LVN Course Online Lawrence PA - LPN and LVN Schools Near You

How to Find the Right LPN School near Lawrence Pennsylvania

Lawrence PA LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are generally two academic credentials available that provide training to become an LPN near Lawrence PA. The one that can be completed in the shortest time period, normally about 1 year, is the certificate or diploma program. The second alternative is to attain 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, besides providing a higher credential and more in-depth training, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. No matter 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 guarantees that the course of study adequately prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

What is an LPN?

Lawrence PA Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have numerous duties that they accomplish in the Lawrence PA healthcare facilities where they work. As their titles imply, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including Pennsylvania. Although they may be responsible for overseeing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves typically work under the supervision of either an RN or a doctor. The health care facilities where they work are numerous and diverse, for example hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can encounter patients seeking medical care is their domain. Each state not only regulates their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can’t perform. So based on the state, their daily job functions may include:

Measuring vital signs
Providing medicines
Starting IV drips
Observing patients
Getting blood or urine samples
Taking care of patient records
Helping doctors or Registered nurses with procedures

In addition to their occupational duties being regulated by each state, the health facilities or other Lawrence PA healthcare providers where LPNs work can further 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 Lawrence PA Attending LPN schools online is becoming a more preferred way to obtain instruction and earn a nursing certificate or degree in Lawrence PA. Some schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and almost all programs require a specific amount of clinical rotation hours conducted in a local healthcare center. But since the rest of the training may be accessed online, this method may be a more accommodating answer to finding the time to attend school for many students. Concerning tuition, a number of online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus alternatives. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be reduced, helping to make education more economical. And many online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. So if your job and family responsibilities have left you with very little time to work toward your academic goals, perhaps an online LPN training program will make it easier to fit a degree into your busy 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 Lawrence 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.

Things to Ask LPN Schools

Questions to ask Lawrence PA LPN programs Now that you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, and if you will attend classes on campus or on the internet, you can use the following pointers to begin narrowing down your choices. As you no doubt are aware, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Lawrence PA as well as within Pennsylvania and throughout the United States. So it is essential to reduce the number of schools to choose from in order that you will have a workable list. As we already discussed, the location of the school and the price of tuition are undoubtedly going to be the first two points that you will look at. But as we also stressed, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your final selection, use the following questions to see how your selection measures up to the other schools.

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 confirm that you receive an excellent education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not offered for non-accredited schools near Lawrence PA.
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) along with graduation from an accredited school. Many states require a specific number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s important that the school you are attending not only delivers a top-notch 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 internet rating services to see what the evaluations are for each of the LPN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Also, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some nearby Lawrence PA 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 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 unhappy 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 superb reputation within the Lawrence PA healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students obtain employment.
Internship Programs. The most ideal way to obtain experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Virtually all nursing degree programs require a specified number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing also. Ask if the schools have associations with local Lawrence PA community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placement of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Lawrence PA?

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

Lawrence County, Pennsylvania

Lawrence County was created on March 20, 1849, from parts of Beaver and Mercer counties due to the rapid growth of New Castle, which was primarily in Mercer County but was rapidly expanding into Beaver County. The former borders between Beaver and Mercer Counties are still evident in Lawrence County today, as the northern borders of North Beaver Township, Shenango Township, and Slippery Rock Township with (respectively) the southern borders of Mahoning Township, Hickory Township, and Scott Township make up the former boundaries between Beaver and Mercer Counties. In addition, County Line Road in New Castle where the Lawrence County Courthouse is located also marks the former boundaries.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 363 square miles (940 km2), of which 358 square miles (930 km2) is land and 4.5 square miles (12 km2) (1.3%) is water.[4] Major waterways are the Shenango River, Neshannock Creek and the Mahoning River which form the Beaver River. Also, the Slippery Rock Creek and Connoquenessing Creak empty into the Beaver River.

As of the 2000 census[10] there were 94,643 people, 37,091 households, and 25,889 families residing in the county. The population density was 263 people per square mile (101/km²). There were 39,635 housing units at an average density of 110 per square mile (42/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.98% White, 3.61% Black or African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. 0.56% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 26.1% were of Italian, 21.7% German, 9.3% Irish, 6.8% English and 6.8% Polish ancestry.

Select the Right LPN Program near Lawrence PA

Lawrence PA LPN geriatric nurse with patient Choosing the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse school is perhaps the most crucial step to starting a new career in the medical care industry. There are numerous aspects that you must think about when choosing a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently depending on your current career goals, obligations, and financial status. As we have stressed in this article, it is essential that you choose an LPN school 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 Course Online. However, by utilizing our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to create 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 dedication and desire to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Lawrence PA.