LPN Nurse School Emmetsburg IA

How to Find the Right LPN College near Emmetsburg Iowa

Emmetsburg IA LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are essentially two academic credentials offered that provide training to become an LPN near Emmetsburg IA. The one that may be completed in the shortest time period, normally about 12 months, is the certificate or diploma course. The other alternative is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and usually require 2 years to complete. The advantage of Associate Degrees, aside from supplying a higher credential and more comprehensive instruction, are that they provide 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 syllabus 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?

Emmetsburg IA Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have many different tasks that they complete in the Emmetsburg IA healthcare facilities where they practice. As their titles indicate, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including Iowa. Even though 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 healthcare facilities where they work are numerous and assorted, for instance hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anywhere that you can encounter patients requiring medical assistance is their domain. Each state not only oversees their licensing, but also what work activities an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their day-to-day work activities may include:

Taking vital signs
Administering medicines
Initiating IV drips
Monitoring patients
Getting blood or urine samples
Keeping patient records
Helping physicians or Registered nurses with procedures

Along with their occupational functions being regulated by each state, the healthcare facilities or other Emmetsburg IA healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job roles within those parameters. Additionally, they can practice in different specialties of nursing, such as long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

Online LPN Programs

female student attending LPN school online in Emmetsburg IA Attending LPN programs online is becoming a more popular way to receive training and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in Emmetsburg IA. Some schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and virtually all programs require a certain amount of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare facility. But since the remainder of the training may be accessed online, this method may be a more convenient solution to finding the free time to attend school for some students. Regarding tuition, a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus options. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be minimized, helping to make education more easily affordable. And many online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. And so if your work and family obligations have left you with limited time to pursue your academic goals, maybe an online LPN 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 Emmetsburg 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 Programs

Questions to ask Emmetsburg IA LPN programs Once you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, and if you will attend classes on campus or on the internet, you can use the following guidelines to start narrowing down your options. As you no doubt realize, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Emmetsburg IA as well as within Iowa and throughout the United States. So it is essential to lower the number of schools to select from in order that you will have a manageable list. As we earlier mentioned, the site of the school and the expense of tuition are probably going to be the first two points that you will take into consideration. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before 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 acknowledged accrediting agency. Aside from helping verify that you receive a premium education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not available for non-accredited schools near Emmetsburg IA.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing criteria for LPNs are different from state to state. In all states, a passing score is required on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) in addition to graduation from an accredited school. Certain states require a certain number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s imperative that the school you are attending not only provides an outstanding education, but also readies you to satisfy the minimum licensing standards for Iowa or the state where you will be working.
Reputation. Look at online rating companies to see what the reviews are for each of the LPN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. In addition, get in touch with the Iowa school licensing authority to determine if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some nearby Emmetsburg IA healthcare organizations you’re interested in working for after graduation and ask what their judgements are of the schools as well.
Graduation and Job Placement Rates. Find out from the LPN schools 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 important that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only confirm that the school has a favorable reputation within the Emmetsburg IA healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students attain employment.
Internship Programs. The most effective way to acquire 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 prerequisites for licensing also. Find out if the schools have associations with local Emmetsburg IA community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placement of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Emmetsburg IA?

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

Emmetsburg, Iowa

Emmetsburg is a city in Palo Alto County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,904 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Palo Alto County.[6] Emmetsburg is located around the southern bay of Five Island Lake.

The town was originally settled by immigrants during the Irish potato famine between 1845 and 1852. Emmetsburg was named after the Dublin-born Irish nationalist Robert Emmet,[7][8] who was executed at 25 for leading an 1803 rebellion against the British. The city was incorporated on November 17, 1877.[9]

As of the census[4] of 2010, there were 3,904 people, 1,632 households, and 967 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,024.7 inhabitants per square mile (395.6/km2). There were 1,836 housing units at an average density of 481.9 per square mile (186.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.9% White, 1.0% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.0% of the population.

Enroll in the Right LPN Program near Emmetsburg IA

Emmetsburg IA LPN geriatric nurse with patient Selecting the right Licensed Practical Nurse program is potentially the most critical phase to starting a new career in the healthcare field. There are a number of factors that you should consider when picking a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently contingent on your current career objectives, lifestyle, and economic situation. As we have stressed within this post, it is critical that you choose an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the medical community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in LPN Nurse School. However, by using our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to develop a shortlist of schools to choose from so that you can make your final selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your hard work and drive to succeed, you can become an LPN in Emmetsburg IA.