LPN Schools Niceville FL

How to Enroll In the Right LPN Program near Niceville Florida

Niceville FL LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are basically two academic credentials offered that provide education to become an LPN near Niceville FL. The one that may be concluded in the shortest time period, normally about one year, is the certificate or diploma program. The 2nd alternative is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and commonly require 2 years to finish. The benefit of Associate Degrees, besides providing a higher credential and more extensive instruction, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. No matter the kind of credential you pursue, 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 properly prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

What is an LPN?

Niceville FL Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have many tasks that they perform in the Niceville FL health facilities where they work. As their titles imply, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Florida. Even though they may be accountable for supervising Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves typically work under the oversight of either an RN or a doctor. The medical facilities where they work are numerous and varied, including hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can encounter patients in need of medical treatment is their dominion. Each state not only regulates their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their daily job functions can include:

Measuring vital signs
Providing medications
Setting up IV drips
Monitoring patients
Taking blood or urine samples
Maintaining patient records
Assisting doctors or RNs with procedures

Along with their occupational responsibilities being mandated by each state, the health care facilities or other Niceville FL healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job duties within those parameters. In addition, they can practice in different specialties of nursing, including long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

Online LPN Programs

female student attending LPN school online in Niceville FL Enrolling in LPN schools online is emerging as a more preferred way to get training and earn a nursing certificate or degree in Niceville FL. Many schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and virtually all programs require a specified amount of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare center. But since the balance of the training may be accessed online, this method may be a more convenient solution to finding the free time to attend classes for many students. Regarding tuition, some online degree programs are less costly than other on campus choices. Even other expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be lessened, helping to make education more affordable. And a large number of online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. Therefore if your job and household commitments have left you with little time to pursue your academic goals, perhaps an online LPN school 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 Niceville FL 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 Schools

Questions to ask Niceville FL 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 options. As you undoubtedly are aware, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Niceville FL as well as within Florida and throughout the United States. So it is important to reduce the number of schools to choose from to ensure that you will have a workable list. As we earlier mentioned, the location of the school along with the price of tuition are most likely going to be the initial two things that you will consider. But as we also stressed, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your ultimate selection, 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 in addition to the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to helping make sure that you obtain an excellent education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not offered for non-accredited schools near Niceville FL.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites 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 specified number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s essential that the school you are enrolled in not only delivers an exceptional education, but also readies you to comply with the minimum licensing standards for Florida or the state where you will be practicing.
Reputation. Visit internet rating services to see what the assessments are for each of the LPN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Additionally, get in touch with the Florida school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some nearby Niceville FL 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 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 verify that the school has a good reputation within the Niceville FL healthcare community, but that it also has the network of relationships to assist students attain a position.
Internship Programs. The most ideal 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. Various states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing also. Find out if the schools have associations with nearby Niceville FL community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the positioning of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Niceville FL?

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

Niceville, Florida

When mail service began on July 21, 1868, the city was known as Boggy,[6] and on November 5, 1910, the name was officially changed to Niceville.[7] The name Niceville was selected by the postmaster's daughter.[8] In 1915, Niceville became part of newly formed Okaloosa County after previously being in Walton County.[9] It is a twin city along with Valparaiso, which borders it on the west side of the city.

As of census[3] of 2000, there were 11,684 people, 4,637 households, and 3,385 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,069.8 inhabitants per square mile (413.1/km²). There were 4,907 housing units at an average density of 449.3 per square mile (173.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.25% White, 4.58% African American, 0.74% Native American, 3.20% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 1.14% from other races, and 2.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.71% of the population.

There were 4,637 households out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.3% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.89.

Enroll in the Right LPN School near Niceville FL

Niceville FL LPN geriatric nurse with patient Selecting the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse school is potentially the most crucial step to beginning a new career in the healthcare field. There are a number of aspects that you need to think about when selecting a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently contingent on your current career objectives, obligations, and financial situation. As we have stressed within this article, it is essential that you enroll in an LPN school 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 LPN Schools. However, by utilizing our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a shortlist of schools to pick 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 a Licensed Practical Nurse in Niceville FL.