Licensed Practical Nurse Education Requirements Smithfield IL

How to Select the Right LPN Program near Smithfield Illinois

Smithfield IL LPN pediatric nurse holding infantThere are principally two scholastic credentials offered that provide education to become an LPN near Smithfield IL. The one that can be completed in the shortest amount of time, typically about 1 year, is the certificate or diploma course. The next alternative is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma option and usually require 2 years to complete. The advantage of Associate Degrees, besides supplying a higher credential and more extensive instruction, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. Regardless of the kind of credential you seek, it needs to be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or another national accrediting organization. The NLNAC warrants that the core curriculum adequately prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

What is an LPN?

Smithfield IL Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)Licensed Practical Nurses have many different functions that they carry out in the Smithfield IL health care facilities where they are employed. As their titles indicate, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Illinois. While they may be accountable for managing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves typically work under the guidance of either an RN or a doctor. The medical care facilities where they work are numerous and varied, including hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anywhere that you can find patients in need of medical attention 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 everyday job activities may include:

  • Taking vital signs
  • Providing medicines
  • Initiating IV drips
  • Overseeing patients
  • Getting blood or urine samples
  • Maintaining patient records
  • Supporting physicians or RNs with procedures

In addition to their job duties being controlled by each state, the health care facilities or other Smithfield IL healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job duties within those parameters. Additionally, they can work in various specialties of nursing, for example long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

Online LPN Programs

female student attending LPN school online in Smithfield ILAttending LPN programs online is emerging as a more popular way to get instruction and attain a nursing certificate or degree in Smithfield IL. Many schools will require attendance on campus for a component of the training, and virtually all programs require a specific amount of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare center. But since the remainder of the training may be accessed online, this option may be a more practical approach to finding the time to attend school for some students. Concerning tuition, many online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus alternatives. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be lessened, helping to make education more economical. And many online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. And so if your work and family commitments have left you with limited time to work toward your academic goals, maybe an online LPN program 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 Smithfield 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.

Questions to Ask LPN Programs

Questions to ask Smithfield 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 checklist to begin narrowing down your options. As you no doubt realize, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Smithfield 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 manageable list. As we earlier mentioned, the site of the school as well as the cost of tuition are most likely going to be the first two factors that you will take into consideration. But as we also stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So prior to making your final selection, use the following questions to evaluate how your pick measures up to the other schools.

  • Accreditation. It’s a good idea to make sure that the certificate program as well as the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Aside from helping ensure that you get an excellent education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not offered for non-accredited schools near Smithfield IL.
  • Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for LPNs differ from state to state. In all states, a passing score is needed on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) as well as 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 attending not only provides an excellent education, but also prepares you to comply with the minimum licensing requirements for Illinois or the state where you will be practicing.
  • Reputation. Visit online rating services to see what the reviews are for all of the LPN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. In addition, get in touch with the Illinois school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some local Smithfield 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 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 substantiate that the school has a good reputation within the Smithfield IL medical community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students gain a position.
  • Internship Programs. The best way to acquire experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Essentially all nursing degree programs require a specific 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 nearby Smithfield IL community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the positioning of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Smithfield IL?

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

Smithfield, Illinois

Smithfield is located in western Fulton County at 40°28′23″N 90°17′34″W / 40.47306°N 90.29278°W / 40.47306; -90.29278 (40.473086, -90.292639).[4]Illinois Route 95 forms the northern edge of the village; the highway leads east 6 miles (10 km) to Cuba and west 5.5 miles (8.9 km) to Marietta. Lewistown, the county seat, is 12 miles (19 km) to the southeast via IL 95 and IL 97.

As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 214 people, 95 households, and 66 families residing in the village. The population density was 450.0 people per square mile (172.1/km²). There were 103 housing units at an average density of 216.6 per square mile (82.9/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 99.53% White, and 0.47% from two or more races.

There were 95 households out of which 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.0% were married couples living together, 5.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.74.

Choose the Right LPN School near Smithfield IL

Smithfield IL LPN geriatric nurse with patientSelecting the right Licensed Practical Nurse school is perhaps the most important phase to launching a new career in the medical care industry. There are a number of aspects that you must think about when deciding on a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently contingent on your existing career objectives, lifestyle, and financial status. As we have emphasized in this article, it is essential that you enroll in an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have exceptional reputations within the health care community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in Licensed Practical Nurse Education Requirements. However, by using our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to develop a shortlist of schools to select from so that you can make your ultimate 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 Smithfield IL.

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