Can or do LPN's teach?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jan 15, 2007

I have lived and attended school in California and Texas.

In these 2 states (and possibly others), LPNs/LVNs are allowed to teach CNA courses, medical assistant courses, and LPN/LVN courses at vocational and technical schools. However, you must have a minimum of three years of bedside nursing experience before you're ever allowed to teach. Good luck to you!

allnurses Guide · Jan 15, 2007

Yes! And one of our EMT's teaches CPR. A nursing student is working with "First Five" here in CA teaching classes to pregnant women and their husbands, (or S.O.'s). A social worker is our lactation consultant. And LVN teaches the hospital based CNA class that is held in conjunction with a local CC. There are lots of opportunities . . .

steph

para · Jan 15, 2007

Thanks TheCommuter and Steph,

I am happy to see there is a lot of possibles for teaching in my future. I am also happy that after about three years of experience I can teach. It is also nice to hear different levels of medical professionals can find teaching jobs if they wish to do so.

KellNY, RN · Jan 15, 2007

As an LPN I taught medical assisting.

They can also teach CNA classes in many places.

As far as childbirth and breastfeeding classes, I'd recommend you get certified in that area 1st-try alace.org.

Good luck,

Kelly

para · Jan 15, 2007

Thanks Kelly,

That link is very helpful.I also like the idea or teaching a CNA or Ma course. How did you like teaching the MA course? Did you find it difficult teaching this course? What type of additional training did you have to have to teach this course?

KellNY, RN · Jan 16, 2007

Additional training was a joke--after teaching for a year, we had a 6 hour course on something...don't even remember. But New York State did require that I become a certified private school teacher or some such title. The company I worked for handled all the paper work, all I did was provide them with my background work experience and attend above mentioned class.

I loved teaching for the most part...it was a little difficult because the company I was working for were a bunch of money grubbers and would admit anyone who had a few bucks (or they could approve a loan for), including those who spoke no more than 10 words of English, a few who had active drug problems, those who had failed their GED test quite a few times. But for each 20 student class, you have a good 2-5 who were really serious about learning and advancing their careers (these are the ones you come to work for...they challenge you with their questions, eat up what you teach, do above and beyond what's asked, show up on time every day, appreciate your job...), and a majority who are just going because they're sick of working at Taco Bell or living with mom and dad and see this as a way to do something. Then like I said, you have some bad apples or those who are just impossible to teach.

The pay was $20 to start and I taught nights-6p-10p with 45 total minutes of break time, mon-thurs. I also had the opportunity to get extra money subbing for day classes once per diem and coming in an hour early for students who needed to make up hours.

You just have to keep up on the records-submitting grades on time, keeping track of papers and tests, making up tests and projects, attendance records, all that jazz. And you can't play favorites...no matter how fair a person you are, it's so hard not to, when you have one student who comes in 15 minutes late, didn't do her homework, leaves every 45 min to smoke, gets a 30 on the test and refuses to go to any study sessions or listen to why she got questions wrong...then you have another student who gets there before you do to familiarize herself with the anatomy models, who offers to tudor the previous student during her meal break, who gets a 96 and wants to know why--takes notes when you explain it and gets it right the 1st time..who busts her butt even though she's a single mother with a hard past...

I ramble, lol. It was a job I liked, and hated sometimes, and I kinda miss it. I'm an RN now with no time to teach, but I do plan on teaching once I get my masters (CNM).

Best of Luck,

Kelly

para · Jan 16, 2007

Thanks again Kelly,

You gave me a better understanding about different types of people I could be teaching.As well as some challenges that come with teaching. I am happy you told me all you did and that you didn't sugarcoat it. Sounds like you were a great teacher. Good luck getting your masters and going back to teaching! I really appreciate your reply.

MsLady06 · Jan 16, 2007

Yes they do. My best friend was taught by an LPN @ a tech school for MA

Fiona59 · Jan 16, 2007

If you've got the time, acquire an Adult Education Certificate/Diploma. With the extra credential you earn more.

para · Jan 16, 2007

Thanks MSLady06,

I didn't even think of possibly teaching a MA class until I seen it on here. I though it would be to advanced for an LPN to teach.That is great it is a possibility.

Thanks for the tip Fiona59,

I have not seen an adult education Certificate/Diploma when looking into collage yet. I was helping my sister look into early childhood courses. I would think they are probably similar courses.Thanks I didn't know that could help. I am going on Thursday to a collage open house for LPN'S I will look into this class while I am there.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jan 16, 2007

Thanks MSLady06,
I didn't even think of possibly teaching a MA class until I seen it on here. I though it would be to advanced for an LPN to teach.That is great it is a possibility.

I attended medical assisting school in California about 7 years ago and my instructor was an LVN. The individual who owned and operated the school was also an LVN. The owner/operator also served as the school's so-called 'director of education'.