How to Select the Right LPN College near Elkhart Lake Wisconsin
There are principally two scholastic credentials available that provide instruction to become an LPN near Elkhart Lake WI. The one that may be finished in the shortest period of time, typically about one year, is the certificate or diploma program. The 2nd choice is to obtain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These LPN programs are broader in nature than the diploma option and generally require 2 years to complete. The advantage of Associate Degrees, in addition to supplying a higher credential and more extensive instruction, are that they furnish 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 another national accrediting organization. The NLNAC guarantees that the core curriculum adequately 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?
Licensed Practical Nurses have many different tasks that they perform in the Elkhart Lake WI healthcare facilities where they practice. As their titles indicate, they are mandated to be licensed in all states, including Wisconsin. While they may be accountable for monitoring Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), they themselves usually work under the guidance of either an RN or a doctor. The medical care facilities where they work are numerous and varied, for instance hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Anyplace that you can encounter patients in need of medical treatment is their domain. Every state not only regulates their licensing, but also what duties an LPN can and can’t perform. So depending on the state, their day-to-day job activities may include:
- Checking vital signs
- Administering medicines
- Starting IV drips
- Monitoring patients
- Taking blood or urine samples
- Taking care of patient records
- Assisting doctors or Registered nurses with procedures
In addition to their occupational duties being controlled by each state, the healthcare facilities or other Elkhart Lake WI healthcare providers where LPNs work can additionally limit their job roles 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
Attending LPN schools online is emerging as a more favored way to receive instruction and attain a nursing certificate or degree in Elkhart Lake WI. Certain schools will require attendance on campus for a component of the training, and almost all programs require a specified amount of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare facility. But since the remainder of the training may be accessed online, this alternative may be a more convenient approach to finding the time to attend college for many students. Concerning tuition, some online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus choices. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be minimized, helping to make education more easily affordable. And many online programs are accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized organizations. So if your work and household commitments have left you with very little time to pursue your academic goals, perhaps an online LPN program will make it more convenient 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 Elkhart Lake WI 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, as well as if you will attend classes on campus or on the internet, you can use the following checklist to begin narrowing down your choices. As you probably realize, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges near Elkhart Lake WI as well as within Wisconsin and throughout the United States. So it is essential to reduce the number of schools to select from so that you will have a workable list. As we already pointed out, the site of the school and the cost of tuition are probably going to be the first two factors that you will consider. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your ultimate decision, use the following questions to evaluate 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 recognized accrediting organization. Besides helping confirm that you obtain an excellent education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools near Elkhart Lake WI.
- Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for LPNs differ from state to state. In all states, a passing score is needed on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) as well as graduation from an accredited school. Some states require a specific number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s essential that the school you are attending not only provides an outstanding education, but also preps you to satisfy the minimum licensing requirements for Wisconsin or the state where you will be working.
- Reputation. Look at online rating companies to see what the evaluations are for each of the LPN schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews too. Also, contact the Wisconsin school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some local Elkhart Lake WI 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 schools 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 dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only confirm that the school has a superb reputation within the Elkhart Lake WI healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students obtain a position.
- Internship Programs. The best way to acquire 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. A number of states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing as well. Check if the schools have a working relationship with local Elkhart Lake WI community hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placing of students in internships.
Enrolling in an LPN Program near Elkhart Lake WI?
If you are considering enrolling in and attending an LPN school near Elkhart Lake WI, you may find the following information both interesting and useful when making your final decision.
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
Elkhart Lake is a village in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, United States, located within the northwestern part of the county within the Town of Rhine. The population was 967 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Sheboygan, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area. Elkhart Lake may be best known for hosting road races on public county roads during the 1950s,[6] later moving to a dedicated race track called Road America, which is located a few miles south of the village.[7]
The area was first inhabited by the Potawatomi Indians and they named the area “Me-shay-way-odeh-ni-bis”, or Great Elk Heart Lake, because the lake resembles an elk's heart.[8] Few people traveled to the area until the 1860s when the Mississippi Railroad came to Glenbeulah, making it possible for them to take a stagecoach the rest of the way to Elkhart. In 1872 the Milwaukee and Northern Railroad came into Elkhart and brought more travelers.[9] The area was incorporated as Elkhart Lake in 1894.[10]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.29 square miles (3.34 km2), of which, 1.28 square miles (3.32 km2) of it is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) is water.[1]
Choose the Right LPN School near Elkhart Lake WI
Choosing the ideal Licensed Practical Nurse program is potentially the most critical phase to launching a new career in the health care industry. There are various factors that you need to consider when selecting a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your current career objectives, lifestyle, and economic situation. As we have highlighted in this article, it is important that you pick an LPN school and a certificate or degree program that are each accredited and have excellent reputations within the healthcare community. You originally decided to visit this website because of an interest in Online Classes for LPN Program. However, by utilizing our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to develop 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 dedication and desire to succeed, you can become an LPN in Elkhart Lake WI.
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