LPN Programs in Massachusetts

State Info:

Despite the economic problems experienced at the moment, there has been no decline in the health industry which is still growing strong. This is a very good reason to get your foot in the door of the health care industry.

You will also find that Massachusetts is one of the best states to join the health care industry as this is one of the more densely populated states in the country which means that there will always be a need for nurses with proper qualifications to take care of the huge population. Becoming an LPN is a great way to get started in the health care industry, and Massachusetts offers many schools for you to study at. Once you are an LPN you will also have options to study further.

Licensing Requirements

In order to become licensed you will first have to get into a Massachusetts LPN program that is state approved. To do this:

• You will need a high school diploma
• You will have to be older than 18
• You will have to have a CPR certificate
• You will have to be able to pass the background check
• You will have to be able to pass the health assessment

Once you have completed the program you will then have to write the NCLEX-PN examination and pass it. Once you have sufficiently passed this exam you will be able to be licensed as an LPN in the State of Massachusetts.

Exam Fee

There are several fees that you will have to pay in order to write the NCLEX-PN examination. The company who administers the exam, Pearson Vue, requires a fee of $200 in order for you to write the examination. The Massachusetts state Board of Nursing will also require you to pay $230 in order to be eligible for the exam. You will then have to pass the background check, and once you have you will be licensed in the state of Massachusetts. In order to renew your license every two years you will have to pay $120. You will also have to prove that you have completed 15 hours of continual education during that time period.

Salaries

Financial Aid Available

Many people choose not to study for their LPN qualification because they are in a situation where they are unable to financially deal with the situation. However, there are many different sources of financial aid in the state of Maryland that you should definitely consider if you are in this situation.

Grants and scholarships are a great way to fund your studies; especially as you will not have to repay the money you are given. Grants are based on your financial needs, so if you re able to prove a real need you will most likely be eligible for a grant. Scholarships are more reward based and are open to students who are at the top academically. These are worth applying for even if you don’t think that your chances look good.

If you do not qualify for a scholarship or grant, or if your scholarship or grant does not cover the full amount, you may want to go the route of getting a loan. Remember that Federal loans are the most viable in terms of the interest rates that you will have to pay, but are harder to qualify for. Personal loans are easier to get, but unfortunately they tend to come with a much higher interest rate.

If you are already employed in a health care industry then your employer may be willing to help you out financially in return for having a qualified LPN on their staff.

Work and study programs, where you can work and generate income at your school to cover your costs are also worth looking into.

Loan forgiveness programs are available whereby a portion of your loan can be dealt with in exchange for you working in a non profit organization.

List of Schools

There are several schools in Massachusetts to choose from, and you will be glad to hear that they are also quite affordable. If you are looking for an LPN program in Massachusetts make sure that the school is approved by the Massachusetts State Board of Nursing. If it is not then you will be wasting your time with the program. A list of schools in Massachusetts along with the contact information you will need to make further inquiries follows below:

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Assabet Valley Regional Technical School
215 Fitchburg Street
Marlboro, MA
(508) 485-9430

Berkshire Community College
343 Main Street
Great Barrington, MA
499-4660 X450

Blue Hills Regional Technical School
800 Randolph Street
Canton, MA
(781) 828-5800 X305

Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School
940 County Street
Taunton, MA
(508) 823-5151 X240

Diman Regional School of Practical Nursing
251 Stonehaven Road
Fall River, MA
(508) 678-2891 X1560

Greater Lowell Technical School
250 Pawtucket Boulevard
Tyngsboro, MA
(978) 454-4870

Greenfield Community College c/o VA Medical Ctr.
421 North Main Street
Leeds, MA
(413) 582-3055

Holyoke Community College
303 Homestead Avenue
Holyoke, MA
(413) 552-2458

Massachusetts Bay Community College
19 Flagg Drive
Framingham, MA
(508) 270-4020

McCann Technical School
70 Hodges Cross Road
North Adams, MA
(413) 663-5383

Medical Professional Institute
388 Pleasant Street, Suite 304
Malden, MA
(781) 397-6822

Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School
1050 Westminster Street
Fitchburg, MA
345-9200 X5107

Mount Wachusett Community College
444 Green Street
Gardner, MA
(978) 632-6600

Northern Essex Community College
45 Franklin Street
Lawrence, MA
(978) 738-7447

Quincy College
34 Coddington Street
Quincy, MA
(617) 984-1601

Quinsigamond Community College
670 W. Boylston Street
Worcester, MA
(508) 854-4262

Shawsheen Valley School of Practical Nursing
100 Cook Street
Billerica, MA
(978) 671-3646

Soldiers’ Home in Massachusetts
91 Crest Avenue
Chelsea, MA
(617) 887-7168

Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical School
250 Foundry Street
South Easton, MA
238-1860

Tri-County Regional Technical High School
147 Pond Street
Franklin, MA
(508) 528-5400

How do I choose?

Because there are so many different options available you may feel a little overwhelmed by the choice. However, there are a few criteria that you can consider in order to make the decision easier for you:

• Location of the school: Location is obviously a very big factor in choosing a school. Generally speaking people choose a school that is near to them. This goes a long way to narrowing down your options when deciding which LPN school or program you would like to take part in.
• LPN Tuition fees: There are often slight differences in the amount of money you will have to pay for different programs. Financial concerns are always something that is important to consider, so make sure that you know exactly what costs are involved as well as how much money you will be able to devote to your studies.
• Percentage of NCLEX-PN passed candidate from the school in past years: In order to become an LPN you will have to pass the NCLEX-PN examination. Therefore it is well worth finding out how many students successfully pass this examination at each of the schools in Massachusetts.
• Length of the program: Time is often a problem for many people. If you are concerned that you will not have a lot of time to devote to your LPN studies, then you will have to consider only those programs that are flexible and that you will be able to fit into your schedule easily.
• Course ware: There may be slight differences in the course work that different programs will offer. If this is the case you will need to know what course work is offered by each school as well as what course work will be examined in the NCLEX-PN exam. If they match up then this is your best bet.
• Clinical facilities and exposure: if you are able to tour the clinical facilities at each of the schools that you have the option of studying at you will be able to get a good idea of which school offers the best quality of experience. You must also consider how much clinical exposure the school or program will offer as it is essential that you complete the clinical part of the qualification in order to become licensed as an LPN.
• Reputation of the college: If you want to be sure that you have made the best choice possible, then it is important that you find out what you can about the reputation of each of the schools in your area. A good source of information in this regard is past students.
• Financial aids: Some schools offer financial aid structures while others unfortunately do not. If you are in need of financial aid then this may be the most important consideration to take into account when looking at LPN schools and deciding which one is the best for you.
• Guidance provided by the school for NCLEX-PN exam: As mentioned previously you will have to pass this examination in order to qualify as an LPN. In this case it is very important to only consider those schools that can demonstrate that they provide adequate preparation for this exam.