LVN Programs Cheltenham PA - LPN and LVN Schools Near You

How to Pick the Right LPN School near Cheltenham Pennsylvania

Cheltenham PA LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are basically two academic credentials offered that provide education to become an LPN near Cheltenham PA. The one that may be finished in the shortest amount of time, typically about 1 year, is the certificate or diploma program. The 2nd alternative is to obtain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma alternative and typically require 2 years to finish. The benefit of Associate Degrees, along with 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 pursue, it should be state approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or another national accrediting organization. The NLNAC warrants that the syllabus effectively 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?

Cheltenham PA Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have many different functions that they accomplish in the Cheltenham PA health facilities where they are employed. As their titles indicate, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Pennsylvania. Although they may be accountable for supervising Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves typically work under the direction 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. Anywhere that you can encounter patients in need of medical treatment is their domain. Every state not only oversees their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their routine job functions may include:

Checking vital signs
Giving medications
Setting up IV drips
Overseeing patients
Getting blood or urine samples
Maintaining patient records
Helping doctors or Registered nurses with procedures

Along with their occupational duties being regulated by each state, the health facilities or other Cheltenham PA healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job duties within those parameters. Also, they can work in various specialties of nursing, which include long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

Online LPN Programs

female student attending LPN school online in Cheltenham PA Enrolling in LPN schools online is emerging as a more in demand way to get instruction and attain a nursing certificate or degree in Cheltenham PA. Many schools will require attendance on campus for a component of the training, and almost all programs call for a specified amount of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare facility. But since the rest of the training can be accessed online, this option may be a more convenient solution to finding the free time to attend school for many students. Pertaining to tuition, a number of online degree programs are less costly than other on campus choices. Even supplemental expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be lessened, 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 household obligations have left you with very little time to pursue your academic goals, it could be that an online LPN program 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 Cheltenham PA 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 Cheltenham PA LPN programs Once you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, as well as if you will attend classes on campus or on the web, you can use the following pointers to begin narrowing down your choices. As you no doubt are aware, there are many nursing schools and colleges near Cheltenham PA as well as within Pennsylvania and throughout the United States. So it is essential to decrease the number of schools to choose from in order that you will have a manageable list. As we earlier pointed out, the site of the school along with the cost of tuition are most likely 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 final choice, use the following questions to see how your pick compares 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 organization. Besides helping confirm that you receive a quality education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not provided for non-accredited schools near Cheltenham PA.
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) in addition to 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 important that the school you are enrolled in not only delivers an excellent education, but also prepares you to comply with the minimum licensing standards for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working.
Reputation. Look at online rating companies to see what the assessments are for all of the LPN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews too. Also, get in touch with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some local Cheltenham PA 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 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 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 favorable reputation within the Cheltenham PA medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students obtain employment.
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 specified number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing too. Ask if the schools have associations with nearby Cheltenham PA community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placing of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Cheltenham PA?

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

Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

Cheltenham Township is a home rule township bordering North Philadelphia in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. Cheltenham's population density ranges from over 10,000 per square mile in rowhouses and high-rise apartments along Cheltenham Avenue to historic neighborhoods in Wyncote and Elkins Park. It is the most densely populated township in Montgomery County.[3] The population was 36,793 at the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the third most populous township in Montgomery County and the 27th most populous municipality in Pennsylvania. It was originally part of Philadelphia County, and it became part of Montgomery County upon that county's creation in 1784.

Cheltenham is located 5 miles from Center City Philadelphia and surrounded by the North and Northeast sections of Philadelphia, Abington, Jenkintown, and Springfield. The SEPTA Main Line passes through Cheltenham via 5 regional rail stations, some of which are the busiest in the SEPTA system. Cheltenham is served by the SEPTA City Division and is adjacent to Fern Rock Transportation Center and the Broad Street Line subway which terminates at the South Philadelphia Sports Complex and also the Frankford Transportation Center and the El, which terminates at 69th Street in Upper Darby Township. The northern terminus of Broad Street is in Cheltenham, at its intersection with Cheltenham Avenue (PA 309).

Cheltenham was established in 1682 as part of Philadelphia County by 15 Quakers from Cheltenham, including Richard Wall and Tobias Leech, who purchased 4,070 acres (16.5 km2) of land from William Penn.[4][5] Upon creation of Montgomery County in 1784, Cheltenham became the smallest township in the new county.

Enroll in the Right LPN Program near Cheltenham PA

Cheltenham PA LPN geriatric nurse with patient Deciding on the right Licensed Practical Nurse program is potentially the most crucial phase to launching a new career in the healthcare field. There are many factors that you need to consider when picking a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career goals, lifestyle, and economic status. As we have stressed within this content, it is important that you select an LPN college and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have exceptional reputations within the health care community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in LVN Programs. However, by using our list 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 right degree and training, combined with your hard work and ambition to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Cheltenham PA.