Licensed Practical Nurse Training Guthrie KY - LPN and LVN Schools Near You

How to Pick the Right LPN College near Guthrie Kentucky

Guthrie KY LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are basically two scholastic credentials offered that provide training to become an LPN near Guthrie KY. The one that can be concluded in the shortest time frame, commonly about one year, is the certificate or diploma course. The 2nd option is to obtain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and generally require 2 years to complete. The benefit of Associate Degrees, besides supplying a higher credential and more in-depth training, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. Regardless of the type of credential you seek, it should be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or some other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC attests that the course of study properly prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

What is an LPN?

Guthrie KY Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have many different functions that they perform in the Guthrie KY healthcare facilities where they practice. As their titles signify, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Kentucky. Even though they may be accountable for monitoring Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves usually work under the guidance of either an RN or a doctor. The medical care facilities where they work are numerous and varied, for example hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anyplace that you can encounter patients requiring medical attention is their domain. Every state not only regulates their licensing, but also what work activities an LPN can and can’t perform. So based on the state, their day-to-day work functions may include:

Measuring vital signs
Providing medications
Setting up IV drips
Monitoring patients
Taking blood or urine samples
Managing patient records
Supporting physicians or Registered nurses with procedures

In addition to their work functions being controlled by each state, the medical facilities or other Guthrie KY healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job roles within those parameters. Additionally, they can work in various specialties of nursing, for instance long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

Online LPN Programs

female student attending LPN school online in Guthrie KY Attending LPN programs online is becoming a more in demand way to receive instruction and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in Guthrie KY. Some schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and virtually all programs require a certain amount of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare facility. But since the remainder of the training can be accessed online, this method may be a more convenient solution to finding the time to attend college for many students. Pertaining to tuition, a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus options. Even other expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be lessened, helping to make education more easily affordable. And numerous online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. Therefore if your job and family responsibilities have left you with very little time to work toward your academic goals, maybe an online LPN school will make it easier to fit a degree into your hectic 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 Guthrie KY 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 Guthrie KY LPN programs Now that you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, and if you will attend classes on campus or online, you can utilize the following pointers to start narrowing down your options. As you no doubt realize, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Guthrie KY as well as within Kentucky and throughout the United States. So it is necessary to reduce the number of schools to choose from so that you will have a manageable list. As we earlier discussed, the site of the school along with the expense of tuition are undoubtedly going to be the first two things that you will look at. But as we also stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So prior to making your final decision, use the following questions to see 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 recognized accrediting agency. Besides helping verify that you receive a premium education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools near Guthrie KY.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing criteria for LPNs are different 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. Some states require a specific 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 a top-notch education, but also prepares you to satisfy the minimum licensing requirements for Kentucky or the state where you will be practicing.
Reputation. Check online rating companies to see what the reviews are for each of the LPN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Also, contact the Kentucky school licensing authority to determine if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some nearby Guthrie KY 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 displeased 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 Guthrie KY healthcare community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students gain a position.
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 certain 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 Guthrie KY community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placement of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Guthrie KY?

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

Guthrie, Kentucky

The present location of Guthrie was the site of the Pondy Woods stagecoach stop in the 1840s; the community around it may have also been called State Line for a time, from the nearby Tennessee state line.[4] The town was named for former Representative James Guthrie, the president of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad at its founding in 1867.[5] Guthrie was formally incorporated by the Kentucky Assembly in 1876.[6]

As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 1,469 people, 593 households, and 377 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,079.5 people per square mile (417.0/km²). There were 657 housing units at an average density of 482.8 per square mile (186.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 67.60% White, 29.20% African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.20% Pacific Islander, 1.36% from other races, and 0.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.59% of the population.

There were 593 households out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.5% were married couples living together, 19.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.10.

Select the Right LPN School near Guthrie KY

Guthrie KY LPN geriatric nurse with patient Choosing the right Licensed Practical Nurse program is perhaps the most important first step to launching a new career in the health care industry. There are various variables that you should think about when picking a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently contingent on your current career goals, obligations, and financial situation. As we have emphasized within this post, it is important that you enroll in an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the healthcare community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in Licensed Practical Nurse Training. However, by utilizing our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a shortlist of schools to pick from so that you can make your final 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 Guthrie KY.