LPN Degree Halifax MA - LPN and LVN Schools Near You

How to Find the Right LPN Program near Halifax Massachusetts

Halifax MA LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are principally two academic credentials available that provide education to become an LPN near Halifax MA. The one that can be concluded in the shortest time frame, commonly about 1 year, is the certificate or diploma program. The other choice is to attain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and typically require 2 years to finish. The benefit of Associate Degrees, besides supplying 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 kind of credential you seek, it should be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or any other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC guarantees that the course of study properly prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

What is an LPN?

Halifax MA Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have numerous duties that they carry out in the Halifax MA medical facilities where they are employed. As their titles imply, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Massachusetts. Although they may be responsible for managing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves normally work under the oversight of either an RN or a doctor. The medical facilities where they work are numerous and varied, for example hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can encounter patients requiring medical assistance is their domain. Each state not only oversees their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their daily work functions can include:

Taking vital signs
Administering medicines
Starting IV drips
Overseeing patients
Getting blood or urine samples
Maintaining patient records
Supporting physicians or RNs with procedures

Along with their job duties being mandated by each state, the medical facilities or other Halifax MA healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job roles within those parameters. Also, they can work in different specialties of nursing, such as long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN Programs Online

female student attending LPN school online in Halifax MA Attending LPN programs online is emerging as a more popular way to obtain training and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in Halifax MA. Many schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and nearly all programs require a specified amount of clinical rotation hours carried out in a local healthcare center. But since the balance of the training may be accessed online, this alternative may be a more convenient approach to finding the free time to attend school for some students. Concerning tuition, some online degree programs are less costly than other on campus choices. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be lessened, 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, it could be that an online LPN school 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 Halifax MA 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 Schools

Questions to ask Halifax MA LPN programs Now that you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, as well as if you will attend classes on campus or on the web, you can use the following checklist to start narrowing down your options. As you probably are aware, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Halifax MA as well as within Massachusetts and throughout the United States. So it is important to reduce the number of schools to select from in order that you will have a manageable list. As we previously pointed out, the site of the school and the expense of tuition are probably going to be the primary two things that you will consider. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your ultimate choice, use the following questions to see how your pick 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 organization. In addition to helping confirm that you receive a quality education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not provided for non-accredited schools near Halifax MA.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing criteria for LPNs are different 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 specific number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s imperative that the school you are enrolled in not only delivers a top-notch education, but also readies you to satisfy the minimum licensing standards for Massachusetts or the state where you will be working.
Reputation. Look at online rating services to see what the assessments are for all of the LPN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. In addition, check with the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some local Halifax MA 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 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 confirm that the school has a good reputation within the Halifax MA medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students attain a position.
Internship Programs. The best way to obtain experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Essentially all nursing degree programs require a certain number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing as well. Check if the schools have associations with local Halifax MA community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placing of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Halifax MA?

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

Halifax, Massachusetts

Halifax was first settled by Europeans, most notably the Bosworth family from Bosworth Fields in England, in 1669, growing with lumbering and agriculture. It was officially separated from the town of Plympton and incorporated in 1734, and was named for Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. The town was part of an early effort to create a canal between Buzzards Bay and Massachusetts Bay, when in 1795 a canal was proposed between the Taunton River and North River. However, the plan never succeeded, although the town's sawmills continued to grow, as did cranberry production, iron furnaces and a wool mill. The railroad came in the nineteenth century, providing access for people from the city to the shores of Silver Lake and the Monponsett Ponds. Today the town is mostly residential, with a small retail area growing at the center of town.[2]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 17.3 square miles (45 km2), of which 16.1 square miles (42 km2) is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km2), or 6.81%, is water. Statistically, Halifax is the 235th largest town in the Commonwealth by land area, and is eighteenth out of the twenty-seven communities in Plymouth County. Halifax is bordered by Hanson to the north, Pembroke to the northeast, Plympton to the southeast, Middleborough to the southwest, and Bridgewater and East Bridgewater to the west. Halifax is approximately 12 miles (19 km) west of Plymouth, 13 miles (21 km) southeast of Brockton, and 33 miles (53 km) south-southeast of Boston.

Much of Halifax's geography is dictated by water. The town lies on the western banks of Silver Lake, and is also the site of Robbins Pond, Indian Trail Reservoir and Burrage Pond in the west of town, and East and West Monponsett Ponds near the center of town. The two Monponsett Ponds are separated by a narrow strip of land, barely 150 feet (46 m) wide in some spots, and this strip of land also accommodates part of MA Route 58. Part of the town's border with Bridgewater is defined by the Taunton River, which also spawns the Winnetuxet River and several other brooks into town. And, on either side of the Monponsett Ponds lie swamps, with Great Cedar Swamp to the west and Peterson Swamp to the east. The town also shares a small conservation area with neighboring Plympton and the larger Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area with Hanson.

Pick the Right LPN School near Halifax MA

Halifax MA LPN geriatric nurse with patient Picking the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is arguably the most critical step to beginning a new career in the health care industry. There are various factors that you need to think about when deciding on a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career objectives, lifestyle, and financial situation. As we have emphasized in this article, it is important that you choose an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have exceptional reputations within the healthcare community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in LPN Degree. However, by utilizing our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a shortlist of schools to pick from so that you can make your final selection. And with the right degree and training, combined with your hard work and drive to succeed, you can become an LPN in Halifax MA.