New Jersey, NJ | LPN Nursing Program Information
How to Become an LPN in New Jersey
A handful of prerequisites—usually around five courses—are required before applying to a Licensed Practical Nurse education program. Grades in the courses, which usually include things like psychology, physiology, and biology, are very important in gaining acceptance into a college of nursing. Once admitted, nursing-focused course work takes around a year to complete and gives students the extensive patient care skills and knowledge required to pass the National Counsel Licensing Examination-Practical Nursing (NCLEX-PN). The licensure exam comes with a $200 test fee paid to administrators Pearson Vue and application and licensure fees amounting to an additional $200 paid to the New Jersey Board of Nursing . Most graduates pass the test first try—almost nine out of ten—and those who don’t can re-take it in a month and a half. Once the test has been successfully challenged, students become Licensed Practical Nurses and can start working in New Jersey.
New Jersey Licensed Practical Nurse Salary, Hours and Duties
The average Licensed Practical Nurse in New Jersey earns roughly $46,700 a year (according to BLS.gov), mostly working in hospitals. There are employment opportunities in nursing homes and physician’s offices as well, but the reason that most LPNs work in hospitals is that they are trained to directly care for patients as part of a patient care team, keeping an eye on their health, administering medication and, in conjunction with nursing assistants, helping feed and bathe patients under their care. Hospitals and nursing homes usually require around the clock attention for their patients and, as a result, LPNs in New Jersey sometimes work weekends, nights and holidays.
|
