LVN College Ridgewood NJ - LPN and LVN Schools Near You

How to Choose the Right LPN College near Ridgewood New Jersey

Ridgewood NJ LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are essentially two scholastic credentials offered that provide education to become an LPN near Ridgewood NJ. The one that may be concluded in the shortest period of time, usually about 12 months, is the certificate or diploma program. The second choice is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma option and usually require 2 years to finish. The advantage of Associate Degrees, aside from providing a higher credential and more extensive instruction, are that they furnish 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 some other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC guarantees that the syllabus properly 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?

Ridgewood NJ Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have a number of functions that they carry out in the Ridgewood NJ medical facilities where they practice. As their titles imply, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including New Jersey. Although they may be responsible for supervising Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves typically work under the direction of either an RN or a doctor. The health care facilities where they work are numerous and assorted, for example hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can encounter patients requiring medical assistance is their domain. Each state not only controls their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can’t perform. So based on the state, their day-to-day work functions can include:

Measuring vital signs
Administering medicines
Starting IV drips
Monitoring patients
Taking blood or urine samples
Managing patient records
Supporting doctors or Registered nurses with procedures

Along with their job responsibilities being mandated by each state, the healthcare facilities or other Ridgewood NJ healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job roles within those parameters. Also, they can practice in numerous specialties of nursing, including long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

Online LPN Programs

female student attending LPN school online in Ridgewood NJ Attending LPN schools online is emerging as a more popular way to receive training and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in Ridgewood NJ. Certain schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and nearly all programs call for a certain amount 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 convenient answer to finding the free time to attend school for many students. Regarding tuition, many online degree programs are less costly than other on campus choices. Even supplemental 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 very little time to work toward your academic goals, maybe an online LPN program will make it more convenient 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 Ridgewood NJ 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 Ridgewood NJ 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 guidelines to start narrowing down your options. As you no doubt realize, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Ridgewood NJ as well as within New Jersey and throughout the United States. So it is necessary to decrease the number of schools to select from so that you will have a workable list. As we previously pointed out, the site of the school and the price of tuition are most likely going to be the initial two factors that you will take into consideration. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So prior to making your ultimate decision, use the following questions to evaluate how your pick compares to the field.

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. Aside from helping make sure that you receive a premium education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not available for non-accredited schools near Ridgewood NJ.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for LPNs vary 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. Some 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 attending not only provides an exceptional education, but also preps you to satisfy the minimum licensing standards for New Jersey or the state where you will be working.
Reputation. Look at online rating services to see what the assessments are for each of the LPN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews too. Also, check with the New Jersey school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some nearby Ridgewood NJ 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 programs 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 displeased with the program and dropped out. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only confirm that the school has a superb reputation within the Ridgewood NJ medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students obtain a position.
Internship Programs. The most effective way to acquire 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. Many states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing as well. Ask if the schools have a working relationship with local Ridgewood NJ community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placement of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Ridgewood NJ?

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

Ridgewood, New Jersey

Ridgewood is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the village population was 24,958,[11][12][13] reflecting an increase of 22 (+0.1%) from the 24,936 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 784 (+3.2%) from the 24,152 counted in the 1990 Census.[21] Ridgewood is a suburban bedroom community of New York City, located approximately 20 miles (32 km) northwest of Midtown Manhattan.

The Village of Ridgewood was created on November 20, 1894, with the same boundaries as Ridgewood Township (formerly known as Godwinville).[24] The Village became the municipal government while the Township remained a school district.[25] In 1902, the village added portions of Orvil Township,[26] which were returned to Orvil Township in 1915. In 1925, Ridgewood Village acquired area from Franklin Township (remainder now dissolved as Wyckoff). On February 9, 1971, Ridgewood acquired area from Washington Township. On May 28, 1974, it acquired area from Ho-Ho-Kus.[27] The name of the village derives from the characteristics of its terrain.[28]

Graydon began as a plot of land called Linwood Park and generously donated to the Village by resident Samuel Graydon in 1912. Before the pond that is there now, it was only the river, which is what children swam in. Every summer, Mr. Graydon would dam up the river and it would flood and create a deeper place to swim. People would picnic by the water and hold events there. Graydon remains one of the jewels of Ridgewood, treasured by residents young and old.

Select the Right LPN School near Ridgewood NJ

Ridgewood NJ LPN geriatric nurse with patient Deciding on the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is arguably the most crucial step to beginning a new career in the health care field. There are numerous aspects that you should consider when deciding on a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently contingent on your existing career goals, obligations, and economic status. As we have emphasized in this post, it is critical that you choose an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the medical community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in LVN College. However, by utilizing our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a short list of schools to select from so that you can make your final selection. And with the proper degree and training, combined with your dedication and desire to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Ridgewood NJ.