How to Select the Right LPN School near Seven Valleys Pennsylvania
There are generally two scholastic credentials available that provide training to become an LPN near Seven Valleys PA. The one that can be completed in the shortest time period, typically about 1 year, is the certificate or diploma course. The second option is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and usually require 2 years to complete. The advantage of Associate Degrees, along with supplying a higher credential and more extensive 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 any other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC attests that the core curriculum effectively prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.
What is an LPN?
Licensed Practical Nurses have many duties that they accomplish in the Seven Valleys PA medical facilities where they practice. As their titles imply, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including Pennsylvania. Although they may be responsible for monitoring Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves typically work under the guidance of either an RN or a doctor. The medical facilities where they work are numerous and varied, including hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anyplace that you can find patients seeking medical attention is their dominion. Each state not only oversees their licensing, but also what functions an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their day-to-day job functions can include:
- Taking vital signs
- Providing medicines
- Setting up IV drips
- Monitoring patients
- Taking blood or urine samples
- Managing patient records
- Assisting physicians or RNs with procedures
Along with their job responsibilities being regulated by each state, the health care facilities or other Seven Valleys PA healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job duties within those parameters. In addition, they can work in different specialties of nursing, such as long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.
LPN Programs Online
Enrolling in LPN programs online is becoming a more in demand way to receive training and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in Seven Valleys PA. Some schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and almost all programs call for a certain amount of clinical rotation hours conducted in a local healthcare facility. But since the rest of the training can be accessed online, this option may be a more practical answer to finding the time to attend college for some students. Concerning tuition, many online degree programs are less costly than other on campus choices. Even supplemental expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be lessened, helping to make education more affordable. And a large number of online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. Therefore if your job and family responsibilities have left you with limited time to pursue 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 Seven Valleys 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
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 pointers to begin narrowing down your choices. As you undoubtedly realize, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Seven Valleys PA as well as within Pennsylvania and throughout the United States. So it is important to reduce the number of schools to choose from to ensure that you will have a manageable list. As we already mentioned, the site of the school as well as the expense of tuition are probably going to be the initial two points that you will look at. 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 compares to the other schools.
- 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 agency. In addition to helping ensure that you receive an excellent education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not available for non-accredited schools near Seven Valleys PA.
- Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements for LPNs vary 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. Certain states require a specific number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s imperative that the school you are enrolled in not only provides a top-notch education, but also readies you to comply with the minimum licensing standards for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be practicing.
- Reputation. Check internet rating companies to see what the reviews are for each of the LPN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. In addition, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some local Seven Valleys PA healthcare organizations you’re interested in working for after graduation and ask what their assessments are of the schools as well.
- Graduation and Job Placement Rates. Find out from the LPN programs 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 imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only confirm that the school has a favorable reputation within the Seven Valleys PA healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students obtain a position.
- Internship Programs. The most effective way to obtain 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. A number of states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing also. Find out if the schools have associations with local Seven Valleys PA community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the positioning of students in internships.
Enrolling in an LPN Program near Seven Valleys PA?
If you are considering enrolling in and attending an LPN school near Seven Valleys PA, you may find the following information both interesting and useful when making your final decision.
Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania
The Seven Valleys basin was settled by forty families of the German Lutheran and Reformed faiths. They originated in the Hunsruck Mountains of the Rhineland Palatinate and arrived in this valley of the Codorus during the early fall of 1738. The lush meadows and gently rolling hills here reminded them of their homeland, even to the presence of seven valleys in the vicinity, and they called it Das Siebenthal, which in German means Seven Valleys.
By 1752 these religious hardworking farmers had organized churches and parochial schools, and holding fast to their German heritage, worshipped God and taught their children in the Pfalzer dialect of the German language for nearly 150 years.
With the coming of the railroad in 1838 and the opportunity to trade commercially with the outside world, the use of the English language gradually crept into the culture and by the end of the Civil War the use of German slowly began fading into the background.
Choose the Right LPN School near Seven Valleys PA
Choosing the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse school is perhaps the most critical phase to starting a new career in the healthcare field. There are a number of variables that you should consider when choosing a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently contingent on your existing career goals, obligations, and economic status. As we have emphasized within this post, it is important that you enroll in an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have excellent reputations within the health care community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in Accredited Online LPN Nursing Programs. However, by using our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a short list of schools to choose from so that you can make your final selection. And with the proper degree and training, combined with your dedication and ambition to succeed, you can become an LPN in Seven Valleys PA.
More Practical Locations in Pennsylvania
Business Results 1 - 10 of 1
3 Reviews 