How to Pick the Right LPN College near Milford Nebraska
There are generally two academic credentials available that provide instruction to become an LPN near Milford NE. The one that can 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 more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and generally require 2 years to complete. The benefit of Associate Degrees, besides providing a higher credential and more extensive instruction, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. Regardless of the kind 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 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?
Licensed Practical Nurses have a number of tasks that they carry out in the Milford NE healthcare facilities where they work. As their titles indicate, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Nebraska. Although they may be responsible for monitoring Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves generally work under the direction of either an RN or a doctor. The health care facilities where they work are numerous and diverse, such as hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anyplace that you can find patients requiring medical attention is their domain. Each state not only controls their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can’t perform. So based on the state, their everyday job functions may include:
- Taking vital signs
- Administering medicines
- Setting up IV drips
- Observing patients
- Taking blood or urine samples
- Managing patient records
- Supporting doctors or RNs with procedures
Along with their job functions being mandated by each state, the health care facilities or other Milford NE 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.
LPN Programs Online
Attending LPN programs online is becoming a more popular way to receive training and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in Milford NE. Many schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and nearly all programs call for a specific number of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare center. But since the rest of the training can be accessed online, this method may be a more practical solution to finding the time to attend classes for some students. Pertaining to tuition, some online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus alternatives. Even other expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be minimized, helping to make education more easily affordable. And a large number of online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. So if your work and family obligations have left you with very little time to pursue your academic goals, perhaps an online LPN 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 Milford NE 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
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 pointers to start narrowing down your choices. As you probably realize, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges near Milford NE as well as within Nebraska and throughout the United States. So it is essential to lower the number of schools to select from in order that you will have a workable list. As we already discussed, the site of the school and the cost of tuition are most likely going to be the initial two things that you will consider. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So prior to making your ultimate selection, 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 in addition to the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to helping make sure that you obtain an excellent education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not offered for non-accredited schools near Milford NE.
- 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) as well as graduation from an accredited school. Certain states require a certain number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s important that the school you are enrolled in not only provides a top-notch education, but also readies you to meet the minimum licensing standards for Nebraska or the state where you will be practicing.
- Reputation. Check internet rating services to see what the evaluations are for each of the LPN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. In addition, check with the Nebraska school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some nearby Milford NE 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 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 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 Milford NE healthcare community, but that it also has the network of relationships to assist students obtain a position.
- Internship Programs. The most effective way to get experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Virtually all nursing degree programs require a specific number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing also. Ask if the schools have associations with local Milford NE community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placement of students in internships.
Enrolling in an LPN Program near Milford NE?
If you are considering enrolling in and attending an LPN school near Milford NE, you may find the following information both interesting and useful when making your final decision.
Milford, Nebraska
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 2,090 people, 770 households, and 494 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,679.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,034.6/km2). There were 843 housing units at an average density of 1,080.8 per square mile (417.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.4% White, 0.3% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population.
There were 770 households of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 4.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.8% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.97.
The median age in the city was 31.7 years. 22.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 21.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20% were from 25 to 44; 21.5% were from 45 to 64; and 15.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 55.8% male and 44.2% female.
Enroll in the Right LPN School near Milford NE
Enrolling in the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is arguably the most important first step to launching a new career in the healthcare industry. There are a number of factors that you need to think about when selecting a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career goals, obligations, and financial status. As we have highlighted in this post, it is important that you choose an LPN school 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 Programs Near Me. However, by utilizing our list 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 proper degree and training, combined with your hard work and drive to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Milford NE.
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