How to Enroll In the Right LPN Training near Natrona Heights Pennsylvania
There are principally two scholastic credentials available that provide training to become an LPN near Natrona Heights PA. The one that can be finished in the shortest time period, generally about 12 months, is the certificate or diploma course. The 2nd choice is to obtain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and normally require 2 years to complete. 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. Regardless of the type of credential you pursue, 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 syllabus effectively prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.
What is an LPN?
Licensed Practical Nurses have many different functions that they accomplish in the Natrona Heights PA health facilities where they are employed. As their titles imply, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Pennsylvania. While they may be accountable for monitoring Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves usually work under the supervision of either an RN or a doctor. The medical facilities where they work are numerous and varied, for example hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can find patients in need of medical care is their dominion. Each state not only oversees their licensing, but also what work activities an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their daily work functions can include:
- Checking vital signs
- Providing medicines
- Initiating IV drips
- Overseeing patients
- Getting blood or urine samples
- Maintaining patient records
- Supporting doctors or Registered nurses with procedures
Along with their job duties being governed by each state, the medical facilities or other Natrona Heights PA healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job roles within those parameters. In addition, they can practice in various specialties of nursing, which include long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.
LPN Programs Online
Enrolling in LPN programs online is becoming a more favored way to receive training and acquire a nursing certificate or degree in Natrona Heights PA. Many schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and nearly all programs require a specific number of clinical rotation hours conducted in a local healthcare facility. But since the remainder of the training can be accessed online, this alternative may be a more convenient approach to finding the time to attend classes for many students. Concerning tuition, many online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus alternatives. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be lessened, helping to make education more easily affordable. And a large number of online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. Therefore if your job and household commitments have left you with very little time to pursue your academic goals, maybe an online LPN school 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 Natrona Heights 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.
What to Ask LPN Schools
Now that you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, and if you will attend classes on campus or online, you can use the following pointers to begin narrowing down your options. As you undoubtedly are aware, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Natrona Heights PA as well as within Pennsylvania and throughout the United States. So it is essential to decrease the number of schools to select from so that you will have a workable list. As we previously discussed, the location of the school and the cost of tuition are probably going to be the primary two points that you will consider. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So prior to making your final selection, use the following questions to see how your selection measures up to the field.
- Accreditation. It’s a good idea to make sure that the certificate program in addition to the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Aside from helping verify that you get an excellent education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools near Natrona Heights PA.
- Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for LPNs are different from state to state. In all states, a passing score is needed on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) together with graduation from an accredited school. Certain states require a specific number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s essential that the school you are enrolled in not only provides an excellent education, but also preps you to satisfy the minimum licensing standards for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be practicing.
- Reputation. Look at internet rating companies to see what the reviews are for all of the LPN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews too. Additionally, get in touch with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some nearby Natrona Heights PA 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 finish their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were displeased with the program and dropped out. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only substantiate that the school has a good reputation within the Natrona Heights PA healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students obtain a position.
- Internship Programs. The most ideal way to obtain 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. A number of states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing also. Check if the schools have associations with nearby Natrona Heights PA community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placement of students in internships.
Enrolling in an LPN Program near Natrona Heights PA?
If you are considering enrolling in and attending an LPN school near Natrona Heights PA, you may find the following information both interesting and useful when making your final decision.
Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania
Natrona Heights is an unincorporated community in Harrison Township, Allegheny County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania;[1] it is located in Western Pennsylvania within the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area, approximately 24 miles (39 km) northeast of Pittsburgh. Natrona Heights is situated near the Allegheny River, Natrona, Brackenridge, and Tarentum.
Natrona Heights is home to both the Pittsburgh-Tarentum Campmeeting Association, a Methodist-based camp over 160 years old,[2] and to the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center.[3] The town's first structure, the Burtner House, still stands and is open for festivals several times a year.[4] The Community Library of Allegheny Valley, Harrison Branch also serves Natrona Heights.[5]
The community is within the Highlands School District. Highlands High School and Highlands Middle School are in Natrona Heights. Private schools include Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament Elementary School and Saint Joseph High School.
Pick the Right LPN School near Natrona Heights PA
Choosing the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is probably the most important step to beginning a new career in the health care field. There are many variables that you need to think about when picking a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently contingent on your current career objectives, obligations, and financial situation. As we have stressed within this content, it is critical that you choose an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have excellent reputations within the medical community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in How Long to Become an LPN. 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 right degree and training, combined with your dedication and desire to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Natrona Heights PA.
More Practical Locations in Pennsylvania
Business Results 1 - 10 of 3
2 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
7 Reviews 