How to Select the Right LPN Program near House Springs Missouri
There are essentially two academic credentials available that provide education to become an LPN near House Springs MO. The one that can be finished in the shortest period of time, usually about 1 year, is the certificate or diploma program. The second choice is to obtain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma option and generally require 2 years to complete. The benefit of Associate Degrees, besides providing a higher credential and more in-depth 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 some other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC attests 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?
Licensed Practical Nurses have many tasks that they perform in the House Springs MO health facilities where they work. As their titles imply, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Missouri. While they may be accountable for monitoring 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 instance 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 controls their licensing, but also what functions an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their daily work functions can include:
- Checking vital signs
- Providing medications
- Initiating IV drips
- Overseeing patients
- Taking blood or urine samples
- Maintaining patient records
- Helping doctors or Registered nurses with procedures
Along with their job functions being mandated by each state, the medical facilities or other House Springs MO healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job roles within those parameters. Additionally, they can work in numerous specialties of nursing, including long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.
Online LPN Programs
Attending LPN schools online is emerging as a more preferred way to receive instruction and earn a nursing certificate or degree in House Springs MO. Many schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and nearly all programs require a specific number of clinical rotation hours carried out in a local healthcare center. But since the rest of the training may be accessed online, this method may be a more accommodating solution to finding the free time to attend classes for many students. Concerning tuition, some online degree programs are less costly than other on campus choices. Even other expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be minimized, helping to make education more easily affordable. And numerous online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. And so if your job and household obligations have left you with limited time to pursue your academic goals, it could be that an online LPN training program will make it easier 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 House Springs MO 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
Once you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, and if you will attend classes on campus or online, you can use the following checklist to begin narrowing down your choices. As you no doubt are aware, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges near House Springs MO as well as within Missouri and throughout the United States. So it is necessary to reduce the number of schools to choose from so 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 factors that you will look at. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your final choice, use the following questions to evaluate how your pick compares to the other schools.
- Accreditation. It’s a good idea to make sure that the certificate program along with the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides helping ensure that you receive an excellent education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools near House Springs MO.
- Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements for LPNs differ from state to state. In all states, a passing score is required on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) along with 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 imperative that the school you are attending not only delivers an exceptional education, but also readies you to meet the minimum licensing requirements for Missouri or the state where you will be working.
- Reputation. Look at internet rating services to see what the assessments are for each of the LPN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Additionally, get in touch with the Missouri school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some local House Springs MO 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 finish their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were displeased 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 good reputation within the House Springs MO medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students attain a position.
- Internship Programs. The best way to get 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. A number of states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing also. Ask if the schools have associations with local House Springs MO community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placing of students in internships.
Enrolling in an LPN Program near House Springs MO?
If you are considering enrolling in and attending an LPN school near House Springs MO, you may find the following information both interesting and useful when making your final decision.
Blue Springs, Missouri
Blue Springs is a city located in the U.S. state of Missouri and within Jackson County. Blue Springs is located 19 miles (31 km) east of downtown Kansas City and is the eighth largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census[update][4] the population was 52,575, tying it for 10th largest city in the state of Missouri with St. Peters. In 2010, CNN/Money Magazine ranked Blue Springs 49th on its list of the 100 Best Places to Live in the United States.[6]
Blue Springs’ history is tied to the migration of settlers on their westward journey. Pioneers found the area to be an ideal stopover due to the abundance of cool, clean water from a spring of the Little Blue River--hence the name Blue Springs. The presence of water and a need for pioneer supplies led to the construction of a grist mill and permanent settlement at the current site of the City's Burrus Old Mill Park on Woods Chapel Road.
The Jackson County Court granted the incorporation of Blue Springs on September 7, 1880, making the City the fourth settlement in the county to be incorporated. An early settler, Franklin Smith, arrived in Blue Springs from Virginia in 1838 and became a leading figure in the community's development. He established the first post office in 1845,[7] naming it after the well-known springs.
Choose the Right LPN Program near House Springs MO
Deciding on the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is arguably the most crucial phase to starting a new career in the health care industry. There are a number of factors that you should think about when selecting a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently depending on your current career goals, obligations, and financial situation. As we have emphasized within this post, it is critical that you select an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have outstanding reputations within the medical community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in Accelerated LPN Programs. However, by utilizing our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to develop a shortlist of schools to select 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 House Springs MO.
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