LPN Community College Fairfield NJ - LPN and LVN Schools Near You

How to Choose the Right LPN School near Fairfield New Jersey

Fairfield NJ LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are principally two scholastic credentials offered that provide instruction to become an LPN near Fairfield NJ. The one that may be concluded in the shortest period of time, commonly about one year, is the certificate or diploma program. The other choice is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma alternative and normally require 2 years to finish. The benefit of Associate Degrees, along with supplying a higher credential and more extensive instruction, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. No matter the type of credential you seek, it needs to 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 the majority of graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

What is an LPN?

Fairfield NJ Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have a number of functions that they carry out in the Fairfield NJ healthcare facilities where they are employed. As their titles signify, they are required to be licensed in all states, including New Jersey. Even though 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 assorted, such as hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can find patients seeking medical treatment is their domain. Each state not only oversees their licensing, but also what functions an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their routine work functions might include:

Measuring vital signs
Providing medicines
Initiating IV drips
Monitoring patients
Getting blood or urine samples
Keeping patient records
Assisting doctors or RNs with procedures

In addition to their work responsibilities being governed by each state, the health facilities or other Fairfield NJ healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job roles within those parameters. In addition, they can practice in various specialties of nursing, for example long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

Online LPN Programs

female student attending LPN school online in Fairfield NJ Attending LPN programs online is becoming a more favored way to get instruction and earn a nursing certificate or degree in Fairfield NJ. Many schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and almost all programs call for a certain number of clinical rotation hours conducted in a local healthcare center. But since the remainder of the training can be accessed online, this alternative may be a more convenient approach to finding the time to attend classes for many students. Regarding tuition, many online degree programs are less expensive 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 many 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 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 Fairfield 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.

Questions to Ask LPN Programs

Questions to ask Fairfield NJ LPN programs Once you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, and if you will attend classes on campus or on the internet, you can use the following checklist to start narrowing down your options. As you no doubt realize, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Fairfield NJ as well as within New Jersey and throughout the United States. So it is important to reduce the number of schools to select from so that you will have a workable list. As we previously mentioned, the site of the school along with the expense of tuition are most likely going to be the first two things that you will consider. But as we also stressed, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your final decision, 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 as well as the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Aside from helping verify that you obtain a quality education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools near Fairfield NJ.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for LPNs are different 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. Many states require a certain number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s essential that the school you are attending not only delivers an outstanding education, but also preps you to meet the minimum licensing standards for New Jersey or the state where you will be working.
Reputation. Check online 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, contact the New Jersey school licensing authority to determine if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some local Fairfield NJ healthcare organizations you’re interested in working for after graduation and ask what their opinions 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 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 verify that the school has a good reputation within the Fairfield NJ healthcare community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students gain a position.
Internship Programs. The best way to acquire experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Essentially all nursing degree programs require a specific number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing also. Check if the schools have associations with local Fairfield NJ community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the positioning of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Fairfield NJ?

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

Fairfield, New Jersey

Pick the Right LPN School near Fairfield NJ

Fairfield NJ LPN geriatric nurse with patient Picking the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is arguably the most crucial first step to launching a new career in the healthcare industry. There are many variables that you should think about when picking a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career goals, lifestyle, and economic status. As we have stressed in this article, it is important that you pick an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the medical community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in LPN Community College. However, by using our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to develop a shortlist of schools to choose from so that you can make your final selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your dedication and drive to succeed, you can become an LPN in Fairfield NJ.