LPN Online Programs Lake Park IA

How to Find the Right LPN School near Lake Park Iowa

Lake Park IA LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are essentially two scholastic credentials available that provide instruction to become an LPN near Lake Park IA. The one that may be finished in the shortest amount of time, typically about twelve months, is the certificate or diploma program. The other choice is to attain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma alternative and generally require 2 years to complete. The benefit of Associate Degrees, aside from providing a higher credential and more comprehensive instruction, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. No matter the kind of credential you seek, it should be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or any other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC guarantees 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?

Lake Park IA Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have many functions that they carry out in the Lake Park IA health care facilities where they work. As their titles indicate, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including Iowa. Although they may be responsible for managing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves generally 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. Anyplace that you can find patients in need of medical care is their dominion. Each state not only regulates their licensing, but also what work activities an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their day-to-day job functions can include:

Taking vital signs
Administering medications
Setting up IV drips
Overseeing patients
Collecting blood or urine samples
Taking care of patient records
Assisting physicians or Registered nurses with procedures

Along with their job responsibilities being regulated by each state, the health care facilities or other Lake Park IA healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job duties within those parameters. Additionally, they can practice in different specialties of nursing, including long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN Programs Online

female student attending LPN school online in Lake Park IA Attending LPN programs online is growing into a more in demand way to receive instruction and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in Lake Park IA. Many schools will require attendance on campus for a component of the training, and virtually all programs call for a certain number of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare facility. But since the rest of the training may be accessed online, this alternative may be a more accommodating approach to finding the time to attend classes for many students. Regarding tuition, many online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus choices. Even supplemental expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be lessened, helping to make education more economical. And a large number of online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. Therefore if your job and household obligations have left you with limited time to work toward your academic goals, maybe 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 Lake Park 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.

Things to Ask LPN Programs

Questions to ask Lake Park IA LPN programs Now that you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, as well as if you will attend classes on campus or online, you can use the following pointers to begin narrowing down your options. As you probably realize, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges near Lake Park IA as well as within Iowa and throughout the United States. So it is important to decrease the number of schools to select from to ensure that you will have a manageable list. As we previously mentioned, the site of the school and the expense of tuition are probably going to be the primary two factors that you will look at. But as we also stressed, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your final choice, use the following questions to evaluate how your selection compares to the field.

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 recognized accrediting agency. Aside from helping make sure that you receive a quality education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not provided for non-accredited schools near Lake Park IA.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for LPNs vary 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 specified 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 delivers an excellent education, but also preps you to comply with the minimum licensing standards for Iowa or the state where you will be working.
Reputation. Check online rating services to see what the evaluations are for all of the LPN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. In addition, get in touch with the Iowa school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some nearby Lake Park 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 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 confirm that the school has a favorable reputation within the Lake Park IA medical community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students attain a position.
Internship Programs. The most effective way to obtain experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Almost all nursing degree programs require a specific number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing also. Ask if the schools have associations with nearby Lake Park IA community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placement of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Lake Park IA?

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

Lake Park, Iowa

On January 1, 1931, the new State Theatre was officially opened.[6] In 1942 a tornado swept through the area destroying many farm buildings. A new water treatment plant was built in 1970.[6] In September 1980, Lake Park had its own ambulance. On July 2, 2002, voters in the Harris-Lake Park School District approved a $4 million bond issue for the construction of a new educational facility on Lake Park's south side. In addition the development of a new community center, shared public/school library and athletic fields was planned in the city.[6] In 2003 an open house was held to officially open the new community center.

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,105 people, 486 households, and 307 families residing in the city. The population density was 712.9 inhabitants per square mile (275.3/km2). There were 594 housing units at an average density of 383.2 per square mile (148.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.6% White, 0.5% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.0% of the population.

There were 486 households of which 24.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.8% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.78.

Select the Right LPN Program near Lake Park IA

Lake Park IA LPN geriatric nurse with patient Choosing the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is arguably the most important step to beginning a new career in the medical care field. There are a number of aspects that you need to think about when choosing a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently contingent on your existing career goals, lifestyle, and economic situation. As we have highlighted within this article, it is important that you enroll in an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have exceptional reputations within the healthcare community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in LPN Online Programs. However, by using our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a short list of schools to choose from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your dedication and ambition to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Lake Park IA.