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What are Online Licensed Practical Nurse Programs?

Online LPN programs typically prepare you for a career as a Licensed Practical Nurse by covering essential nursing subjects. These programs often include courses on anatomy, pharmacology, nursing care, and patient theory. Additionally, practical clinical skills classes are offered, such as blood pressure monitoring. As a result, LPN programs typically require supervised clinical experience.

When searching for a nursing school with an LPN program, it’s important to consider two factors. Firstly, ensure that the school is accredited, as accredited institutions often provide access to state and federal financial aid and facilitate credit transfers. Secondly, verify that the program is approved by your state board of nursing, as this is necessary for obtaining nurse licensure. Most nursing careers require licensure in some form.

What does an LPN do?Where do LPNs Work?Types of LPNs
  • Monitor patients’ health
  • Provide basic patient care, such as change bandages or help with bathing
  • Listen to patients’ concerns and discuss their care with them
  • Keep patient records
  • Nursing homes and residential care facilities
  • State, local, and private hospitals
  • Doctors’ offices and related health care settings
  • Home healthcare services
  • Government
  • Gerontology
  • Intravenous (IV) therapy
  • Urology
  • Nephrology
  • Hospice and palliative care
  • Maternal and pediatric nursing

ARE THERE ONLINE LPN PROGRAMS?

Yes, there are online programs in licensed practical nursing. That said, many accredited LPN degree programs include some kind of in person experiences. Online nursing students may complete a blend of coursework including general education classes. Plus, laboratory work, and supervised clinical practice.

Why do you need to be on site? On sites tend to be at campus. Or, at sites approved by the school like nearby clinics or hospitals. Either place may enable the study of hands on skills and even team work. To do this, some schools use a simulation lab with guidance from instructors. When looking into these schools, you may find diploma programs as well as certificates. There may be full time and part time options, depending on your goals.

What Classes Do You Take in an LPN Program?

Your LPN courses may cover the practical nursing skill areas and science courses, such as biology, pharmacology, and more. You may study both the theory behind nursing, and the practical knowledge you need in order to provide care. In some programs, you may also take courses in a specialty area. One example would be geriatric nursing. Others are maternal and pediatric nursing.

Introduction to Practical Nursing: This course launches you into your studies, covering the key concepts you need to move forward. You’ll learn the scope of practice for LPNs, and what’s expected in the role. And, you’ll learn how to provide high quality patient care in various health settings.

Human Anatomy and Physiology: To provide ideal patient care, you need to know how the body works. This course covers the body’s structure, function, and chemistry. You’ll learn about organs and body systems, plus common diagnoses and health procedures.

Pharmacology for Practical Nurses: Pharmacology is the branch of medicine that focuses on drugs. In this course, you’ll learn how drugs work and how they’re prepared and administered. You’ll learn the difference between types of drugs, from OTC medications to vitamins. And, you’ll study principles of safety and professional ethics.

Pediatric Nursing: Children and infants call for special considerations in nursing. You’ll study topics like growth and development, nutrition, and care that involves the whole family. And, you’ll study legal and ethical issues that factor into working with children.

How Long Does It Take You to Become an LPN?

Most LPN programs take you about one year to complete. Some, however, may take you longer. If you have successfully completed an LPN program, you must then pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN). The time it takes for you to study and pass this exam may vary.

LPN Program Examples

SchoolDegree Level# of Credits RequiredMinimum Months to Complete
Rasmussen CollegeDiploma6212
Herzing UniversityDiplomaN/A12
Pennsylvania Institute of TechnologyCertificate5012

How Much Does an LPN Program Cost to Enroll In?

What will your tuition be? DataUSA states that your median annual cost to attend an in state public, four year school is $3,917. You will find that the median tuition was higher for out of state private and for profit schools, at $13,320. Below, you can compare tuition for these schools that offer practical nursing certificate programs:

School# of Credits RequiredCost Per CreditTotal Certificate Cost
Cecil College35$283$9,905
College of Saint Mary35$337$11,795
Delta College44$371$16,324

Top Schools That Offer LPN Programs

You will find that DataUSA lists 1,401 institutions with Licensed Practical and Vocational Nurse Training programs. From those schools, students were awarded 85,339 degrees in 2022 (the most recent data). What was the most common credential awarded in this field? A higher share of people had a high school diploma and a one to two year post secondary certificate.

