Vocational Nurse Programs Oakdale PA - LPN and LVN Schools Near You

How to Choose the Right LPN School near Oakdale Pennsylvania

Oakdale PA LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are essentially two academic credentials offered that provide instruction to become an LPN near Oakdale PA. The one that may be completed in the shortest amount of time, normally about 1 year, is the certificate or diploma course. The 2nd option is to obtain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and typically require 2 years to finish. The advantage of Associate Degrees, along with offering 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 needs to 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 core curriculum adequately prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

What is an LPN?

Oakdale PA Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have a number of tasks that they perform in the Oakdale PA medical facilities where they work. As their titles signify, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including Pennsylvania. While they may be accountable for monitoring Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves typically work under the oversight of either an RN or a doctor. The medical facilities where they work are numerous and varied, such as hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can encounter patients requiring medical attention 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 job functions may include:

Checking vital signs
Providing medications
Setting up IV drips
Overseeing patients
Taking blood or urine samples
Maintaining patient records
Assisting doctors or Registered nurses with procedures

Along with their work functions being mandated by each state, the health care facilities or other Oakdale PA healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job roles within those parameters. Also, they can practice in different specialties of nursing, for instance long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN Programs Online

female student attending LPN school online in Oakdale PA Attending LPN programs online is becoming a more popular way to get training and attain a nursing certificate or degree in Oakdale PA. Some schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and almost all programs call for a specific number of clinical rotation hours carried out in a local healthcare center. But since the balance of the training may be accessed online, this method may be a more practical answer to finding the time to attend classes for many students. Regarding tuition, some online degree programs are less costly than other on campus choices. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be minimized, helping to make education more affordable. And a large number of online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. Therefore if your work and household commitments have left you with very little time to work toward your academic goals, it could be that 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 Oakdale 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

Questions to ask Oakdale PA LPN programs Now that you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, as well as if you will attend classes on campus or online, you can utilize the following guidelines to start narrowing down your options. As you undoubtedly realize, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Oakdale PA as well as within Pennsylvania 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 mentioned, the site of the school and the price of tuition are probably going to be the primary two factors that you will consider. But as we also stressed, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So prior to making your ultimate choice, 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 as well as the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to helping make sure that you obtain an excellent education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not provided for non-accredited schools near Oakdale PA.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing criteria for LPNs differ 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 important that the school you are enrolled in not only delivers a top-notch education, but also preps you to meet the minimum licensing standards for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be practicing.
Reputation. Look at online rating services to see what the evaluations are for all of the LPN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. In addition, get in touch with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to determine if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some local Oakdale 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 schools you are considering 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 imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only substantiate that the school has a superb reputation within the Oakdale PA healthcare community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students attain employment.
Internship Programs. The most ideal way to obtain experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Essentially all nursing degree programs require a specific number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing too. Check if the schools have associations with nearby Oakdale PA community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placing of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Oakdale PA?

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

Oakdale, Pennsylvania

School tax millage rate- The West Allegheny SD (shared with Findlay Twp., North Fayette Twp. and Oakdale Borough) in 2017 was 18.51. This ranked 34th highest/most expensive out of Allegheny County's 45 school districts, between Avonworth SD (34th highest) and Quaker Valley SD (36th highest).[7]

As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 1,551 people, 604 households, and 445 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,956.0 people per square mile (1,151.6/km²). There were 640 housing units at an average density of 1,219.8 per square mile (475.2/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.19% White, 0.90% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 0.39% from other races, and 0.39% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.71% of the population.

There were 604 households, out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.1% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.2% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.04.

Select the Right LPN School near Oakdale PA

Oakdale PA LPN geriatric nurse with patient Picking the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse school is potentially the most crucial step to launching a new career in the health care field. There are various variables that you need to consider when choosing a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career objectives, lifestyle, and financial situation. As we have emphasized in this article, it is essential that you pick an LPN school 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 Vocational Nurse Programs. 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 ultimate selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your hard work and drive to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Oakdale PA.