LVN Courses Thomaston CT - LPN and LVN Schools Near You

How to Pick the Right LPN School near Thomaston Connecticut

Thomaston CT LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are generally two academic credentials offered that provide education to become an LPN near Thomaston CT. The one that may be concluded in the shortest time period, generally about twelve months, is the certificate or diploma course. The second option is to attain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma option and normally require 2 years to finish. The advantage of Associate Degrees, in addition to offering a higher credential and more in-depth training, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. No matter the kind of credential you pursue, 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 guarantees that the core curriculum 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?

Thomaston CT Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have many duties that they complete in the Thomaston CT health care facilities where they work. As their titles indicate, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including Connecticut. Although they may be accountable for monitoring Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves normally work under the oversight of either an RN or a doctor. The medical facilities where they work are numerous and diverse, including hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anyplace that you can encounter patients requiring medical care is their dominion. Each 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 functions may include:

Measuring vital signs
Providing medicines
Initiating IV drips
Overseeing patients
Getting blood or urine samples
Maintaining patient records
Helping physicians or Registered nurses with procedures

Along with their job functions being controlled by each state, the medical facilities or other Thomaston CT healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job duties within those parameters. Also, they can practice in numerous specialties of nursing, such as long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

Online LPN Programs

female student attending LPN school online in Thomaston CT Enrolling in LPN schools online is becoming a more in demand way to obtain instruction and attain a nursing certificate or degree in Thomaston CT. Some schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and virtually all programs call for a specified number of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare center. But since the balance of the training may be accessed online, this option may be a more convenient answer to finding the free time to attend college for some students. Pertaining to tuition, many online degree programs are less costly than other on campus options. Even supplemental expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be minimized, helping to make education more easily affordable. And many 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 work toward 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 Thomaston CT 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.

Questions to Ask LPN Schools

Questions to ask Thomaston CT 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 use the following pointers to start narrowing down your options. As you undoubtedly are aware, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges near Thomaston CT as well as within Connecticut and throughout the United States. So it is important to lower the number of schools to select from to ensure that you will have a manageable list. As we already discussed, the site of the school as well as the cost of tuition are probably going to be the initial two factors that you will look at. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your ultimate decision, use the following questions to evaluate how your pick measures up 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 agency. Besides helping ensure that you receive an excellent education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not available for non-accredited schools near Thomaston CT.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements 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 completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s imperative that the school you are enrolled in not only provides an exceptional education, but also readies you to satisfy the minimum licensing requirements for Connecticut or the state where you will be working.
Reputation. Check internet rating companies to see what the evaluations are for all of the LPN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews too. In addition, check with the Connecticut school licensing authority to determine if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some nearby Thomaston CT 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 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 imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the Thomaston CT medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students attain a position.
Internship Programs. The most ideal way to obtain 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. Many states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing as well. Find out if the schools have associations with local Thomaston CT community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placement of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Thomaston CT?

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

Thomaston, Connecticut

Thomaston is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 7,887 at the 2010 census. The urban center of the town is the Thomaston census-designated place, with a population of 1,910 at the 2010 census.[4]

The town, originally part of Plymouth, Connecticut, and referred to as 'Plymouth Hollow' was first settled by Henry Cook ("the soldier in the wilderness," 1683–1750) around 1728.[5][6] The town is known for clockmaking, which started in 1803, when Eli Terry established a factory in the town. Terry brought mass production to the clockmaking industry, helping to reduce the cost of clocks. He introduced and patented the shelf clock in 1814,[5] which reduced the cost of a clock from $25 to $5. His clocks were sold throughout the US.[5] It was incorporated in its own right and under the name "Thomaston" in 1875.[7] The name derives from Seth Thomas, the early clockmaker, who established a factory in town in 1812.[8][7] The Seth Thomas clock factory building still exists; however, the clockmaking industry has long since left the state as well as the country.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total size of 12.2 square miles (31.7 km²). 12.0 square miles (31.1 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.6 km²) of it (1.80%) is water.

Enroll in the Right LPN Program near Thomaston CT

Thomaston CT LPN geriatric nurse with patient Enrolling in the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse school is probably the most critical step to starting a new career in the healthcare field. There are a number of factors that you need to think about when picking a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently contingent on your current career goals, lifestyle, and economic situation. As we have emphasized within this article, it is important that you choose an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have excellent reputations within the healthcare community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in LVN Courses. However, by utilizing our checklist 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 right degree and training, combined with your hard work and drive to succeed, you can become an LPN in Thomaston CT.