LPN Degree Online

With the huge increase of online programs, getting your LPN or Licensed Practical Nurse degree online is very much possible, and the preferred method for those who are working a full time or raising their children at home.  Getting your LPN degree online could take you anywhere from 9 months to 3 years, it all just depends on your states’ requirements and if you want to go into a specialty like surgery, pediatrics, or anesthesia which all typically require you to have an associate degree in nursing.

There are some things you will want to check into before you sign up for any online LPN degree programs.  You will have to be a high school graduate or have gotten your equivalent GED.  Also in some states you can be disqualified for having a criminal record.  If you have no problems with the above, then you will want to contact your State Board of Nursing and verify that the school or program you wish to attend is approved and accredited for a LPN degree through their practical nursing program.

Now that you have a list of LPN schools or programs that are approved by your State Board of Nursing, you will want to get information from them on exactly how much of the course you can take online and make sure that you can fit the classes into your schedule.  Get the location and addresses of the locations you’ll need to go to for your hands on practicals making sure that they are a reasonable distance.

If all the information you’ve gotten from the school or program is acceptable so far, ask them for their metrics on the hiring success rate of their past students for LPN jobs.  This is great information to have when deciding where to go for your training, if the majority of their students are not getting jobs after they’ve received their LPN education then you might want to take a pass on that school.

When picking a school or program to get your LPN degree you will want to protect your future options.  You never know what you will be doing in the future, whether it is to go on to become a registered nurse, to train for a speciality, or any other number of possibilities.  It’s also possible that you will be moving after or even during your LPN courses.  This is why transferable credits are so important.  Make sure that you can transfer your credits to other schools so that you have options for your future career, and if unforeseen events take place.

Finally you’ll want to look at the cost of each of the different schools that qualify.  There are many community colleges where it would cost you between $3,000 to $4,500 for the 2009 school year, but in some areas the cost of becoming an LPN could be as high as $25,000 for tuition and fees.  If at all possible it’s best fiscally speaking to stay local when doing your LPN classes, as the difference in costs could easily be over $10,000.

Getting your degree as a LPN online is a very convenient method of doing so, and if  you do your due diligence when picking out a LPN program you should have no problems.

A LPN travel nurse or LVN travel nurse is someone who travels to work a short-term or temporary travel nursing job.  The reason these travel nurse jobs exists is that there is a large nursing shortage in the United States making it necessary to offer these types of arrangements.  The distance of travel is all up to you, you can find positions in your own town if you want, or you can find positions across the state or even somewhere like Hawaii.  Some LPN’s have steady nursing jobs in their town and decide to just do travel nursing on the weekend to make some extra money.  It is very flexible and the choices are yours depending on what fits you.

Many LPN’s/LVN’s choose to go the travel nursing path for different reasons.  Some want to be a LPN travel nurse, because of the benefits like higher salary, Per Diem, exposure to different working environments, etc.  While other nurses love the idea of traveling and use a LPN travel nursing job as a way to live all over the United States and experiencing all the different areas before they decide where they want to live.  This type of job offers many benefits such as tax breaks, free lodging, higher salaries, diverse jobs, and many more.

To become a travel nurse there are some things you need to consider.  You will need extra licensing, and typically you will need at least a years experience in your specialty.  To find the LPN travel jobs you can either sign up with an agency, find a recruiter, or call around to the hospitals in the area you want to work in and see if they have any open spots for travel nurses.  If going the do it yourself method you will have to do all your own negotiations, so be wary if this is your first time.  If you decide to go with an agency who will handle all your travel nurse staffing issues, make sure to research the agency making sure that they have good reviews and happy clients.

There are many programs to transition from a Licensed Practical Nurse to a Registered Nurse (RN) and some you can do completely online.  You will want to consider some things when looking into LPN to RN bridge programs.

If you are a LPN who feels they have a good base of knowledge and nursing experience you might wish to take the next step and become a RN. The differences between a LPN and a RN as far as duties go may seem small at first glance, but they are a lot different in the education required to achieve each certification, and the different opportunities afforded to each down the road are the huge differences. RN’s are offered many more opportunities compared to LPN’s as they gain more experience, ones that will not be offered to a LPN whether or not they have the same experience or  knowledge. Without a RN certification, it is increasingly difficult for a LPN-certified nurse to continue to receive promotions or to further their career. The starting salary for a LPN is generally okay in the beginning of their career, a LPN will want to continue some education program so they can continue to grow in the future.

A LPN to RN transition program is designed for LPNs who wish to become RNs with a minimum amount of time and with as little repeat of course content and credits as possible. Graduates of the program are eligible to become RN’s after they pass all mandatory exams for hope to be RNs. The exam tests medical knowledge, nursing competencies, and determines if you are eligible to earn a RN license and begin your career as a Registered Nurse. To start off and begin your work as a RN make sure you have satisfied all the requirements for the Transition Program.

To start you need to be a graduate from a State Board approved nursing program with a GPA of 2.5 or higher. You will also need to submit your official transcripts of required courses. Finally you will need to fill out and complete the Nursing and Allied Health application and submit it to the Division of Nursing and Allied Health, before the application deadline date for that semester’s program. While it may seem exhausting to a recently certified LPN, it is recommended that they continue on with learning and gaining new certification, and shooting for a RN status will make them more marketable.

There are now programs online where LPNs and LVNs can earn their NLNAC-accredited Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree without ever stepping foot in a classroom. Aspiring RNs can complete their upper-level nursing courses (about 43 hours) online and be well on their way using one of the LPN to RN programs.