Practical Nursing Diploma Owls Head ME

How to Pick the Right LPN School near Owls Head Maine

Owls Head ME LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are basically two scholastic credentials available that provide instruction to become an LPN near Owls Head ME. The one that can be finished in the shortest period of time, usually 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, besides offering a higher credential and more comprehensive training, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. No matter the kind of credential you seek, it needs to be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or any other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC warrants that the core curriculum properly prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

What is an LPN?

Owls Head ME Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have numerous tasks that they complete in the Owls Head ME healthcare facilities where they practice. As their titles signify, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including Maine. While they may be responsible for supervising Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves usually work under the guidance of either an RN or a doctor. The medical facilities where they work are numerous and diverse, for example hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anyplace that you can find patients requiring medical treatment is their dominion. Each state not only controls their licensing, but also what work activities an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their day-to-day job functions might include:

Measuring vital signs
Giving medications
Initiating IV drips
Monitoring patients
Getting blood or urine samples
Taking care of patient records
Helping physicians or Registered nurses with procedures

In addition to their occupational functions being controlled by each state, the healthcare facilities or other Owls Head ME healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job roles within those parameters. In addition, they can practice in various specialties of nursing, which include long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

Online LPN Programs

female student attending LPN school online in Owls Head ME Attending LPN programs online is becoming a more popular way to obtain instruction and attain a nursing certificate or degree in Owls Head ME. Many schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and almost all programs call for a certain amount of clinical rotation hours carried out in a local healthcare facility. But since the rest of the training can be accessed online, this option may be a more convenient approach to finding the free time to attend college for many students. Regarding tuition, a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus options. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be reduced, helping to make education more economical. And numerous online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. And so if your job and household responsibilities have left you with little time to work toward your academic goals, perhaps an online LPN 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 Owls Head 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 Programs

Questions to ask Owls Head ME LPN programs Now that you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, and if you will attend classes on campus or online, you can use the following pointers to start narrowing down your options. As you probably are aware, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Owls Head ME as well as within Maine and throughout the United States. So it is necessary to reduce the number of schools to select from so that you will have a workable list. As we already discussed, the site of the school and the expense of tuition are probably going to be the initial two factors that you will take into consideration. But as we also stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So prior to making your ultimate decision, 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 as well as the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Aside from helping make sure that you obtain an excellent education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not offered for non-accredited schools near Owls Head ME.
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. Some states require a certain number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s essential that the school you are enrolled in not only delivers an exceptional education, but also prepares you to comply with the minimum licensing requirements for Maine or the state where you will be practicing.
Reputation. Check internet rating services to see what the reviews are for each of the LPN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Also, contact the Maine school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some local Owls Head 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 looking at 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 verify that the school has a superb reputation within the Owls Head ME medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students obtain employment.
Internship Programs. The most effective way to acquire experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Virtually all nursing degree programs require a specified number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing too. Find out if the schools have associations with nearby Owls Head ME community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placing of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Owls Head ME?

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

Owls Head, Maine

Owls Head is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,580 at the 2010 census. A resort and fishing area, the community is home to the Knox County Regional Airport. It includes the village of Ash Point.

When Samuel de Champlain explored Owl's Head in 1605, the Abenaki Indians called it Bedabedec Point, meaning "Cape of the Winds." Mariners would name it for the shape of the promontory, which they thought resembled the head of an owl.[4] First incorporated as part of Thomaston in 1777, and then as part of South Thomaston in 1848, Owls Head was itself set off and incorporated on July 9, 1921. The town is home to both the Owls Head Light Station, a 30-foot (9.1 m) tall granite lighthouse built in 1826 to mark the southern entrance of Rockland Harbor, and to the Owls Head Transportation Museum.[5]

Owls Head was home to an electric trolley line that traveled to Crescent Beach. It was started in 1902, and it ended in the years of 1917-1918, largely due in part to a deadly accident in 1914, in which a train left the tracks killing one woman instantly, and injuring several others.[6]

Choose the Right LPN Program near Owls Head ME

Owls Head ME LPN geriatric nurse with patient Picking the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse school is probably the most important step to launching a new career in the medical care industry. There are a number of variables that you must consider when picking a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently contingent on your existing career goals, lifestyle, and economic status. As we have stressed in this article, it is important that you pick an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have excellent reputations within the health care community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in Practical Nursing Diploma. However, by using our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a short list of schools to choose from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the right degree and training, combined with your hard work and ambition to succeed, you can become an LPN in Owls Head ME.