LPN Online Nursing Programs Mapleton IA

How to Find the Right LPN College near Mapleton Iowa

Mapleton IA LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are basically two academic credentials offered that provide instruction to become an LPN near Mapleton IA. The one that can be concluded in the shortest time frame, usually about 1 year, 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 typically require 2 years to complete. The advantage of Associate Degrees, in addition to providing a higher credential and more extensive training, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. No matter 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 guarantees that the syllabus adequately 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?

Mapleton IA Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have many tasks that they carry out in the Mapleton IA healthcare facilities where they are employed. As their titles imply, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including Iowa. While they may be responsible for overseeing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves typically work under the guidance of either an RN or a doctor. The health care 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 treatment is their domain. Each state not only controls 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:

Checking vital signs
Giving medications
Starting IV drips
Overseeing patients
Taking blood or urine samples
Keeping patient records
Helping physicians or RNs with procedures

Along with their job duties being governed by each state, the healthcare facilities or other Mapleton IA healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job roles within those parameters. Additionally, they can practice in numerous specialties of nursing, for example long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN Programs Online

female student attending LPN school online in Mapleton IA Attending LPN programs online is growing into a more favored way to get training and earn a nursing certificate or degree in Mapleton IA. Certain schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and nearly all programs require a certain number of clinical rotation hours carried out in a local healthcare center. But since the remainder of the training may be accessed online, this alternative may be a more practical answer to finding the free time to attend college for some students. Concerning tuition, some online degree programs are less costly than other on campus alternatives. Even other expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be reduced, helping to make education more easily affordable. And a large number of online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. Therefore if your work and family obligations have left you with very little time to pursue your academic goals, perhaps an online LPN school 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 Mapleton 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.

Questions to Ask LPN Schools

Questions to ask Mapleton IA LPN programs Now that you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, and if you will attend classes on campus or on the web, you can use the following pointers to start narrowing down your choices. As you probably are aware, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges near Mapleton IA as well as within Iowa and throughout the United States. So it is important to lower the number of schools to choose from in order that you will have a manageable list. As we earlier discussed, the site of the school and the cost of tuition are undoubtedly going to be the initial two factors that you will take into consideration. But as we also stressed, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your ultimate selection, use the following questions to evaluate how your selection measures up to the other programs.

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 recognized accrediting agency. Besides helping verify that you obtain an excellent education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not provided for non-accredited schools near Mapleton IA.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements for LPNs differ 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 imperative that the school you are enrolled in not only provides an outstanding education, but also prepares you to meet the minimum licensing standards for Iowa or the state where you will be working.
Reputation. Look at internet rating companies to see what the evaluations are for each of the LPN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Additionally, contact the Iowa school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some local Mapleton IA 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 schools 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 verify that the school has a favorable reputation within the Mapleton IA medical community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students obtain a position.
Internship Programs. The most ideal way to obtain experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Almost all nursing degree programs require a specified number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing also. Ask if the schools have associations with local Mapleton IA community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the positioning of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Mapleton IA?

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

Mapleton, Iowa

Between 7:20 and 7:30 p.m. on April 9, 2011, a rated EF3 wedge tornado ripped through the western half of Mapleton. Early reports say that 50-60% of the town has been damaged or destroyed by the tornado which appeared to be 3/4ths of a mile wide. No serious injuries were reported. Businesses became damaged, several homes were destroyed.[6]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,224 people, 537 households, and 300 families residing in the city. The population density was 765.0 inhabitants per square mile (295.4/km2). There were 631 housing units at an average density of 394.4 per square mile (152.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.8% White, 0.9% African American, 1.0% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population.

There were 537 households of which 24.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.0% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 44.1% were non-families. 41.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 24.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.92.

Select the Right LPN School near Mapleton IA

Mapleton IA LPN geriatric nurse with patient Choosing the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is perhaps the most crucial step to beginning a new career in the medical care industry. There are numerous aspects that you must think about when choosing a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your current career objectives, lifestyle, and economic status. As we have pointed out in this article, it is critical that you select an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have outstanding reputations within the healthcare community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in LPN Online Nursing Programs. However, by utilizing our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a shortlist of schools to choose from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the proper degree and training, combined with your hard work and desire to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Mapleton IA.