How to Find the Right LPN School near Maple Plain Minnesota
There are essentially two scholastic credentials available that provide education to become an LPN near Maple Plain MN. The one that may be completed in the shortest time frame, normally about twelve months, is the certificate or diploma course. The other alternative is to obtain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma alternative and typically require 2 years to finish. 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. Regardless of 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 attests 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?
Licensed Practical Nurses have many different tasks that they accomplish in the Maple Plain MN health facilities where they are employed. As their titles signify, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Minnesota. While they may be responsible for overseeing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves generally work under the direction of either an RN or a doctor. The medical facilities where they work are numerous and assorted, for example hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anyplace that you can encounter patients in need of medical care is their domain. Each state not only oversees their licensing, but also what work activities an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their daily work functions may include:
- Taking vital signs
- Administering medications
- Starting IV drips
- Monitoring patients
- Getting blood or urine samples
- Maintaining patient records
- Supporting physicians or RNs with procedures
Along with their job responsibilities being controlled by each state, the medical facilities or other Maple Plain MN healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job roles within those parameters. Additionally, they can practice in different specialties of nursing, such as long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.
Online LPN Programs
Enrolling in LPN schools online is emerging as a more favored way to receive instruction and earn a nursing certificate or degree in Maple Plain MN. Many schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and virtually all programs require a specified amount of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare facility. But since the remainder of the training may be accessed online, this alternative may be a more convenient solution to finding the free time to attend school for some students. Concerning tuition, a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus choices. Even other expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be minimized, helping to make education more economical. And numerous online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. Therefore if your job and family obligations have left you with 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 Maple Plain MN 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.
Things to Ask LPN Schools
Once you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, as well as if you will attend classes on campus or on the internet, you can use the following guidelines to start narrowing down your options. As you undoubtedly are aware, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges near Maple Plain MN as well as within Minnesota and throughout the United States. So it is important to lower the number of schools to choose from to ensure that you will have a manageable list. As we earlier mentioned, the site of the school along with the expense of tuition are probably going to be the first two points that you will consider. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So prior to making your final choice, 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 in addition to the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to helping ensure that you receive a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not available for non-accredited schools near Maple Plain MN.
- Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites 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. Certain states require a specified number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s important that the school you are attending not only delivers an excellent education, but also readies you to meet the minimum licensing standards for Minnesota or the state where you will be working.
- Reputation. Visit online rating companies to see what the assessments are for each of the LPN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. In addition, get in touch with the Minnesota school licensing authority to determine if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some nearby Maple Plain MN 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 substantiate that the school has a superb reputation within the Maple Plain MN healthcare 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 environment. Almost all nursing degree programs require a specific number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing as well. Check if the schools have associations with nearby Maple Plain MN community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placing of students in internships.
Enrolling in an LPN Program near Maple Plain MN?
If you are considering enrolling in and attending an LPN school near Maple Plain MN, you may find the following information both interesting and useful when making your final decision.
Maple Plain, Minnesota
Maple Plain is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,768 at the 2010 census.[6]U.S. Route 12 and Hennepin County Roads 19, 29, and 83 are four of the main routes in the community.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.12 square miles (2.90 km2), of which 1.11 square miles (2.87 km2) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) is water.[1] Maple Plain is located 20 miles west of Minneapolis on U.S. Highway 12.
Maple Plain is named for the many sugar maples in its forests.[7] Early settlement of the area began in 1854 and revolved around Lake Independence to its north, and its outflow Pioneer Creek. In 1868 and 1869, the St. Paul, Pacific and Manitoba Railroad was built through Maple Plain. By 1871, Maple Plain had a post office. The city was incorporated as a village in 1912. Village water came to the town in 1939, sewer circa 1950, and blacktop in 1961.
Pick the Right LPN School near Maple Plain MN
Enrolling in the right Licensed Practical Nurse program is arguably the most critical step to starting a new career in the health care field. There are many factors that you must take into account when picking a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently contingent on your existing career goals, lifestyle, and economic status. As we have emphasized within this post, 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 CNA To LPN. However, by using our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a shortlist 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 ambition to succeed, you can become an LPN in Maple Plain MN.
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