If you are here, you may have already established the goal of becoming an LPN. We congratulate you for coming this far – practical nursing is among the most rewarding and in-demand careers within the healthcare field. But to become an LPN, you must first complete an approved LPN training program.
Knowing exactly what to expect from LPN training can better prepare you for the road ahead. As a leading LPN school in the state of Connecticut, Stone Academy can also help you navigate this career path. Below we’ve included just what prospective students like you can expect before, during, and after an LPN training program.
How to Prepare for an LPN Training Program:
To apply for any licensed practical nursing program, it is essential that you hold either a high school diploma or GED. This will ensure that you have a basic foundation in the sciences, English, and mathematics, and are fully ready to further your education.
Some LPN training schools today also require that applicants take prerequisite coursework in high school or college before applying to their programs. Most commonly, these courses include biology and physiology. At Stone Academy, however, there are no prerequisite courses expected of our LPN students. Rather, we ask that prospective students interested in our LPN training program first attend a dedicated information session. This allows them to learn about the application process at Stone Academy, and provides them with specific information regarding our flexible LPN course schedules.
Before being accepted into our LPN School, prospective students must also complete a personal interview with a member of our admissions team. This allows us to get to know you, your career and academic goals, as well as your aptitude and appetite for becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse.
We are always searching for qualified LPN candidates to join us at Stone Academy. If you are interested in earning your diploma with us, rest assured that we accept applications all year round. And, there are no waitlists for our LPN training program – meaning you can jump right on the path to becoming an LPN.
What to Expect Once in LPN Training:
Once you get started in your LPN training program, expect to dive immediately into the classroom and practical learning environment. In most programs, coursework will cover varied subjects such as:
- Chemistry – the study of matter and interactions between substances; the building blocks of people and of medication
- Biology – the study of living organisms, including their structure, function, and growth
- Human biology – the study of cell and muscle function, along with the anatomy, genetics, and physiology, of the human body
- Microbiology – the study of bacteria, viruses, and other microbes and how they interact with the human body (essential for understanding illnesses and antibiotic treatments)
- Anatomy – the study of the physical structure of the human body
- Physiology – the study of how things work in the body
- Nutrition – the study of dietary needs and nutrients in the foods we eat
- Pharmacology – the study of drug action, in which you learn about medications, their chemical agents, and how they affect biological systems
- Psychology – the study of the mind and behavior
While class time is a core component of any nursing degree program, in LPN training, you can expect to find blended classroom and clinical learning. In fact, most LPN students are required to complete a set number of clinical training hours. At Stone Academy, for example, our LPN school combines classroom coursework with clinical experiences in a variety of local healthcare facilities – in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, long-term care facilities, and more. We believe this hands-on, on-the- job learning is the best way for students to prepare for entry-level LPN positions in a clinical setting. Through these experiences, students can work with actual patients and apply their learned skills to real-life, on-the- job practice.
Duties you may partake in during your clinical LPN training may include:
- Take patient vital signs
- Assist patients with eating, bathing, and dressing
- Help with administrative tasks and reports
- Observe on-duty nursing professionals and support them when necessary
This sounds like a lot, we know. It is no wonder why when most people think of nursing school, they think busy, busy, busy. You may have even heard that you’ll have to say goodbye to your social life for the next year. But in the right LPN training program, you can actually expect some degree of flexibility.
At Stone Academy, our LPN courses are offered in full-time or part-time schedules, so that you still have the option to work or fulfill other obligations while going to school. Our part-time class schedule consists of three evening courses during the week, in addition to a Saturday class.
What Will Happen After Graduation:
Upon graduation from an LPN training school, you can expect to sit for your state’s NCLEX-PN licensing examination. Passing this exam demonstrates your competency to work as an LPN, and grants you your official certification as a Licensed Practical Nurse. All LPN graduates at Stone Academy are prepared and eligible to sit for the Connecticut NCLEX-PN licensure exam.
LPN training provides graduates with access to an evolving sector of the nursing field and a number of career opportunities in both acute and long-term care settings. With Connecticut expecting an 8.4 percent increase in LPN employment by the year 2024, and with over 325 jobs opening for LPN grads each year, there is no doubt that you will have extensive job prospects upon completion of your program.
Stone Academy can help you find a job, as well. Job placement assistance services are available to graduates of our LPN training school. Since 2010, over 400 graduates have been placed in jobs in their field.
Interesting in earning your LPN diploma at Stone Academy? Click Here to request more information or Apply Now!