LVN | Distance Learning Systems (DLSI)

What You Need To Know About an LVN

An LVN or Licensed Vocational Nurse is defined as a person who provide care to patients with the direction of nurses, doctors, and other medical professionals. This job title is only specific to Texas and California. In other states, these care providers are known as Licensed Practical Nurses. The basic duties of an LVN is to attend to patient’s needs. When the LVN cannot meet these needs, a physician or other professional will then be contacted. For instance, an LVN takes a patient’s vital signs: temperature, pulse rate, and blood pressure. If the results show that the patient is out of the normal, then the LVN will report to the doctor. Since LVNs act as a middle man between the patient and doctor, they should accurately deliver information.

How to Become an LVN?
Educational requirements differ from state to state. Generally, you will need to graduate from a vocational nursing program offered by community colleges or vocational schools. These programs both have classroom and clinical training and subjects that include physiology, anatomy, pharmacology, first aid, pediatrics, and patient care.

In some states, those who have completed nursing training programs need to take the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX) in practical nursing to get a license.

Other Career Options for LVNs
A licensed vocational nursing provides a career in occupational therapy. As an occupational therapy assistant, they help disabled and ill patients with their everyday tasks and help accomplish them. In order to have a permanent occupation on this field, an associate degree is needed plus state licensing. Reports have projected that there will be a growing need for occupation therapy assistants in the next ten years.

Another career path to take is becoming a Registered nurse. It requires a nursing diploma, various nursing degrees, and passage of the NCLEX. The same research above shows that there will be an increase in job opportunities for Registered nurses until 2020.

Difference between LVN and LPN

There are different health care workers in a certain hospital or clinical site. They have different jobs and responsibilities to help patients recover. This includes Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) and Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN). Many are confused with the two. Some think that they are just the same. However, they might be correct. They may just differ with their names, but not on their functions. Here we will be discussing further the two courses.

LPNs are nurses who have passed the academic requirements to acquire their license with the next phase within their profession as being a Registered Nurse (RN). LPNs are usually found working under a doctor or RN’s supervision in hospitals or treatment centers. They can also provide home healthcare and practice in nursing care facilities. LVNs are also nurses who passed the state’s educational requirements and the exam to get a license as a registered nurse. LVNs perform their nursing responsibilities in a variety of hospitals, nursing facilities, physician’s clinics, and surgical centers.

Nursing programs today that provide LPN/LVN training possess a moderately intensive listing of subjects which are needed for certification, for example communications, critical thinking, dosage information, drug reference and interactions, ethics, along with other areas. In Texas, the academic needs for that title of LVN require students to accomplish 20 contact hrs every 2 yrs, along with a specific (once-off) two hrs of contact in Ongoing Education for LVNs who are employed in Emergency Rooms and Forensic Evidence Collection. California requires 30 contact hours of Ongoing Education, every 2 years, for license renewal.

The rest of the 48 states have different requirements in terms of continuing education and also the title given by these states is LPN. Some states, for example New York, require LPNs to complete three contact hours for infection control every 4 years. Yet others, for example Florida, require additional study in Prevention of Medical Errors, HIV/AIDS and Domestic Violence, to acquire the LPN title. Essentially, the academic requirements of both LPN and LVN are extremely similar, as well as their responsibilities are consistent.

Actually, the only variation between the two is the state where the course is being offered. In Texas and California, the academic needs are identical, however the title is LVN whereas, other states with similar educational requirements, give the title of LPN. Both jobs require no less than a high school graduation certificate, or GED, just before entering nursing school.

Average LPN Salary

Licensed practical nurse, or LPN, is the term used in much of the United States and Canada to make reference to a health professional that, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook of the U.S. Department of Labor, cares for “people who are sick, harmed, convalescent, or impaired under the direction of RNs and doctors.” The term licensed vocational nurse (LVN) is used in the states of California and Texas.

Nowadays, LPN jobs are improving in number every year, a result of the great need for licensed practical nurses. The primary reason is because the elderly population is increasing. The elderly of course have higher cases of medical concerns and injuries, thereby requiring the professional services of licensed practical nurses. Even if licensed practical nurses share a lot of the same responsibilities as RNs, practical nursing income is still clearly lower as opposed to the income of RNs. This is so because, the registered nurse’s training and education is more intense in comparison to LPNs. RN learners spend two to four years finishing the degree, while LPN learners finish their program in one to two years.

A licensed practical nurse income can range from $30,000 to $50,000 per year. In certain situations, however, LPNs can generate more than $53K based on several factors. The first part could be the facility they work in. Individuals who are employed in health care institutions generally make more than those who work in home healthcare facilities. The licensed practical nurses who work in medical centers typically have the lowest rates. Another part which could impact income is the location. LPNs who work in larger places usually get paid more, because the population of people and living costs are both great. LPNs with longer experience also have greater incomes. Those that are new to the job usually make around $29,000. LPNs with ten to 20 years of experience generate around $39,000. Normally, those who want better income continue their education and training to become RNs.

