Licensed Practical nurse (LPN) refers to a nurse who cares for people who are sick, injured, recovering, and disabled under the supervision of registered nurses and the physicians. This term is usually used in USA and most of the states in Canada. In some US states like Texas and California they are also called as LVN (Licensed Vocational Nurses. The works of LPN includes recording patient’s vital sign like height, weight, body temperature, blood pressure, respiratory rate, pulse etc. They also dress wounds, give alcohol rubs and massages, give injections etc. They help the patients in moving in bed, standing, walking, and taking a bath. Sometimes they might also need to feed the patients who are unable to eat. LPNs are also responsible to manage the nursing assistants. They are responsible for collecting samples for testing, routine lab testing and recording food and fluid intake and output. Therefore, to be in such a responsible position you will need to take LPN classes. LPN classes are offered my many colleges and universities.
LPN classes
LPN classes will be focused on medical, patient care and other subjects which will educate you in the nursing rather than concentrating on typical subjects like history or geology. Many of the courses in LPN will offer you clinical practice in hospital or the school you attend. Many local community colleges and technical colleges offer Licensed Practical Nurse classes as a part of certificate or associate’s degree. You are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for practical nurses (NCLEX-PN) which is essential to be a registered LPN only after graduating from such programs. LPN course is designed to prepare students for two major purposes. The first one is to execute the nursing duties with maximum ability and confidence and the other reason is to provide necessary knowledge and skill to take NCLEX-PN and pass it so that students can work in the field of nursing.
Moreover, you will be occupying the global necessity of nursing by being an LPN. The nursing scarcity will be reaching around a million by 2015 as anticipated by US department of Labor. Since the need of nursing professionals will keep rising, the LPNs will be in demand however the economic condition of the world becomes. Even though the LPN classes will differ from school to school, there are several subjects most of the classes include. This is because you need to have the same basic skills like communication, understanding of medical terminology, understanding of human body etc. whichever state you may take the class.
Requirements to get enrolled into LPN classes
The entry into the LPN classes is not that tough. To enter into the LPN classes and begin classes you must have a high school diploma or at least a GED. You might be required a GPA of 2.5 or higher by some schools or colleges. You might also take some perquisite classes in order to start the LPN classes. You are required to have the motivation to work in groups and individually and have the skill to take the commands in a right way. You are supposed to work around blood and other human fluids regularly so you need to have a strong immune system to resist being sick. It is essential for you to complete all the core classes and elective and pass the NCLEX-PN exam in order to get the certification. Moreover, you need to fill the application and return it to the school or college you wish to attend within the due date to get admitted. Sometimes you tend to overlook this since it seems the easiest step.
Cost of LPN classes
The cost of LPN classes depends upon the city, state, or even the schools you desire to attend the class. However, the average cost of LPN program is around $ 10,000 including books and everything. The cost however in some big cities could be up to $25,000 without excluding the price of books and other educational accessories. The Universities and private colleges which offer fast track classes mostly have the most expensive tuition fees. The best tuition fee deal is usually offered by the local community colleges where you may have to pay just around $4000 yearly. The international students however have to pay almost the double tuition fees. The schools which get some assistance from the government provide LPN classes with cheapest tuition fees.
Future Scope of LPN
You can specialize in a field like the care of new born baby if you take an extra class or two. Moreover, you can expand your field to registered nursing with some more training even though that training would be somewhat expensive. The future scope of Licensed Practical Nurses seem to be good as the job opportunities for this field is likely to grow very fast through the year 2014 as predicted by US Department of Labor. There will be huge demand of LPNs in home health care, rehabilitation centers, and long term health facilities.
To put it briefly, Licensed Practical Nurse is a very good career option if you have a good will power, dedication to work hard and heart to serve the sick and disabled. As a LPN, you might have to do deal with blood and body fluid so you need to make sure you are capable of dealing with it before starting the classes. You need to pass the National Council Licensure Examination for practical nurses in order to get the certification so study hard and be motivated. The LPN program is little expensive in the major cities and private universities and colleges so estimate your budget before enrolling into the classes. The local community colleges are a very good place to take LPN classes as they offer very good LPN programs at a very low cost. If you think you meet all the requirements and are really motivated to be a LPN and help the needy ones, this field is just for you. You have a bright career and a good future ahead.
