Join The Exciting Career Of A Licensed Practical Nurse LPN - Learn About Schools And Online Training
|
Receive free info from
Health Care Schools
|
|
|
Licensed Practical Nurse LPN Job Description
A licensed practical nurse LPN has a variety of different responsibilities to keep the patient happy and comfortable. They work under the supervision of doctors and registered nurses, and mostly focus on bedside care. They perform duties like giving injections, taking vital signs, performing enemas, giving massages, bathing, dressing and perhaps helping patients with eating and moving.
Additionally, they have to gather specimens for lab tests, determine a patient's medical history, keep their charts up to date with food and fluid intake and clean medical equipment. Finally they are in charge of filling out insurance claim forms by checking on patients to see how they are reacting to treatment and medication.
Training and Certification
LPN training is not very long and can be taken from a variety of LPN schools, vocational schools, community colleges, hospitals or even through some high schools. There are even some accredited online LPN courses available. Generally it is about 1 year and must be taken from an accredited institute.
An LPN degree is not usually required as a 1 year certificate is sufficient, but licensing must be obtained after the studies are finished.
Classroom studies will include subjects like anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, pediatrics, nutrition, first aid, obstetrics and other studies related to basic patient care. It will be followed by hands-on training that may be done in a hospital or other medical setting.
The certification needed after the studies are complete is achieved by passing the National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX-PN. This exam is taken on the computer and given by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, and it will cover 4 main categories in nursing: promoting and maintaining health, psychosocial integrity, physiological integrity and providing a safe setting for patient care.
Career Advancement
If you want to become a licensed practical nurse LPN, you can expect a fairly decent salary, with an average range from about $33,300 to $46,700. On the other hand, it is also not difficult to advance your career once you are already working as an LPN, by either taking additional certificates in a concentrated area, like pharmacology or long-term care, or taking an LPN to RN bridge course to work towards becoming a registered nurse.
The outlook for LPNs is good, with an increase of about 21% until 2018, but training as a registered nurse not only opens many more doors for you, it also guarantees a much higher salary, and you can study while working as an LPN. Training to be a licensed practical nurse LPN is a great career choice, or if your ambitions run higher, a great stepping stone to more advanced levels.
|
|
Request free information from Health Care Schools
|
