West Virginia, WV | LPN Nursing Program Information

How to Become a West Virginia Licensed Practical Nurse

To enter an LPN training program in West Virginia, one must apply to a college of nursing within a larger education institution after completing an entrance exam and/or a few prerequisite courses in topics like math, medical terminology, biology, and psychology. Then, they undertake a year of studies that teach them basic nursing skills, such as patient care, drug administration, and so forth in both a classroom and clinical setting, and prepare students for the NCLEX-PN exam. After applying to the West Virginia State Board of Examiners for Licensed Practical Nursing and paying a $75 application fee along with proof of training completion, the test is taken through Pearson Vue for $200. While waiting for their results, nurses can obtain a temporary license card for $10 and they can expect to receive results within 10 business days, at which point students become Licensed Practical Nurses.

West Virginia Licensed Practical Nurse Salary, Hours and Duties

Four out of five West Virginia Licensed Practical Nurses are employed by hospitals, while the remaining twenty percent or so find work at retirement homes, doctor’s offices, clinics, and other private facilities. Regardless of the setting, they are the first line of patient care, and spend their time keeping an eye on patient health, giving them medicine, monitoring equipment, and working with Registered Nurses to adjust a patient’s plan of care. The hours required of LPNs can vary, but a full time Practical Nurse can expect to work some odd hours such as night shift, morning shifts, long shifts and so forth—with a limited supply of nurses versus the current need, they may even be asked to work overtime. But this dearth of LPNs also means they can expect a good salary—an average of $37,000 plus benefits yearly (according to BLS.gov)—considering it only takes a year of college education to become licensed.