Located at the geographic center of the Northeast megalopolis, near such cities as New York City, Boston, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, New Jersey is a state with fast access to cities, ocean, and countryside. If you are considering pursuing schooling to be a licensed practical nurse (LPN) and you live in New Jersey, you may find this guide about the process of becoming an LPN and what New Jersey may require licensing-wise to be helpful.

The information on this page is separated into multiple sections. In the first section is information covering what LPN programs usually look like. In the second section is a breakdown of the basic job tasks of an LPN. The next section covers New Jersey’s requirements and standards for LPN licensure, and lastly, there is a list of some schools in New Jersey that may offer LPN schooling.

General Information: LPN Schooling

LPN and RN programs share many similarities. A pre-course exam may be required to participate in the LPN program. Courses for general education requirements, such as psychology and composition, may be included in the LPN program, but the main offerings of LPN curriculums include courses like nutrition, medical dosage, mental health nursing, practical nursing, pharmacology, and maternal-child nursing. With these courses, labs are frequently provided to help students practice skills before they begin clinicals. Eventually, one to a few times per week, students may begin performing LPN duties with a real patient in a medical setting; this is what is known as a “clinical.” Responsibilities tend to start out light in clinicals and increase as the student advances through the his or her schooling.

Common Job Tasks of an LPN in NJ

In New Jersey, LPNs perform a wide range of job duties. Usually working underneath supervision from a physician or nurse, LPNs work with the practical side of nursing. They may help with bedside care, cleaning wounds, changing bandages, dressing and bathing patients, and helping patients with personal hygiene. They may also monitor a patient’s status by taking and recording vital signs, talking with the patient about concerns and the care they are receiving, and report any changes in a patient’s status to a doctor. LPNs may also perform job duties related to specialized skills, if they have received schooling for those skills. Examples include working with catheters and IVs, administering blood products and blood, and helping with dialysis. Additional taks that may be required of an LPN include administering medication, overseeing aides, and doing paperwork. Job duties will vary by site; for example, an LPN working at an elderly care facility will usually not need to bottle-feed an infant, unlike an LPN working at a hospital’s NICU. Other locations that LPNs may work at include children’s homes, medical clinics, doctor’s offices, and in-home health care services.

Licensing Information for LPNs in New Jersey

New Jersey has requirements in place that future LPNs must meet so that they can be licensed and begin practicing as LPNs. Some of those requirements are outlined below, but for the most up-to-date and complete information regarding New Jersey’s licensing requirements for LPNs, see the New Jersey Board of Nursing website.

According to the New Jersey Board of Nursing, LPNs must be 18 years of age or older, have completed two years of high school (or equivalent), have good moral character, and not be habitual drug users. They must complete a board-approved LPN program, as well, and pass a criminal history background check. LPN hopefuls can apply for licensing by either examination or endorsement; endorsement is offered if the applicant has been licensed as an LPN out-of-state or if the board deems the applicant qualified enough to work as an LPN without undergoing the required exam. Applicants must also pay a fee to the board at the time of application.

If the exam route is chosen, applicants must successfully complete the National Council Licensure Examination – Practical Nursing (or NCLEX-PN). The electronic exam chooses questions based on the examinee’s response to previous questions. This means that every exam is different since it is uniquely personalized to the user. The exam is also set up in such a way that the applicant is assessed against a preset standard instead of against a certain amount of correct responses or in competition with other users. Six hours is allowed to pass the NCLEX. For more information on New Jersey’s licensing requirements for LPNs, visit the New Jersey Board of Nursing website to learn more.

Nursing Programs – Colleges in New Jersey

A list has been compiled below of various New Jersey colleges that might offer practical nursing programs.

Atlanta Cape Community College
1535 Bacharach Boulevard, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
(609) 343-4863

Bergen Community College
400 Paramus Rd, Paramus, NJ 07652
(201) 447-7100

Brookdale Community College
765 Newman Springs Rd, Lincroft, NJ 07738
(732) 842-1900

Cumberland County College
3322 College Dr, Vineland, NJ 08360
(856) 691-8600

Essex County College
303 University Ave, Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 877-3000

Hudson County Community College
70 Sip Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07306
(201) 714-7100

Jersey College
546 US-46, Teterboro, NJ 07608
(201) 489-5836

Ocean County Technical College
131 Bey Lea Rd, Toms River, NJ 08753
(732) 473-3100

Passaic County Community College
1 College Blvd, Paterson, NJ 07505
(973) 684-6800

Raritan Valley Community College
14 Vogt Drive, Bridgewater, NJ 08807
(908) 526-1200

Union County College
1033 Springfield Ave, Cranford, NJ 07016
(908) 709-7000

Warren County Community College
445 Marshall Street, Phillipsburg, NJ 08865
(908) 835-2333

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