Practical Nurse Education Platte SD

How to Select the Right LPN Training near Platte South Dakota

Platte SD LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are generally two scholastic credentials offered that provide training to become an LPN near Platte SD. The one that can be completed in the shortest period of time, generally about 1 year, is the certificate or diploma program. The next alternative is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and typically require 2 years to complete. The benefit of Associate Degrees, along with supplying a higher credential and more comprehensive 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 any other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC guarantees that the core curriculum 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?

Platte SD Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have numerous duties that they carry out in the Platte SD health care facilities where they practice. As their titles imply, they are required to be licensed in all states, including South Dakota. Even though they may be accountable for supervising Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves generally work under the oversight 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 find patients requiring medical attention is their domain. Each state not only controls their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their everyday work functions may include:

Measuring vital signs
Giving medicines
Initiating IV drips
Monitoring patients
Getting blood or urine samples
Managing patient records
Helping doctors or Registered nurses with procedures

Along with their job functions being controlled by each state, the medical facilities or other Platte SD healthcare providers where LPNs work can further limit their job roles within those parameters. In addition, they can work in numerous specialties of nursing, for example long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

Online LPN Programs

female student attending LPN school online in Platte SD Enrolling in LPN programs online is growing into a more popular way to obtain training and attain a nursing certificate or degree in Platte SD. Certain schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and almost all programs require a specific number of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare center. But since the remainder of the training can be accessed online, this alternative may be a more practical answer to finding the free time to attend school for some students. Pertaining to tuition, some online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus alternatives. Even other expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be minimized, helping to make education more economical. And many online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. So if your work and family commitments have left you with limited time to work toward your academic goals, perhaps an online LPN training program will make it easier 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 Platte 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.

Things to Ask LPN Programs

Questions to ask Platte SD LPN programs Once you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, and if you will attend classes on campus or on the web, you can use the following guidelines to begin narrowing down your choices. As you probably realize, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges near Platte SD as well as within South Dakota 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 manageable list. As we earlier pointed out, the location of the school and the cost of tuition are most likely 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 ultimate 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 as well as the school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides helping confirm that you get a premium education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not provided for non-accredited schools near Platte SD.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing criteria for LPNs are different from state to state. In all states, a passing score is required on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) together with graduation from an accredited school. Many states require a specific 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 provides an exceptional education, but also readies you to meet the minimum licensing requirements for South Dakota or the state where you will be working.
Reputation. Visit online rating services to see what the evaluations are for all of the LPN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews too. Also, check with the South Dakota school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some local Platte 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 considering 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 substantiate that the school has a good reputation within the Platte SD medical community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students gain employment.
Internship Programs. The best way to obtain experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Virtually all nursing degree programs require a specified number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing also. Check if the schools have a working relationship with nearby Platte SD community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the positioning of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Platte SD?

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

Platte, South Dakota

Platte is a city in Charles Mix County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 1,230 at the 2010 census. The community is named after the Platte Creek, a tributary of the Missouri River reservoir Lake Francis Case. Platte is located 15 miles east of the lake.

Lewis and Clark were told to watch for ‘burning bluffs’ in the area.[6] Settlement began in the early 1880s.[6] A fur trader named Bernard Pratte once lived at the mouth of what was then known as the ‘Fish Creek’.[6] Pratte’s last name was mistakenly transcribed as Platte on an early map of the creek and the spelling error stuck.[7] The town that would become Platte was named after the creek.[7]

For 12 years, Charles Mix County was the only county in the state of South Dakota without a railroad.[8] Platte originated in the summer of 1900 after it was selected as the terminus for a Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul railroad branch line from Yankton.[8] The railroad arrived in October and buildings were moved from the nearby settlements of Castalia, Old Platte, and Edgerton.[8] The Platte Enterprise newspaper was founded in 1900 and is still published today.[7]

Choose the Right LPN School near Platte SD

Platte SD LPN geriatric nurse with patient Deciding on the right Licensed Practical Nurse program is probably the most important phase to launching a new career in the medical care field. There are numerous factors that you must take into account when selecting a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career goals, obligations, and economic situation. As we have emphasized within this article, it is essential that you enroll in an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the health care community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in Practical Nurse Education. However, by utilizing our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a short list of schools to choose from so that you can make your final selection. And with the proper degree and training, combined with your hard work and drive to succeed, you can become an LPN in Platte SD.