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Oregon LPN Nursing Schools

How to Become an LPN in Oregon

The first step to becoming an LPN in Oregon is to fulfill prerequisite requirements, which usually means half-dozen courses in first year topics like psychology, biology, and physiology. Once complete, students apply to a college of nursing with an LPN program. As long as grades are good enough to get into a program—entry is competitive and there are more applicants than spots—course work takes around a year to complete and focuses predominantly upon nursing care practices and preparing students for their licensure examination: the National Counsel Licensing Examination-Practical Nursing (NCLEX-PN). It is a nationally-standardized test which costs $200 to take through Pearson Vue and also requires application to the Oregon State Board of Nursing at a cost of $160, plus a fingerprint processing fee of $52. Results are generally good, as upwards of 90 percent of LPN program graduates pass the test their first try and receive licensure.

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Oregon Licensed Practical Nurse Jobs, Wages and Hours

Oregon LPNs, or Licensed Practical Nurses, mostly work in hospitals, although there are opportunities in doctor’s offices, retirement homes, and other health care institutions. They are largely responsible for hands-on patient care, and do things like monitoring patient status, giving medicine, and keeping patients fed and bathed. In cities like Portland, they earn around $42,500 per year on average, whereas in smaller towns such as Salem, the average salary for an LPN is closer to $40,000 annually (according to BLS.gov). An LPN in Oregon can expect to sometimes work nights, weekends, and holidays—after all, patients need attention around the clock.