LPN Programs in Maryland

State Info:

In Maryland there is a shortage of LPN nurses, which is good news for anyone hoping to get their LPN qualification in this state. This will make it easier for you to get grants and other forms of financial aid, and you can be assured of getting a job once you qualify.

There are also a wide range of different jobs an LPN can hold in Maryland, especially considering that this state is an instrumental one in the research and development of life sciences. If you are hoping to qualify as an LPN then this is one of the best career choices you could make at this point. In general the medical industry is one the increase, which means that establishing yourself in this industry will mean that you will have a great future. You will also have the option of expanding your skills even further and becoming an RN or even getting your BSN, which will also increase your opportunities.

Licensing Requirements

In order to become an LPN in Maryland you will either have to complete a:

• Certificate program, or a
• Associate’s Degree

In order to be eligible to take part in an LPN program you will have to meet several requirements. These requirements are as follows:

The program will have to be approved by the Maryland Board of Nurses (if it is not you will be wasting your time and money)

• You must be older than 18 years of age
• You must have a high school diploma or a GED
• You must be able to pass a background check into your criminal background

There are limited spaces available for LPN training in Maryland, so if you do not meet these requirements you will not even be considered.

Once you are accepted in a program you will have to complete both the theoretical and practical sides to the program.

Once you have completed the program you will have to pass the NCLEX-PN examination. Once you have passed this examination you will then be licensed.

Exam Fee

There are a number of fees to be paid, both for the examination and for licensing.

• You will have to pay $200 to Pearson Vue, the company who administers the NCLEX-PN examination.
• You will also have to pay $100 to the Maryland Board of Nurses in order to write the examination.
• You will have to pass the necessary background check in order to be licensed.
• You will have to pay $55 every year in order to renew your license.

Salaries

Financial Aid Available

There are several sources of financial aid that are available to you in Maryland if you want to study for your LPN qualification. The two main places you can inquire at are:

• The American Legion, and
• The offices of the individual schools that you are hoping to study at

In the state of Maryland there are two main programs that will help you with your fees for your LPN course. They are:

• State Nursing Scholarship Program
• Living Expenses Grant

If you can prove that you have a genuine financial need than you may also be eligible to receive additional grants. However, the criteria for grants are stringent and you may soon realize that you do not in fact qualify.

Among the other programs that are available for LPN students are:

• Professional Scholarship Program
• Cooperative Education Programs

If you find that you do not qualify for scholarships or grants, loans are also available. Federal loans have a better interest rate but are harder to get and private loans are easier to get but have worse interest rates. You may need to get a partial loan if your grant or scholarship doesn’t cover all of the costs.

If you are already employed as a CNA then your employer may be willing to provide you with financial aid in order to train as an LPN.

List of Schools

In Maryland there are a number of schools that you can choose from if you are hoping to complete your LPN qualification in this state. You must be sure to check however that the school is accredited with the Maryland State Board of Nursing before you join the school. If it is not, you will effectively be wasting your time and money with the program. Below is a list of the schools with the contact information you will need in order to inquire further.

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Allegany College of Maryland
12401 Willowbrook Road
Cumberland, MD 21502
(301) 784-5568

Baltimore City Community College
2901 Liberty Heights Avenue
Baltimore, Maryland 21215
(410) 462-7771

Carroll Community College
1601 Washington Road
Westminster, MD 21157
410-386-8231
1-888-221-9748 x8231

Cecil Community College
One Seahawk Drive
North East, Maryland 21901
410-287-6060 ext. 333

College of Southern Maryland
P.O. Box 910, Mitchell Road
La Plata, Maryland 20646
(301) 934-7534

CCBC Essex
7201 Rossville Blvd.
Baltimore, MD 21222-3899

Chesapeake College/MGW Nursing Program
P.O. Box 8
Wye Mills, MD 21679
410-770-3511

Frederick Community College
7932 Opossumtown Pike
Frederick, Maryland 21702
(301) 846-2652

Hagerstown Community College
Hagerstown, Maryland 21742
(301) 790-2800, ext. 276

Harford Community College
401 Thomas Run Road
Bel Air, Maryland 21014
(410) 836-4438
(410) 879-8920 x438

Howard Community College
Little Patuxent Parkway
Columbia, Maryland 21044
(410) 772-4856

Prince George’s Community College
301 Largo Road
Largo, Maryland 20772
(301) 322-0801

Wor-Wic Community College
32000 Campus Drive
Salisbury, Maryland 21804
(410) 572-8700

Choosing the best school in Maryland

There are a few basic factors you will need to keep in mind if you are looking for a school in Maryland. There are several options to choose from so you will have to narrow down your choices in order to make the best decision possible for you.

• Location of the school: A big factor when it comes to choosing a school is where exactly the school is. You will have to decide how far you are willing to travel in order to attend a school, and you will also need to take transport considerations into account. You could narrow down the search quite substantially simply by focusing only on schools that are near to you.
• Tuition fees: Money is always a consideration, and you may find that some schools in Maryland are cheaper than others. Remember that cheap doesn’t necessarily mean good value for money, and that expensive doesn’t necessarily mean the best quality. However, tuition fees are a fairly good way to analyze whether or not the school is a viable option for you personally.
• Percentage of NCLEX-PN passed candidate from the school in last years: The point of LPN training is to prepare you for the examination. In this case it is important to know how many students from that school have successfully passed the exam. If there is a low pass rate, then that may mean that the school does not sufficiently prepare its students for the examination.
• Length of the program: Time is definitely something that you need to consider when choosing from among the many Maryland LPN programs. You need to be aware of how much time you will be able to devote to your program. If you have a job, for example, you may only have a few hours a day to spend on studying, so you need to find a program that will fit in with your time constraints. This will narrow down your search for the perfect program in Maryland.
• Course ware: The various LPN programs in Maryland may differ slightly in terms of what coursework they offer. In this case it is very important that you choose a school where the coursework they offer will adequately prepare you for the examination that you will be required to write at the end of your course. Research this aspect of the school carefully in order to make sure that you are making the best choice possible.
• Clinical facilities and exposure: If you are able, take a tour of all of the clinical facilities offered by each of the schools before making your decision. The quality of the facilities may affect the quality of the tuition you receive. It is also important that you ensure that the program you study with offer clinical exposure in a practical setting as you will be unable to qualify as an LPN if you do not do the required hours of clinical work.
• Reputation of the college: The reputation of the college is also important. Do some research, find out what past students thought of the college, and find out if they have a good rep online or not.
• Financial aids: Many schools offer financial aid, and this may be the criterion that you will need to base your decision on. If you need financial aid, then make sure you inquire about this important aspect when looking at schools.
• Guidance provided by the school for NCLEX-PN exam: The most important thing is that you must be adequately prepared for the NCLEX-PN. If the school does not properly prepare you for this test than you will be in big trouble.