Whether attending LPN programs in Ohio, Oregon, Alabama, Connecticut, or any other state, much of the education you receive will be similar. The human body and how to care for it doesn’t change from state to state. The overriding theme of training aspiring nurses to pass the national NCLEX-PN licensing exam. This exam is taken at the end of your practical nurse training. This comprehensive exam is a constant for all LPN programs in Ohio.
Not only are the exams and schooling similar; the pay in between states is also nearly the same. The LPN salary in Florida is almost the same as the pay for practical nurses in Ohio.
With modern science keeping people alive longer than ever before and Baby Boomers moving into their elderly years, it’s anticipated that there will be no shortage of employment opportunities in the health care field within the foreseeable future. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates there will be an 18 percent growth in the health care industry through 2024.
Whether in Ohio or elsewhere, there’s a significant cost variation for students wishing to take a one-year licensed practical nurse (LPN) course. Depending on where in the country you live and at which school you attend, tuition could start as low as $2,000. This is an excellent time to enter into the health care field because many schools offer financial assistance in the form of financial aid, grants, and through other means. Taking one of the accredited LPN programs is a great first step in your nursing career!
Other Healthcare Jobs Related to LPNs
For other types of healthcare professions, such as certified nursing assistants (CNAs), are trained to perform different tasks than LPNs. The Salary of these CNAs is substantially lower than the average LPN salary. The average LPN salary in Ohio was $40,000 in 2016. It’s not unusual for experienced CNAs to take one of the LPN programs in Ohio in order to increase their annual pay.
Many LPN Programs in Ohio Have Flexible Scheduling
Ohio is no different than any other state in regards to the rising percentage of students (in this case LPN students) who are taking courses over the Internet. The Sloan Consortium, a collective of individuals, institutions, and organizations dedicated to the purpose of integrating online education into the mainstream of higher education, estimates that more than six million U.S. students now take at least one class online; and that’s a whopping 31 percent of all college students in the U.S.!
Whether taken in classrooms or over the Internet, there are many schools that offer LPN to BSN programs in Ohio. BSN stands for Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Common online schools that LPN students are attracted to in Ohio include the University of Phoenix, Indiana State University, Western Governors University, and the University of St. Mary Online.
Among the many physical schools in Ohio that welcome LPN students are Fortis College, in Centerville; the Lincoln College of Technology, in Dayton; Brown Mackie College, in Cincinnati; and Hondros College, which offers LPN classes in Columbus Ohio.
LPN Students Receive Clinical Experience
There seems to be a bit of a tradeoff between students who take classes on campus and those who take classes on their computers at home. An advantage for those who attend classes on-campus is that this situation seems easier to coordinate the clinical aspect of a student’s education.
Many times this clinical experience, taught under the wing of a Registered Nurse or a doctor, is performed in hospitals close to campus. This might not be the case with online students, many of whom choose to study online because they live in remote areas.
The advantage to online students, of course, is that they can choose to study at flexible hours and, in many cases continue to work at a job while studying to advance their careers.
Are There Advantages to Taking LPN Programs in Ohio?
It would be easy to answer this question as “NO!”. However, that might not be the case in all situations. Although there seems to be little difference in relative classes taken from one state to the next, there are other factors involved.
Not counting those who take their LPN classes online, where you live relative to where he chooses to attend school can be a contributing factor to any such decision. One of many scenarios one could imagine might present itself if the prospective student lived just across the Ohio border in Kentucky and LPN programs in Cincinnati Ohio were the most cost-effective classes available. Among 10 schools of higher education in Cincinnati that offer LPN degrees include Bethesda School of Nursing, Good Samaritan College of Nursing & Science, the Christ Hospital School of Nursing, and the University of Cincinnati’s College of Nursing.
If one is interested in seeking out LPN to RN programs in Ohio, there are 33 registered schools to choose from. A brief sampling of those schools might include Aultman College of Nursing & Health Science, in Canton; Central Ohio Technical College, in Newark; Edison Community College, in Piqua; and Kent State University, in Kent.
Whether one goes to college and attends one of the LPN programs in Ohio or in any other state, spending one year to gain an LPN degree might prove to be priceless in years to come. This is especially true if economic problems in this country persist and the demand for health care professionals continues to rise.
LVN Salary Vs LPN Salary
The term LVN and LPN are often used interchangeably. LVN refers to a Licensed Vocational Nurse. In Texas and California, Licensed Practical Nurses are called LVNs. So, whenever you read or hear about the pay of an LVN, it’s the same as an LPN.
If you look at the payscale for LPNs, you may see it called LVN salary. As an example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average LVN salary is $44,090 per year. You’ll notice that the BLS uses both term of LVN and LPN!