LVN Online Courses North Chicago IL - LPN and LVN Schools Near You

How to Choose the Right LPN Training near North Chicago Illinois

North Chicago IL LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are essentially two academic credentials offered that provide instruction to become an LPN near North Chicago IL. The one that may be concluded in the shortest time frame, normally about one year, is the certificate or diploma course. The second choice is to obtain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma option and commonly require 2 years to finish. The advantage of Associate Degrees, in addition to providing a higher credential and more extensive training, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. No matter the kind 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 warrants that the course of study 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?

North Chicago IL Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have many tasks that they complete in the North Chicago IL health facilities where they practice. As their titles imply, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Illinois. While they may be accountable for supervising Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves generally work under the oversight of either an RN or a doctor. The medical care facilities where they work are numerous and diverse, such as hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anywhere that you can encounter patients seeking medical care is their domain. Every state not only oversees their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their everyday job activities might include:

Checking vital signs
Providing medications
Initiating IV drips
Observing patients
Taking blood or urine samples
Taking care of patient records
Assisting physicians or Registered nurses with procedures

In addition to their work functions being governed by each state, the health facilities or other North Chicago IL healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job roles 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 North Chicago IL Attending LPN schools online is growing into a more preferred way to get training and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in North Chicago IL. Some schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and nearly all programs call for a certain number of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare facility. But since the balance of the training may be accessed online, this option may be a more convenient approach to finding the time to attend college for many students. Regarding tuition, many online degree programs are less costly than other on campus choices. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be minimized, helping to make education more affordable. And many online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. And so if your work and household responsibilities have left you with little 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 North Chicago IL 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 Schools

Questions to ask North Chicago IL 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 internet, you can utilize the following guidelines to begin narrowing down your options. As you no doubt are aware, there are many nursing schools and colleges near North Chicago IL as well as within Illinois and throughout the United States. So it is important to decrease the number of schools to select from to ensure that you will have a manageable list. As we previously discussed, the site of the school and the cost of tuition are most likely going to be the first two things that you will take into consideration. But as we also stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So prior to making your final choice, use the following questions to see how your selection compares to the other schools.

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 confirm that you get a quality education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools near North Chicago IL.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for LPNs vary 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 important that the school you are attending not only provides an excellent education, but also readies you to satisfy the minimum licensing standards for Illinois or the state where you will be working.
Reputation. Check internet rating companies to see what the reviews are for all of the LPN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews too. In addition, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some nearby North Chicago IL 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 programs you are looking at what their graduation rates are as well as how long on average it takes students to complete their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only confirm that the school has a superb reputation within the North Chicago IL medical community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students obtain employment.
Internship Programs. The best way to get experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. 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 a working relationship with nearby North Chicago IL community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placing of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near North Chicago IL?

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

North Chicago, Illinois

The city is also home to Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, which houses the Chicago Medical School, the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, the College of Pharmacy, the College of Health Professions, and the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. North Chicago in the past was an important center of industry, and that past is reflected within the landscape as the area is still heavily industrialized today.

According to the 2010 census, North Chicago has a total area of 7.915 square miles (20.50 km2), of which 7.9 square miles (20.46 km2) (or 99.81%) is land and 0.015 square miles (0.04 km2) (or 0.19%) is water.[5]

The city is situated on Lake Michigan. Most of its territory drains directly to the lake, but the western region drains to the North Branch of the Chicago River, and ultimately, since the engineering projects of the 19th century, to the Illinois and thence to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico.

Enroll in the Right LPN School near North Chicago IL

North Chicago IL LPN geriatric nurse with patient Picking the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse school is perhaps the most critical phase to launching a new career in the healthcare field. There are a number of variables that you must take into account when selecting a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently contingent on your current career objectives, obligations, and financial status. As we have highlighted within this content, it is essential that you pick an LPN college 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 Online Courses. However, by using our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to develop a short list of schools to pick from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your hard work and drive to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical Nurse in North Chicago IL.