A Closer Look At The Job Description Of Licensed Practical Nurse

Everyone must have been familiar with titles such as LPNs or licensed practical nurses and RNs or registered nurses. For those who don’t know the meaning of such titles, these people generally perform a wide range of basic nursing tasks. Many may think LPNs and RNs have similar duties, but that is not the case. Registered nurses are considered more educated than LPNs and administer treatments and tests. While on the other hand, LPNs manage basic patient care such as checking blood pressure and helping patients in activities such as eating and dressing. Both roles are considered quite significant for the comfort of patients. Let us find more about LPN. 

What Does LPN Stand For?

To understand the roles and responsibilities more, we need to start with the basics. LPN primarily stands for the licenced practical nurse. In a few states of the United States, you may find this role referred to as a licensed vocational nurse. Furthermore, the labels remain different, but their jobs are the same. 

What does A Licensed Practical Nurse Do?

Now that we know the full form of LPN, you must be curious about what an LPN does in their day-to-day life. The job description of LPN generally covers quite a bit, so let us take a closer look. LPNs primarily provide routine care for the injured or sick. These people work in conjunction with RNs and physicians to adhere to a care plan for each patient. 

Unlike LPNs, RNs typically have a wider scope of practice. Their activities generally include interacting with doctors and administering treatments. While LPNs typically care for numerous patients throughout their shift, they also ensure that the condition of patients is improving. 

While talking about the licenced practical nurse average pay, the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that these people earn $50,090 per year ($24.08 per hour). Moreover, the most experienced LPNs earn around $65,000 per year, $31.50 per hour based on a 40-hour workweek. 

Where Do Licensed Practical Nurse Work?

After reading the term ‘nurse,’ you must be thinking of hospitals, but licensed practical nurse requirements can be found in various settings, including the homes of patients. Let us find more about the common places where LPNs work and the basic duties they perform: 

Nursing Homes

According to the US Bureau Of Labor Statistics, 38 percent of all LPNs work in a nursing care facility. In nursing homes, licensed practical nurses are responsible for the day-to-day care of patients. Their work generally includes monitoring medication, assisting with personal hygiene, feeding patients, and watching for changes in overall health. 

Hospitals

Licensed practical nurses also work in hospitals assisting registered nurses. They perform numerous basic medical procedures such as checking vital signs and passing medication. Moreover, they supervise nursing assistants. 

Home Health Care

These experts also work in home health settings under the guidance of physicians and registered nurses. They provide bedside care to injured, disabled, or sick patients. This involves dressing wounds, giving injections, and monitoring vital signs. 

Military

Licensed practical nurses who love serving their nation join the military. They also get the opportunity to gain experience in an extremely fast-paced setting. These people may enlist as medical practitioners and assist with emergency care on and off the battlefield. 

Physician Offices

Licensed practical nurses’ duties generally depend on the type of clinic; these include everything from wound care, giving immunizations, and many more. These experts work with all ages and report directly to doctors and physicians. 

Correctional Facilities

In such settings, licensed practical nurses are required to understand the psychological and sociological aspects of treating captive patients. Furthermore, these nurses provide routine illness and emergency care. 

Rehabilitation Centers

Licensed practical nurses work on a team to provide therapeutic care to patients recovering from injuries, illness, trauma, and many more.

Also Read:- Benefits Of Being A Certified Nurse Assistant 

Travel

Licensed practical nurses who have more than a year of clinical experience have the option to become travel nurses. This allows these nurses to travel and work in a wide range of hospitals across the country for shorter periods. The roles and responsibilities of travel LPN and nurses in other settings are similar. 

Skills & Competencies Of Licensed Practical Nurse

Licensed practical nurses require numerous soft and hard skills. Let us find out a wide range of skills of an LPN. 

Compassion

The role revolves around caring for patients, whether severely injured or even dying. Their prime role has to make patients quite comfortable. 

Stamina

These nurses are always on their feet most of the day, and sometimes they even need to help move patients. Furthermore, they help them with physical tasks such as bathing, getting dressed, using the bathroom, and many more. 

Patience

You would agree that caring for sick and injured people is stressful. Most of the time, patients are in discomfort or pain. Also, patients don’t cooperate as much as nurses want. 

Detail-Oriented 

Licensed practical nurses keep track of numerous patients’ dietary needs, vital signs, medication schedules, and many more. Small errors in medical reports can indeed have significant consequences, so LPNs always need to be accurate. 

Communication

It is quite essential to communicate with patients about how they are doing. LPNs communicate to registered nurses and doctors about the overall care to ensure this. 

Education And Training

After reading about licensed practical nurse jobs, you must be eagerly waiting to know about the education and training required to receive an LPN license. These nurses primarily complete a one-year training program that involves a combination of classroom courses on nursing, pharmacology, biology, and supervised clinical experience. Such programs are available through community or technical colleges. However, you can also find them in several high schools and hospitals. 

After that, they have to appear in the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN). Once they pass this exam, they get their license to work in their respective fields. Many licensed practical nurses go for further education, while some pursue higher medical education to become registered nurses. 

Visit the I’KARE Consulting Firm if you wish to hire the finest licensed practical nurses. We are known for offering the finest consulting and staffing services at numerous medical organizations. We provide permanent positions in the finest medical organizations and institutions and interim placements for job seekers. While talking about medical staffing, we can help you hire certified nurse assistants, registered nurses, personal care assistants, and licensed practical staff.