numerous specialties of nursing, for instance long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN Programs Online

female student attending LPN school online in Granger IA Enrolling in LPN programs online is becoming a more preferred way to obtain instruction and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in Granger IA. Many schools will require attendance on campus for a component of the training, and almost all programs call for a specific amount of clinical rotation hours conducted in a local healthcare facility. But since the rest of the training can be accessed online, this alternative may be a more accommodating solution to finding the free time to attend college for many students. Concerning tuition, many online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus choices. Even supplemental expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be lessened, helping to make education more easily affordable. And many online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. Therefore if your job and household obligations have left you with very little time to pursue your academic goals, it could be that an online LPN school 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 Granger IA 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.

What to Ask LPN Programs

Questions to ask Granger IA LPN programs Now that you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, and if you will attend classes on campus or online, you can utilize the following guidelines to start narrowing down your options. As you no doubt realize, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Granger IA as well as within Iowa 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 discussed, the location of the school as well as the price of tuition are most likely going to be the first two points that you will consider. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your ultimate decision, use the following questions to see how your selection 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. Besides helping confirm that you get a quality education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools near Granger IA.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for LPNs are different from state to state. In all states, a passing score is required on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) in addition to graduation from an accredited school. Certain states require a certain number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s important that the school you are attending not only delivers a top-notch education, but also prepares you to comply with the minimum licensing requirements for Iowa or the state where you will be practicing.
Reputation. Look at online rating companies to see what the assessments are for each of the LPN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews too. Additionally, get in touch with the Iowa school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some nearby Granger IA healthcare organizations you’re interested in working for after graduation and ask what their judgements 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 essential that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only substantiate that the school has a superb reputation within the Granger IA medical community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students attain a position.
Internship Programs. The best way to acquire 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 as well. Ask if the schools have a working relationship with nearby Granger IA community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the positioning of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Granger IA?

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

Granger, Iowa

Granger is a city in Dallas and Polk counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 1244 at the 2010 census, up 113% from 583 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area.

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,244 people, 461 households, and 330 families residing in the city. The population density was 857.9 inhabitants per square mile (331.2/km2). There were 490 housing units at an average density of 337.9 per square mile (130.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.5% White, 0.3% African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.5% of the population.

There were 461 households of which 44.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 28.4% were non-families. 22.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.06.

Choose the Right LPN School near Granger IA

Granger IA LPN geriatric nurse with patient Picking the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is potentially the most important first step to beginning a new career in the healthcare industry. There are many factors that you need to take into account when choosing a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently contingent on your existing career goals, lifestyle, and financial situation. As we have pointed out in this post, it is important that you choose an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have exceptional reputations within the health care community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in Prerequisites for LPN Program. However, by using our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a shortlist 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 an LPN in Granger IA.