In the nursing profession, LPN is a commonly utilized acronym that stands for licensed practical nurse. According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, a licensed practical nurse is defined as a person who has undergone training and obtained a license to provide routine care to the sick. 48 states in the union and virtually all of the Canadian provinces utilize the LPN title. The two most populous states in the union, California and Texas, employ the acronym LVN, which stands for licensed vocational nurse. The Canadian province of Ontario identifies practical nurses as RPNs, which is short form for registered practical nurse. In spite of the somewhat dissimilar titles, LPNs, LVNs and RPNs are terms that basically refer to the same type of nurse.
Duties / Responsibilities
In the US, LPNs practice nursing under the supervision of a registered nurse (RN) or physician; however, in many cases LPNs are the only licensed nurses physically present in numerous facilities during certain work shifts. As a general rule, LPNs in all states execute basic nursing care such as medication administration, finger stick blood glucose testing with glucometer machines, data collection, observing and reporting changes in condition, vital sign checks, dressing changes, wound care, blood draws, specimen collection, indwelling urinary catheter insertion and care, removal of sutures and surgical staples, tracheostomy care, care of artificially ventilated patients, incentive spirometry, ostomy site care and maintenance, recording intake and output, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. LPNs also chart and document nursing care in accordance with facility policies and procedures. LPNs may supervise and direct certified nursing assistants in specific types of healthcare settings.
The duties of an LPN are very much subject to the regulations of the American state or Canadian province in which he / she practices nursing. Various state boards of nursing, such as the ones located in Oklahoma and Texas, exercise particularly wide scopes of practice that permit LPNs to do practically anything that facility policies and procedures will permit. The LPNs who practice in states with the widest scopes of practice can perform many of the same skills that their RN counterparts carry out, such as starting IV lines, administering medications via IV push, central line care and site maintenance, and so on. Other state boards of nursing, such as the ones found in New York and California, make use of rather restricted scopes of practice that especially limit the skills and tasks that LPNs are permitted to perform.
Work Environment
LPNs normally work in climate-controlled settings such as nursing homes, residential care facilities, inpatient hospice houses, home health, private duty cases, jails, psychiatric hospitals, prisons, rehabilitation facilities, community health centers, group homes, clinics, research trials, doctors' offices, assisted living facilities, agencies, private residences, extended care facilities, and schools. LPNs also secure employment in acute care hospitals, but LPN opportunities in this type of setting are on the decline in many regions in the US as a result of issues that revolve around limited scopes of practice. The vast majority of these workplace settings demand 24-hour patient care, so many LPNs work days, evenings, nights, weekends and holidays. Contact with blood, urine, feces and other bodily material might occur; however, any risks can be diminished through proper use of personal protective equipment when providing the types of direct care that are likely to result in exposure.
Educational Requirements
People who want to become LPNs may select from two distinct educational paths. Certificate / diploma programs and associate degree programs are the primary ways in which one may become an LPN. The first method requires attendance of a state-approved program that results in a certificate or diploma upon completion. Most LPNs in the United States received their training at the certificate / diploma level. These programs are offered at community colleges, vocational schools, technical colleges, adult education centers, and private for-profit entities. Graduates of certificate / diploma programs will need to pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN), the exam that results in state licensing as a practical nurse. The second avenue to an LPN career is graduation from a state-approved program that awards an associate of applied science (AAS) degree in practical nursing. Associate degree programs are offered at community colleges, state universities and technical colleges. Graduates of associate degree programs also need to pass the NCLEX-PN to attain a nursing license.
Salary
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual pay of licensed practical and vocational nurses was $40,380 in 2010. The median hourly pay rate in 2010 was $19.42 per hour. Pay rates can be influenced by factors such as cost of living, specialty, company, geographic region, and experiential level.
Resources
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
NAPNES | "Every Nurse Counts!"
