Online School for LPN Letcher SD

How to Find the Right LPN College near Letcher South Dakota

Letcher SD LPN pediatric nurse holding infantThere are principally two scholastic credentials offered that provide instruction to become an LPN near Letcher SD. The one that may be concluded in the shortest time frame, typically about one year, is the certificate or diploma course. The next choice is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma option and typically require 2 years to complete. The benefit of Associate Degrees, along with offering a higher credential and more comprehensive training, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. No matter the type of credential you seek, 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 attests that the course of study effectively prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

What is an LPN?

Letcher SD Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)Licensed Practical Nurses have numerous tasks that they carry out in the Letcher SD health facilities where they practice. As their titles indicate, they are required to be licensed in all states, including South Dakota. Even though they may be responsible for monitoring Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves normally work under the supervision of either an RN or a doctor. The health care facilities where they work are numerous and varied, including hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anywhere that you can find patients seeking medical assistance is their dominion. Each state not only oversees their licensing, but also what functions an LPN can and can’t perform. So based on the state, their routine job functions might include:

  • Taking vital signs
  • Giving medications
  • Initiating IV drips
  • Monitoring patients
  • Taking blood or urine samples
  • Maintaining patient records
  • Assisting doctors or Registered nurses with procedures

In addition to their job functions being regulated by each state, the health facilities or other Letcher SD healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job duties within those parameters. Also, they can practice in numerous specialties of nursing, for instance long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

Online LPN Programs

female student attending LPN school online in Letcher SDAttending LPN programs online is growing into a more in demand way to receive instruction and earn a nursing certificate or degree in Letcher SD. Some schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and nearly all programs call for a specific amount of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare center. But since the rest of the training may be accessed online, this option may be a more practical answer to finding the free time to attend classes for some students. Pertaining to tuition, many online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus alternatives. Even other expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be reduced, 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 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 hectic 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 Letcher SD 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 Letcher SD LPN programsOnce 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 pointers to start narrowing down your choices. As you undoubtedly realize, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Letcher SD as well as within South Dakota and throughout the United States. So it is essential to lower the number of schools to choose from in order that you will have a workable list. As we already pointed out, the site of the school along with the price 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 sole qualifiers. So prior to making your final choice, use the following questions to evaluate 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 organization. Besides helping verify that you get a quality education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools near Letcher SD.
  • 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) along with graduation from an accredited school. Many states require a specified number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s imperative that the school you are enrolled in not only provides an outstanding education, but also readies you to meet the minimum licensing standards for South Dakota or the state where you will be working.
  • Reputation. Visit online rating services to see what the assessments are for all of the LPN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews too. In addition, contact the South Dakota school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some local Letcher SD 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 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 favorable reputation within the Letcher SD healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students gain employment.
  • Internship Programs. The best way to get experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Almost all nursing degree programs require a specific number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing also. Find out if the schools have associations with local Letcher SD community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placing of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Letcher SD?

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

Letcher, South Dakota

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.66 square miles (1.71 km2), of which, 0.62 square miles (1.61 km2) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) is water.[3]

As of the census[4] of 2010, there were 173 people, 77 households, and 42 families residing in the town. The population density was 279.0 inhabitants per square mile (107.7/km2). There were 83 housing units at an average density of 133.9 per square mile (51.7/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 100.0% White.

There were 77 households of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.5% were non-families. 39.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 3.07.

Pick the Right LPN Program near Letcher SD

Letcher SD LPN geriatric nurse with patientChoosing the right Licensed Practical Nurse school is arguably the most critical step to starting a new career in the healthcare field. There are many factors that you must consider when selecting a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently contingent on your existing career goals, lifestyle, and financial situation. As we have stressed within this content, it is important 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 Online School for LPN. 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 proper degree and training, combined with your dedication and drive to succeed, you can become an LPN in Letcher SD.

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