How to Choose the Right LPN College near Kernersville North Carolina
There are basically two academic credentials available that provide training to become an LPN near Kernersville NC. The one that can be completed in the shortest amount of time, usually about 1 year, is the certificate or diploma program. The next alternative is to obtain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and usually require 2 years to finish. The benefit of Associate Degrees, in addition to providing a higher credential and more comprehensive instruction, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. No matter the kind of credential you pursue, 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 warrants that the syllabus 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?
Licensed Practical Nurses have many different functions that they carry out in the Kernersville NC health care facilities where they are employed. As their titles signify, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including North Carolina. Even though they may be accountable for managing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves typically work under the oversight of either an RN or a doctor. The medical care facilities where they work are numerous and varied, for instance hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anyplace that you can encounter patients in need of medical attention is their dominion. Each state not only controls their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can’t perform. So based on the state, their routine job activities can include:
- Taking vital signs
- Giving medications
- Initiating IV drips
- Overseeing patients
- Collecting blood or urine samples
- Maintaining patient records
- Helping physicians or Registered nurses with procedures
In addition to their work functions being mandated by each state, the healthcare facilities or other Kernersville NC healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job roles within those parameters. Additionally, they can practice in various specialties of nursing, including long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.
Online LPN Programs
Enrolling in LPN schools online is emerging as a more favored way to receive instruction and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in Kernersville NC. Some schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and nearly all programs require a certain amount of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare facility. But since the rest of the training can be accessed online, this alternative may be a more accommodating answer to finding the free time to attend school for some students. Pertaining to tuition, many online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus options. Even other expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be minimized, helping to make education more affordable. And numerous online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. And so if your job and family responsibilities have left you with little time to work toward your academic goals, it could be that an online LPN school will make it more convenient 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 Kernersville 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 Schools
Now that 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 options. As you probably realize, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges near Kernersville NC as well as within North Carolina and throughout the United States. So it is important to reduce the number of schools to select from in order that you will have a manageable list. As we previously pointed out, the location of the school as well as the cost of tuition are undoubtedly going to be the initial two factors that you will take into consideration. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your ultimate selection, use the following questions to evaluate how your pick measures up to the field.
- 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 agency. Besides helping verify that you receive a quality education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not offered for non-accredited schools near Kernersville NC.
- Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements for LPNs vary from state to state. In all states, a passing score is needed on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) in addition to graduation from an accredited school. Many states require a specific 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 a top-notch education, but also readies you to satisfy the minimum licensing requirements for North Carolina or the state where you will be working.
- Reputation. Visit internet rating companies to see what the evaluations are for all of the LPN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews too. Additionally, get in touch with the North Carolina school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some nearby Kernersville 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 verify that the school has a superb reputation within the Kernersville NC medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students obtain employment.
- Internship Programs. The best way to acquire experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Almost all nursing degree programs require a certain number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing as well. Find out if the schools have associations with local Kernersville NC community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the positioning of students in internships.
Enrolling in an LPN Program near Kernersville NC?
If you are considering enrolling in and attending an LPN school near Kernersville NC, you may find the following information both interesting and useful when making your final decision.
Kernersville, North Carolina
Kernersville is a town in Forsyth County, in the U.S. state of North Carolina. A small portion of the town is also in Guilford County. The population was 23,123 at the 2010 census,[5] up from 17,126 at the 2000 census. Kernersville is located at the center of the Piedmont Triad metropolitan area, between Greensboro to the east, High Point to the south, and Winston-Salem to the west. Some of the rural farmland surrounding the town has been sold and turned into large middle-to-upper-class housing developments, and numerous large shopping centers have been built in the town over the past few years. Flue-cured tobacco was the major crop grown in the area and is still grown in some areas today. While Kernersville went through a growth spurt in the first decade of the 21st century, it has leveled off and farms are doing well for the most part in an attempt to revitalize the agricultural community.[citation needed]
Kernersville is located 10 miles (16 km) east of Winston-Salem and 17 miles (27 km) west of Greensboro. U.S. Route 421 is a four-lane freeway through the town, following the prior routing of Interstate 40 before that highway was moved to the south.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 17.4 square miles (45.1 km2), of which 17.3 square miles (44.9 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km2), or 0.63%, is water.[5]
Enroll in the Right LPN Program near Kernersville NC
Choosing the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is arguably the most crucial phase to beginning a new career in the medical care industry. There are a number of factors that you should think about when deciding on a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently contingent on your existing career objectives, obligations, and financial situation. As we have emphasized in this content, it is essential that you choose an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have exceptional reputations within the medical community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in LPN Online Degree. However, by using our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a shortlist of schools to pick from so that you can make your final selection. And with the right degree and training, combined with your dedication and ambition to succeed, you can become an LPN in Kernersville NC.
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