Licensed Practical Nurse Programs Akron IA

How to Choose the Right LPN School near Akron Iowa

Akron IA LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are principally two scholastic credentials offered that provide training to become an LPN near Akron IA. The one that can be finished in the shortest amount of time, commonly about twelve months, is the certificate or diploma program. The other option is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma alternative and commonly require 2 years to complete. The benefit of Associate Degrees, aside from supplying a higher credential and more in-depth 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 warrants that the course of study adequately prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

What is an LPN?

Akron IA Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have many different functions that they complete in the Akron IA healthcare facilities where they are employed. As their titles indicate, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including Iowa. Although they may be responsible for supervising Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves normally work under the oversight of either an RN or a doctor. The medical facilities where they work are numerous and assorted, such as hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can find patients in need of medical care is their domain. Each state not only controls their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can’t perform. So based on the state, their routine work functions might include:

Measuring vital signs
Administering medicines
Setting up IV drips
Monitoring patients
Collecting blood or urine samples
Keeping patient records
Helping physicians or RNs with procedures

Along with their occupational responsibilities being governed by each state, the health care facilities or other Akron IA healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job roles within those parameters. Also, they can work in various specialties of nursing, which include long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

Online LPN Programs

female student attending LPN school online in Akron IA Attending LPN programs online is becoming a more favored way to obtain training and attain a nursing certificate or degree in Akron IA. Certain schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and virtually all programs call for a specific amount of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare facility. But since the balance of the training can be accessed online, this option may be a more practical answer to finding the time to attend school for many students. Concerning tuition, some online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus choices. Even other expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be reduced, helping to make education more easily affordable. And many online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. Therefore if your work and household responsibilities have left you with very little time to work toward your academic goals, it could be that an online LPN training program will make it more convenient 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 Akron IA 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 Akron IA LPN programs Once 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 checklist to begin narrowing down your options. As you undoubtedly are aware, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Akron IA as well as within Iowa and throughout the United States. So it is necessary to reduce the number of schools to select from to ensure that you will have a workable list. As we earlier discussed, the site of the school and the cost of tuition are probably going to be the initial two factors that you will look at. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So prior to making your final selection, use the following questions to see how your pick compares 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 recognized accrediting organization. In addition to helping make sure that you obtain a premium education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not offered for non-accredited schools near Akron IA.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements for LPNs vary from state to state. In all states, a passing score is required on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) as well as graduation from an accredited school. Certain states require a specific number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s imperative that the school you are enrolled in not only provides an exceptional education, but also prepares you to comply with the minimum licensing standards for Iowa or the state where you will be working.
Reputation. Look at 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. Also, check with the Iowa school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some nearby Akron IA 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 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 dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only substantiate that the school has a superb reputation within the Akron IA healthcare community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students obtain a position.
Internship Programs. The most ideal way to get experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Virtually all nursing degree programs require a certain number of clinical hours be completed. A number of states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing too. Check if the schools have associations with nearby Akron IA community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placing of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Akron IA?

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

Akron, Iowa

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.22 square miles (3.16 km2), all of it land.[1] Akron is considered the northern gateway to the Loess Hills and the Loess Hills Scenic Byway. These unique hills made up of windblown soil stretch southward from Akron toward St. Joseph, Missouri.

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,486 people, 625 households, and 407 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,218.0 inhabitants per square mile (470.3/km2). There were 702 housing units at an average density of 575.4 per square mile (222.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.4% White, 0.4% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.5% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.5% of the population.

There were 625 households of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.9% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.92.

Pick the Right LPN School near Akron IA

Akron IA LPN geriatric nurse with patient Picking the right Licensed Practical Nurse school is perhaps the most critical first step to beginning a new career in the healthcare industry. There are a number of factors that you must take into account when picking a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your current career goals, obligations, and financial situation. As we have stressed within this post, it is important that you pick an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the healthcare community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in Licensed Practical Nurse Programs. However, by utilizing our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a shortlist of schools to select 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 Akron IA.