Did you know that an employment change of 182,900 positions will be available between 2012 and 2022? That sounds like music to my ears. A Licensed Practical Nurse, or a LPN, is a nurse who helps registered nurses or physicians with patients and their health issues. This profession takes going above and beyond for your patients, being determined to work hard, and having different types of skills to be successful in your duties. Education is a major requirement to become a professional.
A major key to become a LPN is to have educational skills. An associate 's degree takes two to three years to earn. You can earn this degree faster if you already have Licensed Practical Nurse credits. Having a degree is not required …show more content…
There are LPNs active in the nursing homes, hospital and private clinics, and home health. In the nursing homes the nurses admit new residents, assist the physicians in rounds, and assign duties to the non-licensed nursing staff ("LPN Jobs" 6). In hospitals and clinics, they plan and manage patient care by their needs and they record medical history, copy vital signs, provide injections, and update charts ("LPN Jobs" 7). They also work with x-ray machines, ultrasounds, in-house labs, and they have drug and alcohol testing (Urena) In home health, they have to aid in bathing the patients, monitor their health, alternate bandages, and help the patient exercise ("LPN Jobs" 8). The different areas of practice includes pediatrics, labor and delivery they help the women before, during, and after delivery. In the neonatal department, they help with ill and premature newborns. In oncology, the nurses help with chemotherapy. In ICUs such as trauma aids patients in accidents, and cardiac, the nurses help with heart surgery. They can also work in the Burn Unit. This unit helps with severe burns. In the emergency room, the nurses help patients with injuries. the rehabilitation center helps develop skills that were once lost. The Gerontology center helps with needs for older patients ("LPN Jobs" 9). Other job opportunities for LPNs are military nursing, working in a physician 's office which is at a much slower pace than a hospital in which they help with small surgeries, help set appointments and prescribe medication. Traveling nurses explore the country and have short-term duties. The locations are often located in remote areas and assign nurses due to shortage of nursing staff ("Licensed Practical Nurse Overview"