Practical Nurse Education Elizabethtown NC

How to Enroll In the Right LPN Program near Elizabethtown North Carolina

Elizabethtown NC LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are principally two academic credentials available that provide training to become an LPN near Elizabethtown NC. The one that can be concluded in the shortest amount of time, normally about 1 year, is the certificate or diploma course. The other option is to obtain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and commonly require 2 years to complete. The advantage of Associate Degrees, in addition to offering a higher credential and more in-depth instruction, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. No matter 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 course of study effectively 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?

Elizabethtown NC Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have a number of functions that they perform in the Elizabethtown NC health care facilities where they practice. As their titles imply, they are required to be licensed in all states, including North Carolina. While they may be responsible for managing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves generally work under the oversight of either an RN or a doctor. The medical care facilities where they work are numerous and assorted, for instance hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anywhere that you can find patients seeking medical care is their dominion. Every state not only controls their licensing, but also what work activities an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their day-to-day work functions can include:

Checking vital signs
Giving medications
Initiating IV drips
Overseeing patients
Getting blood or urine samples
Taking care of patient records
Assisting physicians or RNs with procedures

Along with their occupational duties being regulated by each state, the healthcare facilities or other Elizabethtown NC healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job roles within those parameters. In addition, they can practice in different specialties of nursing, for example long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN Programs Online

female student attending LPN school online in Elizabethtown NC Enrolling in LPN schools online is emerging as a more in demand way to obtain training and attain a nursing certificate or degree in Elizabethtown NC. Some schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and almost all programs call for a specific number of clinical rotation hours carried out in a local healthcare facility. But since the remainder of the training may be accessed online, this alternative may be a more convenient approach to finding the time to attend classes for some students. Regarding tuition, a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus choices. Even other expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be reduced, helping to make education more affordable. And a large number of online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. So if your job and household obligations have left you with little time to pursue your academic goals, maybe 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 Elizabethtown NC 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 Programs

Questions to ask Elizabethtown NC 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 utilize the following pointers to begin narrowing down your options. As you no doubt realize, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Elizabethtown NC as well as within North Carolina and throughout the United States. So it is necessary to decrease the number of schools to choose from to ensure that you will have a workable list. As we already discussed, the site of the school as well as the expense of tuition are most likely going to be the first two factors that you will look at. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So prior to making your final decision, use the following questions to evaluate how your selection measures up to the other programs.

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 acknowledged accrediting organization. Aside from helping verify that you get a quality education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not offered for non-accredited schools near Elizabethtown NC.
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) together with 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 essential that the school you are enrolled in not only provides an outstanding education, but also readies you to meet the minimum licensing standards for North Carolina or the state where you will be working.
Reputation. Look at internet rating services to see what the reviews are for each of the LPN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews too. In addition, get in touch with the North Carolina school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some nearby Elizabethtown NC 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 favorable reputation within the Elizabethtown NC medical community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students attain a position.
Internship Programs. The most ideal way to obtain 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. Various states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing also. Find out if the schools have a working relationship with nearby Elizabethtown NC community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the positioning of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Elizabethtown NC?

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

Elizabethtown, North Carolina

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 4.7 square miles (12.1 km2), of which 4.6 square miles (12.0 km2) is land and 0.039 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.73%, is water.[4]

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 3,698 people, 1,536 households, and 907 families residing in the town. The population density was 805.9 people per square mile (311.1/km²). There were 1,688 housing units at an average density of 367.9 per square mile (142.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 48.05% White, 48.97% African American, 0.43% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.30% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.54% of the population.

There were 1,536 households out of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.4% were married couples living together, 19.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.9% were non-families. 38.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.93.

Choose the Right LPN School near Elizabethtown NC

Elizabethtown NC LPN geriatric nurse with patient Enrolling in the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is arguably the most crucial first step to launching a new career in the healthcare field. There are numerous variables that you need to take into account when picking a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career goals, obligations, and economic situation. As we have highlighted in this content, it is essential that you enroll in an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have outstanding reputations within the health care community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in Practical Nurse Education. 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 ultimate selection. And with the right degree and training, combined with your hard work and ambition to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Elizabethtown NC.