LVN College Radcliff KY

How to Enroll In the Right LPN School near Radcliff Kentucky

Radcliff KY LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are principally two academic credentials available that provide instruction to become an LPN near Radcliff KY. The one that may be finished in the shortest time period, generally about 1 year, is the certificate or diploma course. The next choice is to attain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma option and typically require 2 years to complete. The benefit of Associate Degrees, along with offering a higher credential and more extensive instruction, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. Regardless of the kind of credential you pursue, it needs to be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or any other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC attests that the core curriculum effectively prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

What is an LPN?

Radcliff KY Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have many different functions that they carry out in the Radcliff KY medical facilities where they are employed. As their titles imply, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including Kentucky. While they may be accountable for monitoring Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves typically work under the guidance of either an RN or a doctor. The healthcare 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 seeking medical assistance is their dominion. Each state not only regulates their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can’t perform. So based on the state, their everyday work functions can include:

Taking vital signs
Giving medications
Starting IV drips
Overseeing patients
Taking blood or urine samples
Managing patient records
Supporting physicians or Registered nurses with procedures

Along with their job functions being controlled by each state, the health care facilities or other Radcliff KY healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job duties within those parameters. In addition, they can work in various specialties of nursing, including long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

Online LPN Programs

female student attending LPN school online in Radcliff KY Attending LPN programs online is emerging as a more in demand way to get instruction and earn a nursing certificate or degree in Radcliff KY. Some schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and nearly all programs call for a specified amount of clinical rotation hours conducted in a local healthcare center. But since the balance of the training may be accessed online, this option may be a more practical solution to finding the free time to attend classes for many students. Pertaining to tuition, some online degree programs are less costly than other on campus options. Even other expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be reduced, helping to make education more affordable. And numerous online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. And so if your work and family obligations 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 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 Radcliff 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.

What to Ask LPN Programs

Questions to ask Radcliff KY LPN programs Once 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 a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Radcliff KY as well as within Kentucky and throughout the United States. So it is essential to reduce the number of schools to choose from so that you will have a workable list. As we already mentioned, the site of the school and the price of tuition are most likely going to be the primary two points that you will consider. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your ultimate 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 as well as the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to helping ensure that you obtain a premium education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools near Radcliff KY.
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) in addition to graduation from an accredited school. Some 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 delivers an exceptional education, but also prepares you to satisfy the minimum licensing standards for Kentucky or the state where you will be working.
Reputation. Visit internet rating companies to see what the assessments are for each of the LPN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Also, check with the Kentucky school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some nearby Radcliff KY 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 looking at 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 unhappy with the program and dropped out. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only substantiate that the school has a favorable reputation within the Radcliff KY medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students obtain employment.
Internship Programs. The best way to obtain experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Almost all nursing degree programs require a specified number of clinical hours be completed. A number of states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing too. Ask if the schools have associations with nearby Radcliff KY community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placement of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Radcliff KY?

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

Radcliff, Kentucky

Radcliff is a home rule-class city[3] in Hardin County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 21,692 at the 2010 census,[4] and in 2016 the estimated population was 22,490.[2] It is included in the Elizabethtown–Fort Knox Metropolitan Area.

Its economy is largely dominated by the adjacent U.S. Army base Fort Knox and by the nearby city of Elizabethtown. Radcliff's population previously fluctuated greatly depending on the deployments of the units at the base, but the BRAC reorganization of 2005, and the quartering of the U.S. Army's Human Resources Command to Fort Knox has created a larger and more stable population.[5]

Radcliff is in northern Hardin County at 37°49′48″N 85°56′44″W / 37.83000°N 85.94556°W / 37.83000; -85.94556 (37.829918, -85.945541).[6] It is bordered to the north by Fort Knox and to the west by Vine Grove. U.S. Route 31W runs through the east side of the city, leading north 34 miles (55 km) to Louisville and south 11 miles (18 km) to Elizabethtown.

Choose the Right LPN School near Radcliff KY

Radcliff KY LPN geriatric nurse with patient Selecting the right Licensed Practical Nurse school is probably the most crucial phase to beginning a new career in the healthcare industry. There are various aspects that you must take into account when deciding on a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently contingent on your existing career goals, obligations, and economic situation. As we have emphasized within this post, it is important that you choose an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the health care community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in LVN College. However, by using 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 right degree and training, combined with your hard work and drive to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Radcliff KY.