How to Find the Right LPN School near Gilbert South Carolina
There are basically two academic credentials available that provide education to become an LPN near Gilbert SC. The one that can be concluded in the shortest time frame, generally about one year, is the certificate or diploma program. The other choice 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 finish. The benefit of Associate Degrees, besides providing 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 pursue, it needs to be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or another national accrediting organization. The NLNAC warrants that the core curriculum adequately 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 duties that they carry out in the Gilbert SC health care facilities where they work. As their titles imply, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including South Carolina. While they may be accountable for monitoring Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves usually work under the oversight of either an RN or a doctor. The medical facilities where they work are numerous and diverse, for example hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anyplace that you can find patients requiring medical assistance is their domain. Every state not only controls their licensing, but also what functions an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their everyday work functions can include:
- Taking vital signs
- Giving medicines
- Initiating IV drips
- Monitoring patients
- Getting blood or urine samples
- Managing patient records
- Assisting physicians or Registered nurses with procedures
Along with their work duties being mandated by each state, the medical facilities or other Gilbert SC healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job duties within those parameters. Also, they can work in various specialties of nursing, including long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.
Online LPN Programs
Attending LPN schools online is becoming a more in demand way to receive training and earn a nursing certificate or degree in Gilbert SC. Certain schools will require attendance on campus for a component of the training, and almost all programs require a certain amount of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare facility. But since the rest of the training may be accessed online, this alternative may be a more convenient approach to finding the free time to attend college for many students. Pertaining to tuition, some online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus alternatives. Even other expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be lessened, helping to make education more easily affordable. And many online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. Therefore if your job and household responsibilities have left you with little time to work toward your academic goals, maybe an online LPN program 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 Gilbert SC 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
Once you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, as well as if you will attend classes on campus or on the web, you can use the following pointers to begin narrowing down your choices. As you no doubt are aware, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Gilbert SC as well as within South Carolina and throughout the United States. So it is essential to lower the number of schools to choose from in order that you will have a workable list. As we already discussed, the location of the school and the price of tuition are probably going to be the first two factors that you will take into consideration. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So prior to making your ultimate choice, use the following questions to see how your selection compares to the other programs.
- 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 recognized accrediting agency. In addition to helping verify that you get a quality education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not provided for non-accredited schools near Gilbert SC.
- Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements for LPNs are different 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. Some states require a specified number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s imperative that the school you are attending not only provides a top-notch education, but also prepares you to satisfy the minimum licensing standards for South Carolina 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 as well. In addition, get in touch with the South Carolina school licensing authority to determine if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some local Gilbert SC 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 complete their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were displeased 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 good reputation within the Gilbert SC healthcare community, but that it also has the network of relationships to assist students attain employment.
- Internship Programs. The most ideal way to acquire experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Essentially all nursing degree programs require a specific number of clinical hours be completed. A number of states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing too. Check if the schools have a working relationship with nearby Gilbert SC community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placing of students in internships.
Enrolling in an LPN Program near Gilbert SC?
If you are considering enrolling in and attending an LPN school near Gilbert SC, you may find the following information both interesting and useful when making your final decision.
Gilbert, South Carolina
The David Jefferson Griffith House and Music Hall Evangelical Lutheran Church were listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1983.[3] The town is famous for being the location of the annual Lexington County Peach Festival. In 2008, the 50th festival was held.
Gilbert High School has 4 state championships in baseball (1988, 2006, 2008, 2012), 3 in rugby (2007, 2009, 2010), 1 in boys cross country (2004), 2 in girls volleyball (1996, 1997), and 1 in girls track (1986). Also, one person in 2011 won the state wrestling championship. Gilbert has four schools. Gilbert Primary School, Gilbert Elementary School, Gilbert Middle School, and Gilbert High School.
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 500 people, 181 households, and 148 families residing in the town. The population density was 220.7 people per square mile (85.0/km²). There were 195 housing units at an average density of 86.1 per square mile (33.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.60% White, 3.60% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.20% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.60% of the population.
Select the Right LPN Program near Gilbert SC
Picking the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is potentially the most critical step to starting a new career in the health care industry. There are a number of factors that you must think about when picking a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your current career objectives, obligations, and financial situation. As we have stressed in this content, it is important that you enroll in an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have exceptional reputations within the health care community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in Licensed Practical Nurse Courses. However, by utilizing our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a shortlist of schools to select 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 Gilbert SC.
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