LVN Nursing Programs Portland ME - LPN and LVN Schools Near You

How to Select the Right LPN College near Portland Maine

Portland ME LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are essentially two academic credentials offered that provide instruction to become an LPN near Portland ME. The one that can be concluded in the shortest amount of time, commonly about one year, is the certificate or diploma course. The other option is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma option and normally require 2 years to complete. The benefit of Associate Degrees, aside from providing a higher credential and more comprehensive instruction, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. No matter the type 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 attests 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?

Portland ME Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have a number of functions that they perform in the Portland ME health care facilities where they work. As their titles indicate, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Maine. While they may be accountable for overseeing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves generally 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. Anyplace that you can find patients requiring medical care 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 routine job activities may include:

Checking vital signs
Administering medications
Starting IV drips
Overseeing patients
Taking blood or urine samples
Managing patient records
Supporting physicians or RNs with procedures

Along with their job duties being controlled by each state, the medical facilities or other Portland ME healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job roles within those parameters. Additionally, they can practice in numerous specialties of nursing, such as long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN Programs Online

female student attending LPN school online in Portland ME Enrolling in LPN schools online is emerging as a more preferred way to obtain training and earn a nursing certificate or degree in Portland ME. Many schools will require attendance on campus for a component of the training, and almost all programs call for a specified number of clinical rotation hours carried out in a local healthcare center. But since the balance of the training may be accessed online, this method may be a more practical answer to finding the free time to attend college for some students. Regarding tuition, a number of online degree programs are less costly than other on campus options. Even other expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be minimized, 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 very little time to work toward your academic goals, maybe an online LPN training 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 Portland 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 Portland 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 pointers to start narrowing down your choices. As you undoubtedly realize, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Portland ME as well as within Maine and throughout the United States. So it is necessary to reduce the number of schools to select from to ensure that you will have a manageable list. As we previously pointed out, the location of the school as well as the cost of tuition are most likely going to be the first two things that you will consider. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your final 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 a premium education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not offered for non-accredited schools near Portland ME.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements for LPNs are different from state to state. In all states, a passing score is required on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) together with graduation from an accredited school. Certain 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 outstanding education, but also preps you to comply with the minimum licensing requirements for Maine or the state where you will be working.
Reputation. Check internet rating services to see what the evaluations are for all of the LPN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews too. Also, get in touch with the Maine school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some nearby Portland ME 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 considering 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 dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only substantiate that the school has a superb reputation within the Portland ME medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students gain a position.
Internship Programs. The best way to acquire experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Almost all nursing degree programs require a specific number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing as well. Check if the schools have a working relationship with nearby Portland ME community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the positioning of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Portland ME?

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

Portland, Maine

Portland is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine, with a population of 67,067 as of 2017.[5] The Greater Portland metropolitan area is home to over half a million people, more than one-third of Maine's total population, making it the most populous metro in northern New England (an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont). Portland's economy is heavily dependent on tourism and the Old Port district is a popular destination. The Port of Portland is the largest tonnage seaport in New England. The city seal depicts a phoenix rising from ashes, which is a reference to the recoveries from four devastating fires.[6] Portland was named after the English Isle of Portland, Dorset. The city of Portland, Oregon was named after Portland, Maine.[7]

Native Americans originally called the Portland peninsula Machigonne ("Great Neck").[8] Portland was named for the English Isle of Portland, and the city of Portland, Oregon, was in turn named for Portland, Maine.[9] The first European settler was Capt. Christopher Levett, an English naval captain granted 6,000 acres (2,400 ha) in 1623 to found a settlement in Casco Bay. A member of the Council for New England and agent for Ferdinando Gorges, Levett built a stone house where he left a company of ten men, then returned to England to write a book about his voyage to bolster support for the settlement.[10]Ultimately, the settlement was a failure and the fate of Levett's colonists is unknown. The explorer sailed from England to the Massachusetts Bay Colony to meet John Winthrop in 1630, but never returned to Maine. Fort Levett in the harbor is named for him.

The peninsula was first permanently settled in 1632 as a fishing and trading village named Casco.[8] When the Massachusetts Bay Colony took over Casco Bay in 1658, the town's name changed again to Falmouth. In 1676, the village was destroyed by the Abenaki during King Philip's War. It was rebuilt. During King William's War, a raiding party of French and Native allies attacked and largely destroyed it again in the Battle of Fort Loyal (1690).

Pick the Right LPN Program near Portland ME

Portland ME LPN geriatric nurse with patient Choosing the right Licensed Practical Nurse school is potentially the most crucial first step to starting a new career in the healthcare field. There are many factors that you should take into account when deciding on a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently contingent on your current career objectives, obligations, and financial situation. As we have stressed in this article, it is important that you choose an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the healthcare community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in LVN Nursing Programs. 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 ambition to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Portland ME.