Licensed Practical Nurse Careers Information
Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), called Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) in California and Texas, are among the most important professionals in medicine. Licensed Practical Nurses are the foot soldiers of the modern hospital, and they perform literally thousands of different roles.
Licensed Practical Nurse Careers & Degrees
- Brown Mackie College: Akron, OH
Everest Institute: Grand Rapids
Medical Careers Institute: Charleston
Working with doctors, RNs, and other health care professionals, Licensed Practical Nurses handle everything from taking vital signs to examining medical records, monitoring patients to giving injections, running tests to assisting patients with food and hygiene. Because the job can be physically and emotionally demanding, it takes a hardy and well-balanced person to make a good Licensed Practical Nurse.
Although many licensed practical nurse careers work in hospitals, it is also common to work at a number of different kinds of facilities, from elderly homes to community health clinics to pediatrician’s offices. Licensed Practical Nurses are responsible for all kinds of care, and some specialize in a specific type of care, condition, or patient, such as caring for children or the elderly.
Licensed Practical Nurse Careers Path
The first step towards becoming an Licensed Practical Nurse is graduating from an accredited Licensed Practical Nurse program. These programs are offered all across the country, at high schools, community colleges, and at private and public universities.
Increasingly, it is even possible in many areas to take practical nursing courses online, although many such programs will require a hands-on component at a local campus or healthcare facility in order to gain clinical experience. After finishing school, graduates must pass the NCLEX-PN examination, which tests the skills and knowledge needed to work as a practical nurse.
Licensed Practical Nurse Careers: Compatible Personality Traits
Diligent, hard-working, courageous, caring, patient, friendly, responsible, observant, courageous, committed, charismatic, reliable.
Licensed Practical Nurse Interview
Interested in saving lives with a licensed practical nurse? Read More by a Licensed Nurse…
Licensed Practical Nurse Careers: Salary Expectations
According to the Department of Labor, the annual median salary for Licensed Practical Nurses is $39,030. LPNs with one to four years on the job can expect a median annual salary of $33,828, while those with four to five years’ experience should earn a median annual salary of $37, 498.
Advancement potential is a big part of the attractiveness of working as an Licensed Practical Nurse. There are many LPN-RN programs, and there are opportunities to continue moving up the nursing ladder. The right person can move up a number of times over the course of his or her career.
Licensed Practical Nurse Careers: Job Outlook
The Department of Labor expects employment among Licensed Practical Nurses to grow by 14% by 2016. This is slightly faster than the national average for all occupations, largely due to projected growth for the entire healthcare field. Nursing is a safe bet in difficult economic times because they play such a crucial role at hospitals and other healthcare facilities, especially given the continuing shortage of doctors.
Slightly Off the Footpath
- Registered Nurse
- Medical Assistant
- Medical Coding and Billing
- Pharmacy Technician
- Physical Therapist Assistant
Nursing News
Whether you want to enroll in nursing school or you’re an experienced nurse looking to advance your career, you need to know the latest industry news. Our nursing news page is updated daily with headlines by sources across the web.