School2022 Degrees awarded2023/24 Tuition (out of state unless *)
Madison Area Technical College521$7,027
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College737$7,097
William Rainey Harper College733$11,802
Davis Technical College648$2,280*
Gateway Technical College644$7,046
Mountainland Technical College604$3,790
ECPI University589$18,484
Columbus State Community College585$10,917
Hondros College of Nursing575$19,902
College of Southern Nevada563$12,209

Choosing an Accredited LPN Program

To pursue a career as an LPN, you must graduate from a state approved nursing program. You can check with your state board of nursing for more information. Some state regulatory agencies also require one to graduate from an accredited program. One agency is the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). How is this done? They use a peer review process to help ensure your program’s quality. This aims to ensure that your education will prepare you for the challenges of nursing.

What Can You Do with an LPN Degree or Certificate?

The most current data states that there are 4.66 million Health degree holders in the workforce. That includes those who graduated from LPN programs. While this may seem high, the healthcare field is still expanding. As a result there may be more career opportunities yet to come.

In fact, employment is projected to grow 5% between 2023 and 2033. That is much faster than average for all occupations according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). So, do you see yourself as an LPN? The field is female dominated, with 88.4% of graduates identifying as women. The average graduate was 42.6 years old.

Top Salaries for Licensed Practical Nurses

In the table below, you can see the states with the highest average median salary for LPNs. This career path often requires a degree.

StateEmploymentAnnual Mean Wage
California79,150$76,580
Rhode Island1,110$75,470
Washington6,260$ 75,410
Alaska320$ 74,260
Massachusetts13,890$ 73,400

Jobs Similar to an LPN

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses (LPN / LVN)

As an LPN or LVN, you may need to care for elderly patients both at home and in residential care facilities. The rise of conditions like diabetes and obesity may also create demand for more nurses. And, the rise of outpatient care centers may lead to more LPN roles.

According to 2023 BLS data:

Median Salary: $59,730 per year
Job Growth Through 2032: 3% (Faster than average)
Typical Entry level Education: Post high school, non degree award

Medical Assistant

As a Medical Assistant, you may help keep healthcare facilities running smoothly. You will do both administrative and clinical tasks. Administrative tasks you take on may include scheduling patient appointments and entering patient records. Clinical tasks could see you taking vital signs, like blood pressure, preparing blood samples for lab tests, and more. In some states, as a medical assistant, you can give injections or medications.

According to 2023 BLS data:

Median Salary: $42,000 per year
Job Growth Through 2033: 15% (Much faster than average)
Typical Entry Level Education: Post secondary non degree award

Occupational Therapy Assistant

As an Occupational Therapy Assistant, you will work with occupational therapists to develop a treatment plan for patients. As an OTA you might also help patients work on the skills they need in order to heal. You could help patients do stretches and exercises, teach them to use assistive devices, and more. Working in the offices of physical, occupational, and speech therapists, as well as audiologists is common.

According to 2023 BLS data:

Median Salary: $65,450 per year
Job Growth Through 2023: 21% (Much faster than avg)
Typical Entry level Edu: Associate’s degree

Surgical Technologist

As a Surgical Technologist, you may help medical teams and surgeons before, during, and after operations. Before the operation, you may do tasks such as sterilizing equipment and preparing the patient. During the operation, you may assist doctors by passing instruments and keeping track of supplies. Afterwards, you may handle duties like applying the patient’s bandages and restocking the operating room.

According to 2023 BLS data:

Median Salary: $60,370 per year
Job Growth Through 2033: 6% (Faster than average)
Typical Entry Level Education: Post secondary non degree award

© Education Connection 2024. All Rights Reserved.

*https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d20/tables/dt20_311.15.asp

Sources for school statistics is the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics.

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This is an offer for educational opportunities, not an offer for nor a guarantee of employment. Students should consult with a representative from the school they select to learn more about career opportunities in that field. Program outcomes vary according to each institution’s specific program curriculum. Financial aid may be available to those who qualify. The financial aid information on this site is for informational and research purposes only and is not an assurance of financial aid.

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