Being a part of the medical care field has a few requirements and it ranges from simple to complex ones, depending on which role you want to take. One of the simple ways in becoming a part of the medical care field is by being a licensed practical nurse (LPN), it does not need much time and all you need to do is to complete certain courses and lpn programs and pass a licensure exam. Also, there are some training centers that provide online LPN courses.
A licensed practical nurse works under the supervision of doctors and registered nurses, some of the basic jobs of the LPNs are taking vital signs, supporting in simple surgical procedures and delivering injections, offering and assisting the needs of the patient from food to hygiene, collecting lab samples and carry out laboratory tests and a lot more. LPNs could also be employed in various organizations from hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, home health care services, and even more.
Nursing programs are mostly provided by state approved training centers located on professional schools, high schools, junior colleges, technical schools, community colleges and nursing homes. In order to finish a program, the students need to attend classroom lecture and complete a specific number of hours as interns on clinics and hospitals. There is also the National Council Licensure Examination that must definitely be passed for a trainee to turn into a licensed practical nurse.
These courses usually last from 9 to 18 months and there are also some schools that offer it in shorter time. The basic curriculum includes nutrition and diet therapy, psychiatric nursing, maternal child health, basics of nursing, contemporary health issues vocational adjustment, growth and development, intro to pharmacology, medical-surgical nursing, and anatomy and physiology. More courses include chemistry, emergency medical technology, first aid, and biology. The most notable schools which offer LPN programs are the Lincoln Technical Institute, Everest Institute, National American University, Fortis College, CDI College, and Sanford Brown College.
Moreover, one could also apply to lpn to rn programs and these would enable more opportunities and higher salaries. Some of the universities and colleges which allow LPN to rn college programs are the Indiana State University, Kaplan University, Liberty University, Grand Canyon University, Walden University, Herzing University and many more.
In terms of salary, being a licensed practical nurse has its advantages. Since the demand for licensed practical nurses are high, the salary is also lucrative and can even increase as an individual gets more experience. Another consideration on the salary is the type of hospital or health care and nursing home an individual would work in.
