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What Do Licensed Practical Nurses Do?
Licensed practical nurses, or LPNs, are critical to the medical field. Responsible for patient care, these skilled workers are essential team members in clinics, hospitals and medical centers, doctors' offices and long-term care facilities. As medical generalists, LPNs use diverse abilities to offer and assist with patient care in these and other settings. Tasks often include, but are not limited to:
In some states, LPNs are also allowed to disperse prescribed medications to patients, administer intravenous fluids and care for patients who are dependent on ventilators.
LPN Education Requirements
Licensed practical nurse education requirements include completing an accredited nursing training program and passage of the National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX-PN. In most cases, LPN education requirements can be completed in as a little as one year. Licensed practical nurse training is available in such settings as technical, vocational and community colleges as well as some high schools, as part of a specific curriculum, universities and hospitals.
In most states, LPN education requirements include both classroom study and clinical work. Classroom courses include anatomy and physiology; medical and surgical nursing; an overview of nursing specialties, such as pediatrics and obstetrics; pharmacology; nutrition; and first-aid. Clinical training usually takes place in a hospital, but can include other areas of supervised patient care.
If you are still in high school and are interested in going to nursing school, taking science and math courses is a good idea. Biology, chemistry, psychology, anatomy and physiology are considered essential subjects in the nursing field. Communications classes can help you hone the necessary skills for both patient and physician interaction.
LPN Licensure
After completing the LPN education requirements, nurses must pass the NCLEX-PN exam to obtain licensure. Developed and proctored by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, the computer-based exam is divided into four major parts:
Testing and licensure requirements can vary by state, so before you apply to take the NCLEX-PN, be sure you have completed the appropriate LPN education requirements, where you plan to practice.
While laboratory and clinical work must be completed under a nursing instructor's supervision, class work can be completed online or on campus. According to The College Board, there are more than 600 schools, both brick-and-mortar and online, offering programs meeting standard LPN education requirements.
There are also a number of NCLEX-PN test preparation programs available online and on campuses. NCLEX-PN prep courses aren't required, but can offer additional opportunities to review material to better prepare you for the test.
LPN Salary and Career Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of LPNs is projected to grow at a rate of 21 percent between 2008 and 2018. That's faster than most other employment sectors. In hospitals and clinics, many job opportunities will open up as nurses retire from the field. The nation's aging population, nursing homes, community care facilities and in-home health care should all become important settings for LPN job growth.
Information from Salary.com indicates the national, median salary for LPNs in 2009 was $40,441. Licensed practical nurses working in home health care made slightly more, with a median annual salary of $44,207. The bottom 10 percent of LPNs earned $33,571, while the top 10 percent of LPNs earned about $47,913. The bottom 10 percent of LPNs working in home health care earned a median annual salary of $35,233 in 2009, while those in the 90th percentile earned $51,192.
Whether you're preparing for college, or planning a career change, deciding to become an LPN means helping yourself help others. Are you up to the challenge?
Resources for Licensed Practical Nurses:
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