LVN School Online Athens ME

How to Pick the Right LPN College near Athens Maine

Athens ME LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are generally two scholastic credentials offered that provide training to become an LPN near Athens ME. The one that may be finished in the shortest amount of time, typically about one year, is the certificate or diploma program. The 2nd option is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma option and typically require 2 years to finish. The advantage of Associate Degrees, besides supplying a higher credential and more comprehensive instruction, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. Regardless of the type of credential you pursue, it should 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 adequately prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

What is an LPN?

Athens ME Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have numerous duties that they carry out in the Athens ME medical facilities where they are employed. As their titles signify, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including Maine. While they may be accountable for monitoring Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves normally work under the guidance of either an RN or a doctor. The medical care facilities where they work are numerous and assorted, such as hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can find patients seeking medical assistance is their dominion. Every state not only oversees their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their everyday job functions may include:

Checking vital signs
Administering medications
Setting up IV drips
Observing patients
Getting blood or urine samples
Maintaining patient records
Assisting physicians or Registered nurses with procedures

In addition to their work duties being controlled by each state, the health care facilities or other Athens ME healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job roles within those parameters. In addition, they can work in different specialties of nursing, for example long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN Programs Online

female student attending LPN school online in Athens ME Enrolling in LPN programs online is becoming a more favored way to receive training and attain a nursing certificate or degree in Athens ME. Many schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and nearly all programs require a specific amount of clinical rotation hours conducted in a local healthcare center. But since the remainder of the training may be accessed online, this method may be a more practical answer to finding the time to attend classes for some students. Pertaining to tuition, some online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus choices. Even supplemental expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be lessened, helping to make education more affordable. And numerous online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. So if your job and family responsibilities have left you with very little time to pursue your academic goals, it could be that an online LPN program will make it easier to fit a degree into your busy 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 Athens ME 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 Athens ME LPN programs Once you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, as well as if you will attend classes on campus or online, you can use the following checklist to start narrowing down your options. As you no doubt are aware, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Athens ME as well as within Maine and throughout the United States. So it is necessary to reduce the number of schools to choose from to ensure that you will have a workable list. As we earlier discussed, the location of the school and the expense of tuition are undoubtedly going to be the initial two things that you will look at. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So prior to making your final selection, use the following questions to see how your selection compares to the field.

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 organization. In addition to helping confirm that you obtain a premium education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools near Athens ME.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing criteria for LPNs differ from state to state. In all states, a passing score is needed on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) as well as graduation from an accredited school. Many states require a certain number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s essential that the school you are enrolled in not only provides an exceptional education, but also preps you to satisfy the minimum licensing requirements for Maine or the state where you will be practicing.
Reputation. Check online rating companies to see what the assessments are for all of the LPN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Also, contact the Maine school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some local Athens ME 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 programs you are considering what their graduation rates are as well as how long on average it takes students to finish their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were unhappy 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 good reputation within the Athens ME medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students attain employment.
Internship Programs. The most effective way to obtain experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Almost all nursing degree programs require a specified number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing too. Find out if the schools have a working relationship with local Athens ME community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placement of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Athens ME?

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

Athens, Maine

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,019 people, 391 households, and 270 families residing in the town. The population density was 23.4 inhabitants per square mile (9.0/km2). There were 577 housing units at an average density of 13.2 per square mile (5.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.4% White, 0.2% African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.6% of the population.

There were 391 households of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 8.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.9% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.99.

The median age in the town was 40.4 years. 24.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.7% were from 25 to 44; 29.9% were from 45 to 64; and 12.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 50.7% male and 49.3% female.

Choose the Right LPN Program near Athens ME

Athens ME LPN geriatric nurse with patient Enrolling in the right Licensed Practical Nurse program is potentially the most important step to starting a new career in the health care industry. There are numerous variables that you need to consider when deciding on a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career objectives, lifestyle, and economic status. As we have stressed in this content, it is important that you pick an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the medical community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in LVN School Online. However, by utilizing our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to develop a short list of schools to pick from so that you can make your final selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your dedication and drive to succeed, you can become an LPN in Athens ME.