LPN Online Degree Programs Park Forest IL

How to Choose the Right LPN Program near Park Forest Illinois

Park Forest IL LPN pediatric nurse holding infantThere are principally two academic credentials available that provide instruction to become an LPN near Park Forest IL. The one that can be finished in the shortest amount of time, typically about 12 months, is the certificate or diploma program. The 2nd option is to attain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and normally require 2 years to complete. The benefit of Associate Degrees, besides 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 type of credential you seek, 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 syllabus properly 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?

Park Forest IL Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)Licensed Practical Nurses have many different tasks that they carry out in the Park Forest IL healthcare facilities where they are employed. As their titles imply, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including Illinois. While they may be responsible for supervising Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves normally work under the supervision of either an RN or a doctor. The medical care facilities where they work are numerous and varied, for example hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anywhere that you can find patients seeking medical assistance is their dominion. Every state not only oversees their licensing, but also what functions an LPN can and can’t perform. So based on the state, their everyday work functions can include:

  • Taking vital signs
  • Administering medications
  • Starting IV drips
  • Overseeing patients
  • Taking blood or urine samples
  • Maintaining patient records
  • Supporting physicians or RNs with procedures

In addition to their work responsibilities being mandated by each state, the medical facilities or other Park Forest IL healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job duties within those parameters. Additionally, they can work in different specialties of nursing, including long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

Online LPN Programs

female student attending LPN school online in Park Forest ILAttending LPN programs online is growing into a more preferred way to obtain instruction and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in Park Forest IL. Certain schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and virtually all programs call for a certain amount of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare facility. But since the balance of the training can be accessed online, this alternative may be a more convenient solution to finding the free time to attend classes for many students. Pertaining to tuition, a number of online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus options. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be reduced, helping to make education more economical. 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 little time to pursue your academic goals, it could be that an online LPN school will make it easier to fit a degree into your hectic 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 Park Forest 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.

What to Ask LPN Schools

Questions to ask Park Forest IL LPN programsNow that you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, and if you will attend classes on campus or on the web, you can utilize the following pointers to start narrowing down your choices. As you undoubtedly realize, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Park Forest IL as well as within Illinois 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 site of the school as well as the price of tuition are probably going to be the primary two things that you will take into consideration. But as we also stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your ultimate decision, use the following questions to evaluate how your pick compares to the field.

  • 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. In addition to helping make sure that you receive a quality education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not offered for non-accredited schools near Park Forest IL.
  • Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements for LPNs vary from state to state. In all states, a passing score is needed on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) along with graduation from an accredited school. Certain states require a certain 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 provides an excellent education, but also readies you to meet the minimum licensing requirements for Illinois or the state where you will be practicing.
  • Reputation. Visit online rating companies to see what the assessments are for each of the LPN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. In addition, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some nearby Park Forest 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 programs you are considering 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 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 verify that the school has a superb reputation within the Park Forest IL healthcare community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students gain a position.
  • Internship Programs. The most effective way to acquire experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Virtually all nursing degree programs require a specific number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing too. Ask if the schools have a working relationship with local Park Forest IL community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placing of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Park Forest IL?

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

Park Forest, Illinois

Park Forest is a village located south of Chicago in Cook and Will counties, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the village had a population of 21,975.[3] Park Forest is bordered by Olympia Fields to the north, Chicago Heights to the east, University Park to the south (formerly Park Forest South), and Richton Park and Matteson to the west.

Developers Nathan Manilow, Carroll F. Sweet and Philip M. Klutznick held a press conference in the Palmer House in Chicago on October 28, 1946, to announce the planned development of a new self-governing community in Chicago's south suburbs. This project, soon to be referred to as Park Forest, was to be developed by American Community Builders (ACB). The village of Park Forest was partly designed by town planner Elbert Peets in the tradition of planned communities around the nation to provide housing for veterans returning from World War II.

Studs Terkel, in his oral history of World War II, The Good War,[4] says Park Forest and other such middle-class suburbs grew out of the new prosperity after the war. First he quotes an unnamed GI, "The war changed our whole idea of how we wanted to live when we came back. We set our sights pretty high. . . . I am now what you'd call middle class." Terkel goes on: "The suburb, until [about 1946], had been the exclusive domain of the 'upper class.' It was where the rich lived. The rest of us were neighborhood folk. At war's end, a new kind of suburb came into being. . . . Thanks to the GI bill, two new names were added to American folksay: Levittown and Park Forest.

Enroll in the Right LPN Program near Park Forest IL

Park Forest IL LPN geriatric nurse with patientSelecting the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse school is arguably the most important phase to beginning a new career in the healthcare field. There are various factors that you should consider when picking a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career objectives, lifestyle, and economic situation. As we have stressed within this content, it is essential that you enroll in an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the health care community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in LPN Online Degree Programs. However, by using our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a shortlist of schools to choose from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your hard work and ambition to succeed, you can become an LPN in Park Forest IL.

More Practical Locations in Illinois

  • Become an LPN Kaneville IL
  • LPN Online Colleges Calumet City IL
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  • LVN Training Online Evergreen Park IL
  • Become an LPN Online Brookfield IL
  • LVN Classes Girard IL
  • Becoming an LPN Bluffs IL
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