Licensed Vocational Nursing School Castlewood SD

How to Enroll In the Right LPN Program near Castlewood South Dakota

Castlewood SD LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are essentially two scholastic credentials available that provide instruction to become an LPN near Castlewood SD. The one that may be concluded in the shortest amount of time, typically about one year, is the certificate or diploma course. The 2nd alternative is to attain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and normally require 2 years to complete. The benefit of Associate Degrees, in addition to supplying a higher credential and more in-depth 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 some 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?

Castlewood SD Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have a number of duties that they carry out in the Castlewood SD health care facilities where they practice. As their titles indicate, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including South Dakota. Although they may be responsible for monitoring Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves usually work under the direction of either an RN or a doctor. The healthcare facilities where they work are numerous and diverse, including hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anyplace that you can find patients requiring medical treatment 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 everyday work activities might include:

Taking vital signs
Giving medicines
Setting up IV drips
Overseeing patients
Taking blood or urine samples
Keeping patient records
Assisting physicians or Registered nurses with procedures

Along with their work functions being controlled by each state, the health facilities or other Castlewood SD healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job roles within those parameters. In addition, they can practice in various specialties of nursing, for example long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN Programs Online

female student attending LPN school online in Castlewood SD Enrolling in LPN programs online is growing into a more popular way to receive instruction and earn a nursing certificate or degree in Castlewood SD. Some schools will require attendance on campus for a component of the training, and virtually all programs require a specified amount of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare center. But since the remainder of the training can be accessed online, this method may be a more accommodating approach to finding the free time to attend school for many students. Pertaining to tuition, a number of online degree programs are less costly than other on campus alternatives. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be lessened, helping to make education more easily affordable. And numerous online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. So if your job and household obligations have left you with very little time to pursue your academic goals, maybe 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 Castlewood SD 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 Castlewood SD LPN programs Now that you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, and if you will attend classes on campus or on the internet, you can utilize the following guidelines to start narrowing down your options. As you undoubtedly realize, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Castlewood SD as well as within South Dakota and throughout the United States. So it is necessary to reduce the number of schools to choose from so that you will have a workable list. As we already mentioned, the site of the school along with the price of tuition are probably going to be the initial two factors that you will consider. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So prior to making your final decision, use the following questions to evaluate how your selection compares to the other programs.

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 recognized accrediting agency. In addition to helping confirm that you receive a premium education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not offered for non-accredited schools near Castlewood SD.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements for LPNs are different 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. Some states require a specific 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 provides a top-notch education, but also prepares you to meet the minimum licensing standards for South Dakota or the state where you will be working.
Reputation. Look at internet rating services to see what the reviews are for each of the LPN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Also, contact the South Dakota school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some nearby Castlewood SD 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 considering 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 Castlewood SD medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students gain employment.
Internship Programs. The most ideal way to acquire experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Virtually all nursing degree programs require a certain number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing too. Find out if the schools have a working relationship with nearby Castlewood SD community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placement of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Castlewood SD?

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

Castlewood, South Dakota

Castlewood was platted in 1882 when the railroad was extended to that point.[6] The city was named Castlewood after a place mentioned in the 1857 novel The Virginians by William Makepeace Thackeray.[6] A post office has been in operation in Castlewood since 1882.[7]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 627 people, 260 households, and 158 families residing in the city. The population density was 545.2 inhabitants per square mile (210.5/km2). There were 292 housing units at an average density of 253.9 per square mile (98.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.5% White, 0.5% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 1.4% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.8% of the population.

There were 260 households of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.4% were married couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.2% were non-families. 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.16.

Pick the Right LPN Program near Castlewood SD

Castlewood SD LPN geriatric nurse with patient Picking the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse school is probably the most crucial first step to launching a new career in the health care field. There are numerous factors that you need to consider when picking a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently depending on your current career goals, lifestyle, and economic status. As we have highlighted in this content, it is important that you enroll in an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have outstanding reputations within the medical community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in Licensed Vocational Nursing School. However, by utilizing 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 ultimate selection. And with the proper degree and training, combined with your dedication and desire to succeed, you can become an LPN in Castlewood SD.