School for LPN Allentown NJ - LPN and LVN Schools Near You

How to Select the Right LPN School near Allentown New Jersey

Allentown NJ LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are basically two academic credentials available that provide training to become an LPN near Allentown NJ. The one that may be completed in the shortest period of time, typically about 1 year, is the certificate or diploma course. The other choice is to attain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and normally require 2 years to complete. The advantage of Associate Degrees, aside from providing a higher credential and more in-depth training, are that they provide 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 some other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC guarantees that the syllabus 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?

Allentown NJ Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have many functions that they perform in the Allentown NJ health facilities where they practice. As their titles imply, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including New Jersey. Even though they may be responsible for monitoring Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves usually work under the guidance of either an RN or a doctor. The medical facilities where they work are numerous and diverse, including hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anywhere that you can encounter patients in need of medical care is their dominion. Every state not only controls their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their daily job functions may include:

Measuring vital signs
Giving medicines
Starting IV drips
Monitoring patients
Taking blood or urine samples
Taking care of patient records
Supporting doctors or Registered nurses with procedures

In addition to their work functions being mandated by each state, the health facilities or other Allentown NJ healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job roles within those parameters. In addition, they can work in various specialties of nursing, which include long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN Programs Online

female student attending LPN school online in Allentown NJ Enrolling in LPN programs online is emerging as a more favored way to get training and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in Allentown NJ. Some schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and nearly all programs call for a specific amount of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare facility. But since the balance of the training can be accessed online, this method may be a more practical solution to finding the free time to attend classes for many students. Regarding tuition, some online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus options. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be minimized, helping to make education more easily affordable. And numerous online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. Therefore if your job and family commitments have left you with little time to work toward your academic goals, it could be that an online LPN school 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 Allentown NJ 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 Allentown NJ LPN programs 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 realize, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Allentown NJ as well as within New Jersey and throughout the United States. So it is necessary to lower the number of schools to select from to ensure that you will have a workable list. As we already mentioned, the location of the school and the price of tuition are most likely going to be the first two factors that you will look at. But as we also stressed, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So prior to making your ultimate selection, use the following questions to evaluate how your pick compares to the other programs.

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 organization. Aside from helping make sure that you receive an excellent education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not available for non-accredited schools near Allentown NJ.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing criteria for LPNs are different from state to state. In all states, a passing score is required on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) as well as 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 attending not only provides an excellent education, but also preps you to satisfy the minimum licensing requirements for New Jersey or the state where you will be working.
Reputation. Check 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 too. Additionally, check with the New Jersey school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some nearby Allentown NJ 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 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 unhappy with the program and dropped out. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only verify that the school has a favorable reputation within the Allentown NJ healthcare community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students attain a position.
Internship Programs. The most effective way to get experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Virtually all nursing degree programs require a certain number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing too. Check if the schools have associations with nearby Allentown NJ community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placement of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Allentown NJ?

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

Allentown, New Jersey

Allentown is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 1,828,[8][9][10] reflecting a decline of 54 (-2.9%) from the 1,882 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 54 (+3.0%) from the 1,828 counted in the 1990 Census.[19]

Allentown was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on January 29, 1889, from portions of Upper Freehold Township, based on the results of a referendum held that day.[20] The borough was named for settler Robert Burnet's son-in-law, Nathan Allen[21] or for William Allen, who served as Chief Justice of the Province of Pennsylvania.[22]

Allentown's shopping district has antique and specialty shops, as well as restaurants. Many historic homes and historic buildings are located in the borough. The Horse Park of New Jersey is a park located near the borough but does have an Allentown mailing address.

Select the Right LPN School near Allentown NJ

Allentown NJ LPN geriatric nurse with patient Deciding on the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse school is potentially the most critical step to launching a new career in the healthcare field. There are many factors that you must consider when selecting a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently depending on your current career goals, lifestyle, and financial situation. As we have highlighted in this article, it is important that you enroll in an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the health care community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in School for LPN. However, by using our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a short list of schools to select from so that you can make your final selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your hard work and ambition to succeed, you can become an LPN in Allentown NJ.