Licensed practical nursing programs provide the quickest way to become a nurse. A licensed practical nurse (LPN) is a healthcare professional who provides basic bedside care to injured, sick, or incapacitated patients. An LPN’s responsibility includes measuring vital signs, such as temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and weight, collecting patients’ medical history, monitoring patients and reporting any adverse reactions to treatment, assisting patients with daily activities, administering medications, and helping patients get in and out of bed. LPNs also perform tasks that are not related to the direct care of the patient. These include collecting test samples for the lab, providing support to the patients’ family, educating family members on how to continue caring for the patient after discharge, and supervising nursing assistants.
Licensed practical nurses perform their duties under the direct supervision of a registered nurse or physician. In some facilities, LPNs may perform many of the same duties as a registered nurse as long as those duties fall within the LPN scope of practice and always under supervision.
Success as a practical nurse depends not so much on your technical skills as on your ability to show compassion, listen well, manage stress, and demonstrate patience in the most trying situations. The work is demanding, so you must be healthy and fit to manage the physical aspects of the work. Flexibility is essential to work long shifts during the day, night, weekend, and holidays.
Lively Tech
The Practical Nursing program at Lively Tech gives students a fast option for a career in nursing. The curriculum covers 1350 hours of theory and practical instruction. Full-time students will complete the requirements in three regular semesters while part-time students will require four semesters to complete the program. Additional fees may apply for evening students. Course modules are 300 hours each. The four modules are Practical Nursing Foundation 1, Practical Nursing Foundation 2, Medical Surgical Nursing 1, and Medical Surgical Nursing 2. The final module, Comprehensive Nursing and Transitional Skills cover 150 hours.
Admission criteria:
- Be 16 years or older
- High school diploma or GED
- Provide acceptable TABE scores: Math 11.0, Language 11.0, Reading 11.0 or other test scores
- Complete the ATI-TEAS VI with a score of 55.0 or better. The test must be taken prior to submitting the admissions packet
- Provide immunization records from birth
- Pharmacy exam or waiver on file
- Current Hepatitis B immunization or a signed waiver
- Current negative TB Skin Test
- Level 2 background screening
- Submit to random drug testing
Tuition for the program is $3,942. Additional required expenses include textbooks, scrubs, registration fee, lab fee, facility usage fee, liability insurance, CPR certification, drug screening, TABE, and graduation fee.
- Website: http://livelytech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/18.19-Lively-Course-Catalog-FINAL.pdf
- Address: 500 N Appleyard Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32304
- Phone: (850) 487-7555
- NCLEX-PN Pass Rate: 96%
Florida Panhandle Technical College
The Practical Nursing Program at Florida Panhandle Technical College requires one year of training to prepare for a career as a practical nurse. Students must complete 1350 contact hours if they and practical instruction to graduate from the program. Graduates are eligible to apply to the State Board of Nursing for the NCLEX-PN exam for licensure as a practical nurse. Course modules are 300 hours each. The four modules are Practical Nursing Foundation 1, Practical Nursing Foundation 2, Medical Surgical Nursing 1, and Medical Surgical Nursing 2. The final module, Comprehensive Nursing and Transitional Skills cover 150 hours. Through a state articulation agreement, the 1350 clock hour program shall articulate ten college credit hours to the AAS/AS Degree in Registered Nursing.
Admission criteria:
- Be 18 years or older
- Letters of recommendation
- High school diploma or GED
- Medical Math 85% or higher
- TEAS scores: Math 60%, English and Language 50%, Reading 60%, Science 30%. There are only three attempts to pass the TEAS per calendar year. Results are valid for one year.
- CPR certification
- Level 2 screening
Resident tuition costs $3,742. Additional costs include registration fee, student liability insurance, books, supplies, and uniform.
- Website: http://www.fptc.edu/?DivisionID=13448&ToggleSideNav=ShowAll
- Address: 757 Hoyt Street, Chipley, FL 32428
- Phone: 850-638-1180
- NCLEX-PN Pass Rate: 93%
Crystal is a certified Registered Nurse (RN) with a passion for writing about nursing education. Through her articles, Crystal shares insights and tips to help fellow nurses enhance their skills and stay updated with the latest developments in the field. With a focus on practical advice and relevant topics, Crystal's writing is a valuable resource for nursing professionals seeking to advance their careers.