Licensed Practical Nurse Education Waterford PA

How to Pick the Right LPN School near Waterford Pennsylvania

Waterford PA LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are principally two academic credentials offered that provide training to become an LPN near Waterford PA. The one that can be completed in the shortest period of time, typically about 12 months, is the certificate or diploma course. The 2nd alternative 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 benefit of Associate Degrees, in addition to supplying a higher credential and more comprehensive instruction, are that they furnish 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 another national accrediting organization. The NLNAC attests that the core curriculum adequately prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

What is an LPN?

Waterford PA Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have many different functions that they complete in the Waterford PA health care facilities where they practice. As their titles signify, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Pennsylvania. Although they may be responsible for supervising 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. Anyplace that you can find patients in need of medical care is their domain. Each state not only oversees their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their daily job activities might include:

Taking vital signs
Providing medicines
Starting IV drips
Monitoring patients
Collecting blood or urine samples
Maintaining patient records
Helping physicians or Registered nurses with procedures

In addition to their job responsibilities being controlled by each state, the medical facilities or other Waterford PA healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job duties within those parameters. Also, they can practice in numerous specialties of nursing, including long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

Online LPN Programs

female student attending LPN school online in Waterford PA Attending LPN schools online is becoming a more preferred way to obtain training and attain a nursing certificate or degree in Waterford PA. Certain schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and almost all programs call for a certain number of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare facility. But since the balance of the training may be accessed online, this method may be a more convenient answer to finding the free time to attend classes for many students. Pertaining to tuition, some online degree programs are less costly than other on campus options. 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. So if your job and family commitments have left you with very little time to pursue 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 Waterford 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.

What to Ask LPN Schools

Questions to ask Waterford PA LPN programs Once you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, and if you will attend classes on campus or on the web, you can use the following checklist to begin narrowing down your choices. As you no doubt are aware, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Waterford PA as well as within Pennsylvania and throughout the United States. So it is important to decrease the number of schools to choose from so that you will have a manageable list. As we already discussed, the location of the school as well as the cost of tuition are undoubtedly going to be the primary two things that you will take into consideration. But as we also stressed, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So prior to making your ultimate choice, use the following questions to evaluate how your pick compares to the field.

Accreditation. It’s a good idea to make sure that the certificate program in addition to the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Aside from helping ensure that you obtain a premium education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not available for non-accredited schools near Waterford PA.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites 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 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 delivers a top-notch education, but also readies you to meet the minimum licensing requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working.
Reputation. Check online rating companies to see what the reviews are for all of the LPN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. In addition, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to determine if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some nearby Waterford PA 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 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 dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only confirm that the school has a superb reputation within the Waterford PA medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students gain a position.
Internship Programs. The most effective way to obtain 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 prerequisites for licensing too. Ask if the schools have a working relationship with nearby Waterford PA community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placing of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Waterford PA?

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

Waterford, Pennsylvania

Waterford is located southeast of the center of Erie County at 41°56′37″N 79°59′2″W / 41.94361°N 79.98389°W / 41.94361; -79.98389 (41.943648, -79.984012).[4]U.S. Route 19 and Pennsylvania Route 97 pass through the borough center as High Street. US 19 leads north 15 miles (24 km) to downtown Erie and south Meadville, while PA 97 leads north 14.5 miles (23.3 km) to Erie by a more easterly route and southeast 8 miles (13 km) to Union City.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Waterford borough has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.2 km2), of which 0.02 square miles (0.04 km2), or 1.18%, is water.[3] Lake LeBoeuf lies immediately south of the borough and is part of the French Creek watershed, draining south to the Allegheny River.

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 1,449 people, 558 households, and 409 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,189.3 people per square mile (458.6/km²). There were 590 housing units at an average density of 484.3 per square mile (186.7/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.76% White, 0.28% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.14% from other races, and 0.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.48% of the population.

Enroll in the Right LPN School near Waterford PA

Waterford PA LPN geriatric nurse with patient Selecting the right Licensed Practical Nurse program is perhaps the most critical step to beginning a new career in the health care field. There are many factors that you must take into account when selecting a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently depending on your current career objectives, obligations, and economic status. As we have emphasized within this post, it is essential that you choose an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the health care community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in Licensed Practical Nurse Education. However, by using our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to develop a short list of schools to pick from so that you can make your final selection. And with the proper degree and training, combined with your hard work and drive to succeed, you can become an LPN in Waterford PA.