The Academy for Practical Nursing, located in West Palm Beach, started training LPNs in 1978. The practical nursing program at the academy, along with a IV Certification, takes a total of 51 day programs or 64 evening programs. The academy combines classroom, clinic and laboratory work to help students prepare for the licensing test after program completion. All graduated students must pass the Florida Board of Nursing Exam for Licensed Practical Nurse in order to work in the LPN field.
The Concorde Career Institute offers an LPN diploma program, which is approved by the Florida Board of Nursing. The Institute, located in Tampa, takes a hands-on approach to training LPNs. Students participate in a number of clinical experiences throughout the 13-month program. The clinical experience at Concorde gives students the chance to work with real clients at healthcare facilities, instead of sitting in a classroom working with mannequins. Concorde teaches several important skills in the LPN field, including pharmacology, nutrition, leadership principals and cultural differences in caring for patients.
The Keiser Career College is located in six different cities across Florida, but only the campuses at Greenacres, Jacksonville, Miami Lakes, St. Petersburg and New Port Richey offer practical nursing diplomas. Students can complete the program at Keiser in one year for full-time students, and completing a license exam issued by the Florida Board of Nursing after graduation is required. The program prepares students for the basics of practical nursing, like proper bedside manner, taking temperatures and blood pressure, and collecting samples for testing.
Rasmussen College has a total of five campuses across Florida, but only the campus in Pasco County has a practical nursing degree. In New Port Richey, 35 miles from Tampa, Rasmussen's School of Nursing offers a diploma in practical nursing. Also accredited by the Florida Board of Nursing, students are required to pass the licensing test after completing their coursework. Some key courses Rasmussen offers are Nutrition and Diet Therapy, Maternal-Child Nursing and a nursing seminar, which discusses the licensing examinations. According to Rasmussen's website, practical nursing employment is expected to increase by 14 percent through 2016.