Licensed Practical Nurse Colleges Seaside CA - LPN and LVN Schools Near You

How to Choose the Right LPN Training near Seaside California

Seaside CA LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are essentially two academic credentials available that provide instruction to become an LPN near Seaside CA. The one that can be finished in the shortest time frame, typically about 12 months, is the certificate or diploma program. The next option is to attain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and generally require 2 years to finish. The advantage of Associate Degrees, along with supplying a higher credential and more extensive training, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. No matter the type of credential you seek, it needs to be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or any other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC attests that the course of study properly prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

What is an LPN?

Seaside CA Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have a number of duties that they perform in the Seaside CA health facilities where they are employed. As their titles signify, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including California. Even though they may be responsible for overseeing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves generally work under the guidance of either an RN or a doctor. The health care facilities where they work are numerous and varied, for instance hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anyplace that you can encounter patients seeking medical care is their dominion. Every state not only oversees their licensing, but also what functions an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their daily work activities can include:

Measuring vital signs
Giving medications
Starting IV drips
Overseeing patients
Taking blood or urine samples
Keeping patient records
Helping physicians or RNs with procedures

Along with their job functions being regulated by each state, the health care facilities or other Seaside CA healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job duties within those parameters. In addition, they can practice in various specialties of nursing, which include long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

Online LPN Programs

female student attending LPN school online in Seaside CA Enrolling in LPN programs online is becoming a more preferred way to obtain instruction and earn a nursing certificate or degree in Seaside CA. Certain schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and almost all programs call for a certain number of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare facility. But since the remainder of the training can be accessed online, this alternative may be a more convenient approach to finding the time to attend classes for some students. Regarding tuition, some online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus options. Even other expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be lessened, helping to make education more affordable. And numerous online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. And so if your job and family responsibilities have left you with limited time to work toward your academic goals, it could be that an online LPN training program will make it easier 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 Seaside CA 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 Seaside CA LPN programs Once you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, as well as if you will attend classes on campus or on the internet, you can use the following checklist to start narrowing down your options. As you probably are aware, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Seaside CA as well as within California and throughout the United States. So it is essential to decrease the number of schools to select from to ensure that you will have a workable list. As we earlier mentioned, the site of the school and the price of tuition are probably going to be the primary two points that you will look at. But as we also stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your ultimate choice, use the following questions to evaluate how your pick compares to the other programs.

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 agency. In addition to helping verify that you receive a quality education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not offered for non-accredited schools near Seaside CA.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing criteria 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 specific number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s important that the school you are attending not only delivers an outstanding education, but also readies you to meet the minimum licensing requirements for California or the state where you will be working.
Reputation. Look at 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 too. Also, check with the California school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some local Seaside CA 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 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 superb reputation within the Seaside CA healthcare community, but that it also has the network of relationships to assist students attain a position.
Internship Programs. The most effective way to acquire experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Essentially 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 associations with local Seaside CA community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placement of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Seaside CA?

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

Seaside, California

Seaside (formerly East Monterey) is a city in Monterey County, California, United States, with a population of 33,025 as of the 2010 census. Seaside is located 2.25 miles (3.6 km) east-northeast of Monterey,[8] at an elevation of 33 feet (10 m).[5] Seaside is the home of California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) and the Monterey College of Law, which are located on the site of the former military base Fort Ord. There you will find the Bayonet and Black Horse golf courses, once also part of the Fort Ord military base, now open to the public, and host to PGA Tour events,[9] including the 2012 PGA Professional National Championship.[10] Seaside is also the gateway to the Fort Ord National Monument Park, created on April 20, 2012. It has a rich history, diverse habitat, bountiful recreation opportunities, and helps protect and manage 83 miles of trails and over 44 species of plants and animals.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.4 square miles (24 km2), of which, 9.2 square miles (24 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it (1.48%) is water. According to the maps of the United States Geological Survey, the elevation ranges from 0 to 165 meters (0 to 541 feet).

The climate is a cool Mediterranean type, strongly influenced by the prevailing winds from the west, which blow over the Pacific Coast's cool ocean currents from Alaska. At the nearest National Weather Service Climate Station, in the City of Monterey at 385 feet elevation: The coldest month is January, with an average daily high of 15.5 °C (59.9 °F); the warmest month is September, with an average daily high of 22 °C (72 °F); the average daily low is 6 °C (43 °F) in January and 11.5 °C (52.7 °F) in September; and the average rainfall is 50 centimeters (20 inches) per year, with 90.3% falling during November through April. The weather can be much hotter when the winds blow from the east: Since 1906, there have been 11 days with a high of 37.8 °C (100.0 °F) or higher; all 11 days occurred in June, September, or October.[11]

Enroll in the Right LPN Program near Seaside CA

Seaside CA LPN geriatric nurse with patient Picking the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse school is potentially the most crucial first step to starting a new career in the health care industry. There are various variables that you should consider when deciding on a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career goals, lifestyle, and economic status. As we have stressed in this article, it is important that you enroll in an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have outstanding reputations within the health care community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in Licensed Practical Nurse Colleges. However, by using our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a shortlist of schools to pick from so that you can make your final selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your dedication and desire to succeed, you can become an LPN in Seaside CA.