LVN Education Fountain CO - LPN and LVN Schools Near You

How to Find the Right LPN School near Fountain Colorado

Fountain CO LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are principally two academic credentials available that provide instruction to become an LPN near Fountain CO. The one that may be concluded in the shortest time frame, normally about 12 months, is the certificate or diploma course. The other choice is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and generally require 2 years to complete. The advantage of Associate Degrees, aside from offering a higher credential and more comprehensive instruction, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. Regardless of the kind of credential you pursue, it should be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or another 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?

Fountain CO Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have a number of duties that they accomplish in the Fountain CO medical facilities where they practice. As their titles indicate, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including Colorado. Even though they may be responsible for supervising Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves generally work under the guidance of either an RN or a doctor. The healthcare facilities where they work are numerous and assorted, for example hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can find patients in need of medical treatment is their dominion. Every state not only controls their licensing, but also what work activities an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their daily job activities might include:

Measuring vital signs
Administering medications
Initiating IV drips
Overseeing patients
Taking blood or urine samples
Managing patient records
Assisting physicians or Registered nurses with procedures

Along with their work responsibilities being governed by each state, the healthcare facilities or other Fountain CO healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job duties within those parameters. Also, they can work in numerous specialties of nursing, for example long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN Programs Online

female student attending LPN school online in Fountain CO Attending LPN programs online is becoming a more popular way to obtain training and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in Fountain CO. Certain schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and almost all programs require a certain amount of clinical rotation hours carried out in a local healthcare center. But since the remainder of the training may be accessed online, this option may be a more practical solution to finding the time to attend college for some students. Pertaining to tuition, a number of online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus options. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be minimized, helping to make education more economical. And many online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. Therefore if your work and family commitments have left you with limited 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 Fountain CO 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 Fountain CO 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 checklist to start narrowing down your options. As you no doubt are aware, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Fountain CO as well as within Colorado and throughout the United States. So it is important to lower the number of schools to choose from so that you will have a workable list. As we earlier pointed out, the site of the school as well as the price of tuition are most likely going to be the initial two things that you will look at. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So prior to making your final selection, use the following questions to see how your pick 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 acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides helping ensure that you obtain a premium education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not available for non-accredited schools near Fountain CO.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements for LPNs vary from state to state. In all states, a passing score is required on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) together with graduation from an accredited school. Some states require a certain 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 provides a top-notch education, but also preps you to satisfy the minimum licensing requirements for Colorado or the state where you will be practicing.
Reputation. Visit internet rating services to see what the reviews are for all of the LPN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Additionally, check with the Colorado school licensing authority to determine if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some local Fountain CO healthcare organizations you’re interested in working for after graduation and ask what their assessments are of the schools as well.
Graduation and Job Placement Rates. Find out from the LPN schools 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 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 Fountain CO medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students attain employment.
Internship Programs. The most ideal way to get 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. Many states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing also. Find out if the schools have a working relationship with nearby Fountain CO community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the positioning of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Fountain CO?

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

Fountain, Colorado

Fountain is located 10 miles (16 km) south of downtown Colorado Springs and just east of Fort Carson. Fountain and the Colorado Springs suburbs Security and Widefield make up the "Fountain Valley" community.[10]

In 1999, Fountain was chosen as "America's Millennium City" by The New York Times.[13] Fountain was named an "All-America City" in 2002 by the National Civic League.[14] The city is the home of Pikes Peak International Raceway.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 24.0 square miles (62.2 km2), of which 24.0 square miles (62.1 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.15%, is water.[16] The eponymous Fountain Creek flows south through the city.

Choose the Right LPN Program near Fountain CO

Fountain CO LPN geriatric nurse with patient Picking the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is perhaps the most critical phase to launching a new career in the healthcare industry. There are various factors that you should take into account when selecting a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently depending on your current career objectives, lifestyle, and economic situation. As we have highlighted in this content, it is essential 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 LVN Education. However, by utilizing our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a short list of schools to choose from so that you can make your final selection. And with the proper degree and training, combined with your hard work and ambition to succeed, you can become an LPN in Fountain CO.