Licensed Practical Nurse Degree Burgettstown PA

How to Find the Right LPN Program near Burgettstown Pennsylvania

Burgettstown PA LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are basically two scholastic credentials offered that provide training to become an LPN near Burgettstown PA. The one that may be concluded in the shortest period of time, typically about twelve months, is the certificate or diploma course. The next option is to attain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma alternative and generally require 2 years to complete. The benefit of Associate Degrees, in addition to offering 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 seek, 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 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?

Burgettstown PA Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have many tasks that they complete in the Burgettstown PA health care facilities where they are employed. As their titles indicate, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Pennsylvania. Even though they may be responsible for supervising Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves normally work under the guidance of either an RN or a doctor. The health care facilities where they work are numerous and varied, for example hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anyplace that you can encounter patients requiring medical care is their domain. Each state not only oversees their licensing, but also what work activities an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their routine job activities might include:

Checking vital signs
Providing medicines
Starting IV drips
Monitoring patients
Collecting blood or urine samples
Keeping patient records
Assisting doctors or RNs with procedures

In addition to their occupational duties being mandated by each state, the healthcare facilities or other Burgettstown PA healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job roles within those parameters. Additionally, they can practice 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 Burgettstown PA Attending LPN schools online is becoming a more favored way to receive instruction and attain a nursing certificate or degree in Burgettstown PA. Some schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and nearly all programs call for a specified number of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare facility. But since the rest of the training can be accessed online, this alternative may be a more accommodating approach to finding the free time to attend school for some students. Regarding tuition, a number of online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus choices. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be minimized, 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 work and family commitments have left you with little time to pursue your academic goals, perhaps an online LPN school will make it more convenient 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 Burgettstown PA 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.

Things to Ask LPN Programs

Questions to ask Burgettstown PA LPN programs Now that you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, and if you will attend classes on campus or on the web, you can utilize the following checklist to start narrowing down your choices. As you undoubtedly are aware, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Burgettstown PA as well as within Pennsylvania and throughout the United States. So it is essential to reduce the number of schools to choose from in order that you will have a manageable list. As we earlier mentioned, the location of the school and the price of tuition are most likely going to be the first two things that you will take into consideration. But as we also stressed, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your ultimate decision, use the following questions to see how your selection measures up to the field.

Accreditation. It’s a good idea to make sure that the certificate program along with the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides helping verify that you receive an excellent education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not provided for non-accredited schools near Burgettstown PA.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for LPNs differ 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 specified 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 an outstanding education, but also readies you to comply with the minimum licensing standards for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working.
Reputation. Visit internet rating services to see what the assessments are for all of the LPN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Also, get in touch with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some local Burgettstown PA 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 substantiate that the school has a favorable reputation within the Burgettstown PA medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students gain employment.
Internship Programs. The most effective way to acquire 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. A number of states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing also. Find out if the schools have a working relationship with local Burgettstown PA community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the positioning of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Burgettstown PA?

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

Burgettstown, Pennsylvania

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 1,576 people, 656 households, and 429 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,531.8 people per square mile (981.4/km²). There were 703 housing units at an average density of 1,129.3 per square mile (437.8/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.26% White, 1.46% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 0.51% from other races, and 1.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.47% of the population.

There were 656 households out of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.6% were married couples living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 people and the average family size was 2.93.

In the borough the population was spread out with 21.6% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 22.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.4 males.

Select the Right LPN School near Burgettstown PA

Burgettstown PA LPN geriatric nurse with patient Deciding on the right Licensed Practical Nurse program is potentially the most critical phase to starting a new career in the healthcare field. There are a number of variables that you should take into account when selecting a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your current career objectives, obligations, and economic situation. As we have highlighted within this post, it is essential that you enroll in an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have excellent reputations within the healthcare community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in Licensed Practical Nurse Degree. However, by using our list 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 desire to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Burgettstown PA.