What to look for in an LPN program

Your career as a licensed practical nurse starts with the college you choose to attend. Choose wisely and you'll have the skills, knowledge and expertise to launch a career that is both personally and professionally rewarding.

Lucky for you, there are more than 738,400 licensed practical nurses (LPNs) currently working throughout the United States (according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). These men and women have gone through the day-to-day grind of earning their diplomas. They've been in the workforce and know what it takes to succeed. And they know what you'll need to learn in school to do the same. 

Here are seven things you should look for in an LPN program:

1. A tried and tested curriculum

LPNs need to have theoretical knowledge about the human body, how it works and how it is affected by medicine. You're going to need a firm understanding of the human anatomy, physiology, the human life span, and pharmacology. In school, you'll develop that understanding through courses and coursework that are based heavily on theory. This is critical foundational knowledge, so before you choose an LPN program, make sure its curriculum covers these areas in depth.

2. Practical, hands-on experience

In addition to theoretical knowledge, you're going to have to learn to do the day-to-day work of a licensed practical nurse. Any LPN program you consider should provide ample opportunities for you to gain real-world experience through simulations and clinics. You want to be able to hit the ground running once you graduate, and the best way to do that is by having already learned how to do the practical, day-to-day work of the LPN. You'll be better prepared for success if you have already taken patients' vital signs and collected specimens. 

3. Collaborative atmosphere

Licensed practical nurses work in clinics, hospitals, nursing homes and a variety of other settings--and always as members of teams. They work with doctors, nurses, clerical staff, and others to ensure that patients get the treatments they need. This means in an LPN program, you are going to have to know how to collaborate with your fellow team members. When looking for an LPN program, look for one that gives you a lot of opportunities to improve your interpersonal communications skills, collaboration skills, and ability to be a good team member. 

4. Interactive labs

As an LPN, you'll be taking blood, urine, and sputum specimens--and then taking them to the lab to have them processed. You won't necessarily need to know how to test the specimens, but the LPN program you choose should have instructors who help you understand what happens in the labs and what the results mean so you are better prepared to provide the nurses and doctors with whom you work with appropriate information about lab results, whenever they are needed. 

5. Confidence through knowledge

You need more than theoretical knowledge and practical experience to have a successful career as a licensed practical nurse--you also need plenty of confidence. By the time you graduate, you want to know that you have the precise knowledge, skills, and ability to be an important member of any medical team you choose to join. The best LPN programs build your confidence. 

6. Network of contacts

practical nurse salaryEven though the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the demand for LPNs to grow at a much faster-than-average rate over the next eight years (yes, 25%!), you're still going to want to have a strong network of colleagues and mentors to help you get started in the industry. Look for a LPN program that has instructors who have worked in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, rehabilitation clinics, homes and schools. The more experience and contacts your instructors bring to the classroom, the easier it will be for you to build your own network of contacts and find the job you want in the setting that best fits your interests and personality. 

7. A good fit

At the end of the day, you want to feel comfortable while you're studying to become a licensed practical nurse. You want to look forward to going to class. You want to enjoy the people you're working with. And you want to feel like you fit in. Before you sign up for any LPN program, make sure it feels like a good fit. Talk to professors and other faculty and get in touch with students you may know in the program.

Start Your Career as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)

The LPN program at ECPI University has been helping people like you gain the skills, experience, knowledge and confidence it takes to land a good job as a licensed practical nurse. If you are ready to find out how you can earn your practical nursing diploma in as few as 15 months, contact ECPI University today and see if the program is a good fit for you. It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

Learn more about ECPI's College of Nursing TODAY!

DISCLAIMER – ECPI University makes no claim, warranty or guarantee as to actual employability or earning potential to current, past or future students or graduates of any educational program we offer. The ECPI University website is published for informational purposes only. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contained on the ECPI.edu domain; however, no warranty of accuracy is made. No contractual rights, either expressed or implied, are created by its content.

Gainful Employment Information

For more information about ECPI University or any of our programs click here: http://www.ecpi.edu/ or http://ow.ly/Ca1ya.