Practical Nurse Aides are known as both LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) and LVN (Licensed Vocational Nurse) in the Maryland State. LPN/LVN is one of the various career options available in the healthcare industry. There are a number of entry-level training programs such as CNA (Certified Nurse Aide), CMA (Certified Medical Aide), CRMA, DA (Dentist Assistant) and each one of these has its unique skills and importance.
LPN training programs are 1-2 year long internship programs that demand high amount of patience, knowledge, devotion and endurance. LPNs are not only taught how to care and look after the patient but they are also taught how to maintain and develop a sound and healthy nurse-patient relationship. The patients need moral support and must feel comfortable in the healthcare center. This is the responsibility of the LPN. LPN carries many more duties other than this such as bedside care, help in mobility of patient, maintain database and records, and assess health and medical history of the patients. LPN also plays an important role as a part of the medical strategy & plan development team and work under the supervision of a Registered Nurse.
There are certain requirements prior to enrollment in the training program such as candidate must be at least 18 years older and he/she must be a high school graduate or must be holding an equivalent degree or certification. Candidate must not have any criminal record. You must keep this fact in mind that Maryland State is part of the 23 states in Compact Nursing License group. So the LPN license holds not only in the Maryland state but also in other 22 states of the group and you can easily work in any one of those states on basis of LPN program in Maryland.
The training programs are inexpensive and many financial aid programs are present in the Maryland state. LPN provide individualized care to patients and every year more than 2000 students try for the LPN certification examination i.e. NCLEX-PN exam. Candidate must score more than 70% to clear the exam and license issued will not be a permanent license. It needs to be renewed after every 2 years. You will be notified before the expiration of the license. The examination fee is $200 and a registration fee of $50.
The average salary of a LPN in Maryland is $48000 per year. There are 15 LPN training programs in the Maryland State and here is a list of some of these campus based training programs. Note that there is a provision of online training from various accredited universities all over the nation as well.
- Anne Arundel Community College, Arnold
- Baltimore City Community College, Baltimore
- Community College of Baltimore County – Dundalk Campus, Baltimore
- Harford Community College, Bel Air
- Sojourner-Douglass College, Baltimore
- Howard Community College, Columbia
- Allegany College of Maryland, Cumberland
- Frederick Community College, Frederick
- Hagerstown Community College, Hagerstown
- College of Southern Maryland, La Plata
- Prince Georges Community College, Largo
- Cecil Community College, North East
- Wor-Wic Community College, Salisbury
- Carroll Community College, West Minster
- Chesapeake College / MGW Nursing Program, Wye Mills