How Many Years to Become an LPN Bellevue WA - LPN and LVN Schools Near You

How to Enroll In the Right LPN Training near Bellevue Washington

Bellevue WA LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are essentially two scholastic credentials offered that provide instruction to become an LPN near Bellevue WA. The one that can be completed in the shortest amount of time, generally about 12 months, is the certificate or diploma course. The second alternative is to obtain 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, in addition to offering a higher credential and more extensive instruction, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. Regardless of the type of credential you seek, it should be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or some 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?

Bellevue WA Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have many different functions that they carry out in the Bellevue WA medical facilities where they are employed. As their titles indicate, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Washington. Although they may be accountable for monitoring Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves typically work under the supervision of either an RN or a doctor. The health care facilities where they work are numerous and diverse, for example hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can encounter patients seeking medical treatment is their dominion. Each state not only controls their licensing, but also what functions an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their routine work functions may include:

Checking vital signs
Giving medications
Setting up IV drips
Overseeing patients
Collecting blood or urine samples
Taking care of patient records
Assisting physicians or Registered nurses with procedures

In addition to their work functions being mandated by each state, the health facilities or other Bellevue WA healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job duties within those parameters. In addition, they can work in numerous specialties of nursing, such as long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN Programs Online

female student attending LPN school online in Bellevue WA Attending LPN schools online is growing into a more in demand way to obtain instruction and earn a nursing certificate or degree in Bellevue WA. Many schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and nearly all programs call for a specified number of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare center. But since the remainder of the training may be accessed online, this option may be a more accommodating answer to finding the time to attend school for some students. Pertaining to tuition, many online degree programs are less costly than other on campus choices. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be lessened, helping to make education more affordable. And many online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. So if your work and family responsibilities have left you with very little time to pursue your academic goals, perhaps 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 Bellevue WA 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 Bellevue WA LPN programs Now that 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 start narrowing down your choices. As you undoubtedly realize, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Bellevue WA as well as within Washington 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 site of the school along with the expense of tuition are probably going to be the first two things that you will consider. But as we also stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So prior to making your final 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 as well as the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Aside from helping ensure that you get a quality education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not provided for non-accredited schools near Bellevue WA.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing criteria for LPNs differ from state to state. In all states, a passing score is needed on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) together 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 attending not only provides an excellent education, but also prepares you to comply with the minimum licensing requirements for Washington or the state where you will be working.
Reputation. Look at internet rating companies to see what the assessments are for each of the LPN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Additionally, check with the Washington school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some nearby Bellevue WA healthcare organizations you’re interested in working for after graduation and ask what their judgements 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 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 Bellevue WA medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students attain a position.
Internship Programs. The most ideal 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. A number of states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing as well. Check if the schools have associations with local Bellevue WA community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the positioning of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Bellevue WA?

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

Bellevue, Washington

Bellevue (/ˈbɛlvjuː/ BEL-vyoo) is a city in the Eastside region of King County, Washington, United States, across Lake Washington from Seattle. As the third-largest city in the Seattle metropolitan area, Bellevue has variously been characterized as an edge city, a suburb, boomburb, or satellite city.[4][5] Its population was 144,444 in a 2017 census estimate.

Prior to 2008, downtown Bellevue underwent rapid change, with many high rise projects under construction, and was relatively unaffected by the economic downturn. The downtown area is currently the second largest city center in Washington state with 1,300 businesses, 45,000 employees and 10,200 residents.[6] Based on per capita income, Bellevue is the 6th wealthiest of 522 communities in the state of Washington.[7] In 2008, Bellevue was named number 1 in CNNMoney's list of the best places to live and launch a business,[8] and in 2010 was again ranked as the 4th best place to live in America.[9] In 2014, Bellevue was ranked as the 2nd best place to live by USA Today.[10] More than 145 companies have been located in Bellevue. Current companies with headquarters in Bellevue include Expedia, T-Mobile and Valve Corporation.

Bellevue was settled in 1869 by William Meydenbauer and Aaron Mercer, who claimed homestead tracts several miles apart. Prior to the opening of the Lake Washington Floating Bridge in 1940, Bellevue was a rural area with little development. Although it was small, developers were pushing to change that; in the 1920s, James S. Ditty predicted that it would become a city with a population of 200,000.[12] He envisioned plans that included the bridging of Lake Washington and an area filled with golf courses and airports.[13] His map with these visions was published in 1928.[13]

Enroll in the Right LPN Program near Bellevue WA

Bellevue WA LPN geriatric nurse with patient Choosing the right Licensed Practical Nurse program is potentially the most critical step to starting a new career in the healthcare industry. There are various variables that you must take into account when selecting a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career goals, obligations, and economic situation. As we have stressed in this post, it is essential that you select an LPN college 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 How Many Years to Become an LPN. However, by using our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a short list of schools to pick from so that you can make your final selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your hard work and ambition to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Bellevue WA.