LVN Schools Stickney SD

How to Choose the Right LPN College near Stickney South Dakota

Stickney SD LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are generally two academic credentials offered that provide education to become an LPN near Stickney SD. The one that can be concluded in the shortest amount of time, commonly about one year, is the certificate or diploma course. The next alternative is to earn 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 advantage of Associate Degrees, besides providing a higher credential and more in-depth instruction, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. No matter 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 warrants 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?

Stickney SD Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have many tasks that they perform in the Stickney SD health care facilities where they are employed. As their titles imply, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including South Dakota. Even though they may be accountable for managing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves usually work under the direction of either an RN or a doctor. The health care facilities where they work are numerous and varied, such as hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anywhere that you can encounter patients requiring medical care is their domain. Every state not only oversees their licensing, but also what functions an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their routine work activities may include:

Checking vital signs
Administering medicines
Setting up IV drips
Observing patients
Taking blood or urine samples
Maintaining patient records
Assisting doctors or RNs with procedures

Along with their work duties being mandated by each state, the health care facilities or other Stickney SD healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job duties within those parameters. Additionally, they can practice in various specialties of nursing, including long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

Online LPN Programs

female student attending LPN school online in Stickney SD Attending LPN schools online is emerging as a more favored way to get instruction and earn a nursing certificate or degree in Stickney SD. Many schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and almost all programs require a specified amount of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare center. But since the rest of the training can be accessed online, this option may be a more convenient solution to finding the time to attend classes for some students. Concerning tuition, some online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus alternatives. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be reduced, 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 family commitments have left you with little time to pursue your academic goals, it could be that 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 Stickney 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.

What to Ask LPN Programs

Questions to ask Stickney SD 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 use the following checklist to start narrowing down your choices. As you probably are aware, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Stickney SD as well as within South Dakota and throughout the United States. So it is necessary to decrease the number of schools to choose from to ensure that you will have a workable list. As we previously mentioned, the site of the school and the expense of tuition are most likely going to be the first two points that you will take into consideration. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So prior to making your final choice, use the following questions to see how your selection compares 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 recognized accrediting agency. Aside from helping verify that you receive an excellent education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools near Stickney SD.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for LPNs differ 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 specified number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s essential that the school you are enrolled in not only delivers an excellent education, but also preps you to meet the minimum licensing requirements for South Dakota or the state where you will be working.
Reputation. Check online rating services to see what the reviews are for all of the LPN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. In addition, get in touch with the South Dakota school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some nearby Stickney 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 schools 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 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 verify that the school has a favorable reputation within the Stickney SD medical community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students gain employment.
Internship Programs. The best way to acquire experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Almost all nursing degree programs require a specified number of clinical hours be completed. A number of states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing as well. Check if the schools have a working relationship with local Stickney SD community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placement of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Stickney SD?

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

Stickney, South Dakota

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 284 people, 132 households, and 79 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,051.9 inhabitants per square mile (406.1/km2). There were 152 housing units at an average density of 563.0 per square mile (217.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.9% White and 1.1% Asian. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.4% of the population.

There were 132 households of which 22.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.0% were married couples living together, 4.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.2% were non-families. 38.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 24.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.87.

The median age in the town was 47 years. 23.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 3.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.7% were from 25 to 44; 23.3% were from 45 to 64; and 28.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 47.9% male and 52.1% female.

Enroll in the Right LPN Program near Stickney SD

Stickney SD LPN geriatric nurse with patient Picking the right Licensed Practical Nurse program is probably the most crucial phase to launching a new career in the medical care field. There are various variables that you need to think about when selecting a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career objectives, obligations, and financial status. As we have pointed out in this post, it is critical that you choose an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have exceptional reputations within the medical community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in LVN Schools. However, by utilizing our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a short list of schools to pick from so that you can make your final selection. And with the right degree and training, combined with your hard work and desire to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Stickney SD.