A Licensed Practical Nurse, or LPN, manages patients under the supervision of a doctor or a medical doctor. A Licensed Practical Nurse often provides basic care such as cut or lesions dressing, medication management and monitoring vital signs. LPNs must also complete the paperwork that is kept in the individual’s file. Besides working with nurses and physicians, a licensed practical nurse also works with certified nursing aides and home health aides.
Licensed Practical Nurse works in medical centers, doctors’ offices, schools and health centers. They are taught to get blood and urine samples, and to get patients ready for surgery. A Licensed Practical Nurse often works managerial duties as well. Some licensed practical nurses manage doctors’ offices, while others work in assisted living facilities under the direction of a doctor. A Licensed Practical Nurse receives training at vocational schools or medical centers. The programs vary in length. Their training requires them to learn about individual care, health regulations and sometimes business. Upon graduating from a certified nursing course, they must still obtain state certification before they are allowed to work in the field. Some LPNs go back to school to obtain a degree in medicine, which would qualify them to work as a doctor.
LPNs work indoor in clean and sometimes sterilized environments. Their job requires mental and physical activities. Licensed Practical Nurses sometimes help in moving and transporting patients, which requires actual strength. They also must understand about medications, plans of care and diseases. Licensed Practical Nurses can work full-time or part-time. They often do shift work, such as in medical centers and assisted living facilities. Licensed Practical Nurses sometimes rotate the shifts that they work, which mean that they might work on some weekends and holidays.
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) tasks includes taking temperatures, cleansing abrasions, documenting vital signs, gather blood and urine samples and set up patients for examinations, etc. This may also include some clerical work and may work under the direction of a doctor. They may also provide basic medical care helping physicians and nurses to focus on more specialized areas in patient care.