Licensed Practical Nurse Colleges Oswego IL - LPN and LVN Schools Near You

How to Find the Right LPN College near Oswego Illinois

Oswego IL LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are principally two academic credentials available that provide education to become an LPN near Oswego IL. The one that can be concluded in the shortest time frame, generally about 1 year, is the certificate or diploma program. The next option is to obtain 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, in addition to 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 some other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC warrants that the course of study adequately 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?

Oswego IL Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have a number of functions that they perform in the Oswego IL health care facilities where they are employed. As their titles imply, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including Illinois. Although they may be accountable for overseeing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves normally 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. Anywhere that you can find patients requiring medical attention is their domain. Every state not only regulates their licensing, but also what work activities an LPN can and can’t perform. So based on the state, their daily work functions might include:

Checking vital signs
Giving medications
Setting up IV drips
Overseeing patients
Taking blood or urine samples
Managing patient records
Supporting physicians or Registered nurses with procedures

In addition to their job duties being regulated by each state, the medical facilities or other Oswego IL healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job roles within those parameters. Additionally, 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 Oswego IL Enrolling in LPN schools online is growing into a more popular way to get training and attain a nursing certificate or degree in Oswego IL. Some schools will require attendance on campus for a component of the training, and virtually all programs call for a specific amount of clinical rotation hours conducted in a local healthcare facility. But since the balance of the training can be accessed online, this option may be a more accommodating approach to finding the free time to attend classes for many students. Regarding tuition, a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus options. Even supplemental expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be reduced, helping to make education more affordable. And many online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. So if your job and family obligations have left you with very little time to work toward your academic goals, perhaps 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 Oswego 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 Oswego IL LPN programs Once 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 pointers to start narrowing down your options. As you probably realize, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Oswego IL as well as within Illinois and throughout the United States. So it is essential to lower the number of schools to select from so that you will have a workable list. As we previously mentioned, the location of the school as well as the price of tuition are most likely going to be the first two factors that you will look at. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your final decision, 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 along with the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides helping verify that you obtain a quality education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not provided for non-accredited schools near Oswego IL.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing criteria for LPNs vary from state to state. In all states, a passing score is needed on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) in addition to graduation from an accredited school. Many states require a certain number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s important that the school you are enrolled in not only delivers an outstanding education, but also prepares you to meet the minimum licensing standards for Illinois or the state where you will be working.
Reputation. Look at online 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. Also, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some nearby Oswego IL 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 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 unhappy 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 Oswego IL medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students gain employment.
Internship Programs. The most effective way to obtain experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Almost all nursing degree programs require a specific number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing also. Check if the schools have associations with local Oswego IL community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placement of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Oswego IL?

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

Oswego, Illinois

Oswego /ɒsˈwiːɡoʊ/ is a village in Kendall County, Illinois, United States. The village population, according to the 2010 census, is 30,355. Its population has more than doubled since the 2000 census count of 13,326. With that growth, Oswego is the largest municipality located completely within Kendall County.

Oswego is known to some Chicago area residents for the town dragstrip, open from 1955 until 1979, where muscle cars were raced by drivers from all over the Midwest.[3][4] The drag days are celebrated today even though the strip has been closed for decades.[5]

In 1833, William Smith Wilson, his wife Rebecca, and his brother-in-law Daniel Pearce moved to the area now known as Oswego.[6] The land belonged by the local Potowatomi, Ottawa, and Chippewa tribes, but the United States government removed the Native Americans when the government started surveying the land along the Fox River in Kendall County. In 1842, the federal government placed the land for sale at an established price of $1.25 an acre.[7]

Select the Right LPN Program near Oswego IL

Oswego IL LPN geriatric nurse with patient Selecting the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse school is potentially the most crucial first step to beginning a new career in the medical care field. There are a number of aspects that you should consider when deciding on a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career goals, obligations, and financial status. As we have emphasized in this content, it is important that you enroll in 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 Licensed Practical Nurse Colleges. However, by utilizing our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to develop a short list of schools to select from so that you can make your final selection. And with the right degree and training, combined with your dedication and desire to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Oswego IL.