Licensed Practical Nursing Schools Kingsville TX

How to Choose the Right LPN Program near Kingsville Texas

Kingsville TX LPN pediatric nurse holding infant There are basically two academic credentials offered that provide instruction to become an LPN near Kingsville TX. The one that can be concluded in the shortest time frame, generally about one year, is the certificate or diploma course. The 2nd alternative is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma alternative and commonly require 2 years to complete. The advantage of Associate Degrees, along with 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 kind 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 guarantees that the syllabus adequately prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

What is an LPN?

Kingsville TX Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Practical Nurses have many different tasks that they carry out in the Kingsville TX health facilities where they practice. As their titles signify, they are required to be licensed in all states, including Texas. While they may be responsible for managing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves normally work under the guidance of either an RN or a doctor. The medical care facilities where they work are numerous and varied, including hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Virtually any place that you can find patients seeking medical attention is their dominion. Each state not only controls their licensing, but also what functions an LPN can and can’t perform. So based on the state, their everyday job activities may include:

Checking vital signs
Providing medications
Setting up IV drips
Overseeing patients
Taking blood or urine samples
Managing patient records
Supporting doctors or RNs with procedures

In addition to their occupational responsibilities being governed by each state, the health care facilities or other Kingsville TX healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job roles within those parameters. In addition, they can work in various specialties of nursing, for example long-term care, critical care, oncology and cardiology.

LPN Programs Online

female student attending LPN school online in Kingsville TX Enrolling in LPN schools online is growing into a more favored way to obtain instruction and earn a nursing certificate or degree in Kingsville TX. Many schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and virtually all programs require a specified amount of clinical rotation hours conducted in a local healthcare center. But since the balance of the training may be accessed online, this alternative may be a more practical answer to finding the time to attend college for some students. Pertaining to tuition, many online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus choices. 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. Therefore if your work and family responsibilities have left you with little time to work toward your academic goals, maybe 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 Kingsville TX 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 Kingsville TX LPN programs Now that you have decided on obtaining your LPN certificate, and if you will attend classes on campus or online, you can utilize the following pointers to start narrowing down your options. As you undoubtedly realize, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges near Kingsville TX as well as within Texas and throughout the United States. So it is necessary to reduce the number of schools to choose from to ensure that you will have a workable list. As we already discussed, the site of the school and the cost of tuition are probably going to be the initial two factors that you will look at. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your final decision, use the following questions to see how your pick 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 acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides helping verify that you receive an excellent education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools near Kingsville TX.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements for LPNs differ from state to state. In all states, a passing score is needed on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) in addition to 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 enrolled in not only provides an outstanding education, but also readies you to satisfy the minimum licensing requirements for Texas or the state where you will be practicing.
Reputation. Check internet rating companies to see what the assessments are for all of the LPN schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Also, check with the Texas school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some nearby Kingsville TX 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 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 unhappy with the program and dropped out. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only verify that the school has a good reputation within the Kingsville TX medical community, but that it also has the network of relationships to assist 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 certain number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing as well. Find out if the schools have a working relationship with nearby Kingsville TX community hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the positioning of students in internships.

Enrolling in an LPN Program near Kingsville TX?

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

Kingsville, Texas

Kingsville is a city in the southern region of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat of Kleberg County, and is located on the U.S. Route 77 corridor between Corpus Christi and Harlingen. Kingsville is the principal city of the Kingsville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the larger Corpus Christi-Kingsville Combined Statistical Area. The population was 26,213 at the time of the 2010 census, and in 2016 the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population at 26,071.[3]

Named in honor of Richard King, Kingsville's first buildings were constructed in 1904 along the newly completed, now defunct, St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway line, adjacent to the famous King Ranch. The city was incorporated in 1913.[4] It is home to Texas A&M University-Kingsville, a member of the Texas A&M University System, and Naval Air Station Kingsville, one of the U.S. Navy’s two locations for jet aviation training.

With the continued growth of the King Ranch in the mid to late 19th century, the desire for a railroad through the region increased, both to connect the communities of the Rio Grande Valley to the rest of Texas, and to serve the King Ranch. At the turn of the 20th century, Henrietta King deeded a portion of the ranch to entice the construction of a town and to bring the railroad adjacent to the ranch.[4] Robert Justus Kleberg, Jr., the ranch manager, formed the Kleberg Town and Improvement Company in 1903, tasked with planning and constructing the town.[4] In 1904, the community was planned three miles from the King Ranch headquarters and was named in honor of the founder of the King Ranch, Richard King. That same year, construction of the St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway reached Kingsville, and the first train passed through the town on July 4, 1904, considered the founding date of the city. Kingsville's first post office was also established that year.[5]

Select the Right LPN Program near Kingsville TX

Kingsville TX LPN geriatric nurse with patient Deciding on the right Licensed Practical Nurse program is potentially the most critical first step to starting a new career in the healthcare industry. There are many variables that you must consider when selecting a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your current career goals, lifestyle, and economic status. As we have highlighted in this post, it is critical that you select an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the medical community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in Licensed Practical Nursing Schools. However, by utilizing our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a shortlist of schools to pick from so that you can make your final selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your dedication and ambition to succeed, you can become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Kingsville TX.