Licensed practical nurses (LPN), also referred to as licensed vocational nurses (LVN), work in the medical field taking care of patients who are sick, injured, disabled, or convalescing. They can work in a variety of places including hospitals, home health care services, nursing homes, medical offices, and other agencies. They usually work directly with physicians and registered nurses by supporting them by completing the following duties:
- Taking patients’ vital signs
- Compiling all the patient’s health information
- Preparing and administering injections
- Assisting the patients with any personal hygiene
- Collecting the samples for the lab and perform routine lab tests
- Helping to care for and feed infants
- Teaching patients and family members about good health habits
- Supervising nursing assistants and aides
Working as a LPN you can expect to earn anywhere between $33,920 and $47,220 a year. Depending on exactly where you gain employment, you could earn up to $42,300, at a home health care service company, or in a hospital you could earn $39,980 annually. And if you work at a physician’s office, you could make an average salary of $36,770.
Employment in this field is expected to keep climbing – as much as 21% between 2008 and 2018. So looking into this as a viable career definitely has its appeal and finding a good LPN nursing school to get you started is the right way to go.
LPN nursing schools usually offer a one year program that includes a studying component and hands-on training at a hospital, college or technical school. You need to make sure that the program is accredited and approved by the Board of Nursing in order to obtain a nursing license.
Prerequisites for these programs can include a high school diploma, or equivalent – but there are some exceptions that you can look into if you did not complete high school.
The LPN nursing school program will include basic nursing concepts, patient care related subjects including anatomy, physiology, medical-surgical nursing, pediatrics, obstetrics, psychiatric nursing, and the administration of drugs, nutrition, and first aid
After obtaining your degree from the LPN nursing school, you must then take a National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN). Individual states administer this exam to qualifying candidates. The exam is computer-based and varies in length. Four major categories are covered:
- safe and effective care environment,
- health promotion and maintenance,
- psycho-social integrity, and
- physiological integrity.
And depending on which LPN nursing school you decide upon, the tuition fees can start around the $2,000 mark. Many schools and states offer financial assistance and it is definitely worth your while to look into this option to help support you in obtaining your degree.
If you decide further down your career to obtain more accreditation, to become a registered nurse for example you can complete a LPN to RN or LPN to BSN program which will you transition into a new position with more responsibility and that also comes with a higher salary. As an LPN you can advance to become charge nurses and that allows you to manage the work of other LPNs in a more senior role with more responsibility.
So if you are considering a career in this challenging field then finding an accredited LPN nursing school will help you get on your way.