Given the high demand of nursing as a career opportunity , it is not astonishing that colleges have added LPN programs to their list of course choices. If you are one of those serious in shifting careers or becoming a licensed practical nurse, read the rest of the article; the questions you and any other aspiring LPN will ask or are asking will likely be answered here.
Q: What does an LPN do ?
A: Licensed practical nurses or LPNs are ordinarily under the supervision of doctors and/or registered nurses or RNs. The responsibilities of an LPN can be summed up in two words: patient care. For the most part, an LPN is in charge of bedside care – that is, making sure that the patient is as relaxed as possible and his/her basic needs are met. To be more specific, an LPN assists the patient with eating/feeding, dressing, bathing, and moving around.
An LPN is likewise often tasked with measuring, recording, and monitoring the vital signs – such as the heart rate and blood pressure – of a patient. And while he/she does not have the license to prescribe medication and administer most types of medicine, there are cases wherein he/she will take charge of injecting and/or applying medication to and/or on the patient.
Q: How does one become an LPN?
A: If you would like to become an LPN, you need to undergo at least 9 months of LPN training. There are a lot of schools offering LPN programs online and offline; all you have to do is to pick the program and the school that suits you. After completing the program, you have to take and pass the NCLEX-PN or the National Council Licensure Examination – Practical Nurse. This computer-based exam is given by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing and is obligatory for those who would like to be licensed practical or vocational nurses.
Q: Which is better, an offline or online LPN course?
A: The answer to this question will largely depend on how much time and resources you can allot for training. LPN online programs have become well-known mainly because these give the student more flexibility in terms of time. People interested in obtaining a practical nurse license but cannot afford to be full-time students and are employed opt to study LPN online rather than attend classes in a conventional setting. If you are one of those people, however, you should bear in mind that naturally, it will take you more time to finish an online LPN program than if you were a full-time student.
Q: What demands should be met before one can be enrolled into an LPN program?
A: As with any diploma course, there are requirements you need to meet before you will be admitted into an LPN program. These are the same regardless of where you enroll. The minimum requirement for you to be allowed to undergo training is a high school diploma or a GED (equivalent certification). You also have to be at least 18 years of age. Beside this, you should have completed basic or general education courses such as Math, English, Psychology, and Biology. Most schools offering LPN programs also require their students to submit to a background check and drug testing before being admitted into a program.