LVN to RN Career Switch

For many people starting out in the medical care field, becoming an LVN provides a great probability to easily get into the medical field and discover an entry-level position at a local medical care service. However, because the LVN program provides only a newbie’s level of education in the area of nursing, LVNs sometimes end up having problems discovering possibilities to relocate their profession due to their deficiency of know-how. LVNs that are enthusiastic about improving their wage and LVNs that want more profession possibilities will do best going back to school and making their degree in authorized nursing.

Luckily, there are choices available to an LVN that will make shifting into their medical program fast and fluid. The LVN to RN programs which may be provided at certain institutions gives certified professional nursing staff to be able to take extra medical programs and get their nursing certificate in less time than it would normally take a college student to become a nurse. The two most common LVN to RN programs schools provide learners consist of the ASN and BSN degrees. Depending on the school or college that provides the conversion program, LVNs may be able to apply as much as 1 year worth of credits towards the LVN to RN program. Those who decide to get into the program may have to take a 1 credit conversion course, so that they can make the conversion as smooth as possible. LVNs may also be needed to take a number of requirement programs before being given access into the LVN to RN program.

Did you know that there are some benefits that you might want to consider that will make you think about shifting from an LVN to RN? First, an LVN cannot work without supervision by a physician or nurse. There is something to be said about having independence and power in your work. Also, while you can do a lot of the same techniques, you cannot do all the same things that an RN can. There are many factors that you will get when you make the change from LVN to RN. You will get a certain amount of professional independence, and, let us not ignore, professional courtesy. The income is better as well. This will require a little more compromise, but the benefits are well worth the effort.

Career Advancement for LVN

If you want to become a health professional much earlier, you should become an LVN or a licensed vocational nurse. LVN (Licensed Practical Nurse) is the fastest way to become a health professional because the training and the classes are not as comprehensive as RNs or advanced practice medical staff.

If you are looking to become an LVN, you must be very supportive and caring and be an excellent care provider. LVNs and LPNs work with a wide range of individual care responsibilities, such as showering, providing medication, collecting samples for lab assessment, tracking sufferers and medical equipment, and dressing of injuries. They also record data from sufferers, such as vital signs and any symptoms described by the individual. Once you completed secondary university, you may now search for a career school or a college that offers the LVN or LVP programs. Most programs are completed within a year. The program contains educational setting lessons and classes and a hands-on training with actual sufferers.

After you complete your course, you cannot practice LVN unless you obtain a certificate or license. The NCLEX-PN is the licensure evaluation given by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. As said by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the test contains four areas: safe and effective care atmosphere, health marketing and maintenance, psychosocial reliability, and physical reliability. The LVN works under the direction of physicians and RNs. However, there are also profession improvements for LVNs. If you choose to become a registered nurse, then you must take the LVN to RN program. After taking the program, you must then successfully pass the NCLEX-RN to finally become a Registered Nurse. If you are an LVN working in an elderly care facility, you can also enhance your profession in becoming the head health nurse and manage other LVNs in their work.

Pursuing an LVN Career

LVNs, the acronym for licensed vocational nurses, observe patients and provide basic care to them under the guidance of RNs and other medical professionals. This profession will be popular over the next several years. Over 24 percent growth is predicted. To get into this fulfilling profession, one can enroll in any LVN educational institution. A profession as an LVN needs a certificate to practice professionally in any state in the country. A state nursing board manages and provides rules for all nursing professions, and accredits LVN educational institutions. The education generally continues about a year. Approved LVN programs include syllabus in a variety of topics such as chemistry, pharmacology, math and the important features required for individual care. Learners also obtain realistic training in a clinical atmosphere. After completing the LVN program, students take the National Council Licensure Examination, also termed as the NCLEX-PN.

LVN applications prepare students for the examination, which is administered by the Board of Nursing. Many LVN educational institutions also assist students in finding a job after finishing the program and passing the NCLEX-PN. LVNs can work in a wide range of medical wellness care environments. This includes medical centers, assisted living facilities, house medical wellness care, community wellness care facilities, as well as in physicians’ workplaces. The growing need for the medical staff also allows them to work for nursing agencies and travel to different business employers for short- and long-term projects. The job responsibilities vary by employer. In a hospital, LVNs may help patients by bathing and feeding them, checking vital signs and ensuring patients take their medication. LVNs have similar obligations in assisted living facilities. In house medical wellness care, they execute a wide range of scientific responsibilities, as well as some light cleaning and may run tasks for their patients. In physician’s workplaces, most LVNs execute clinical and management obligations. There’s a wide range of employment options, depending on your interests.

LVN Schools

If you are thinking about being a licensed vocational nurse, you are most likely wondering which of the LVN schools to select. But that won’t function as the problem you face if this involves nursing schools. Your challenge might be getting recognized. Now, if you are inside a province or small town, and you won’t want to move, your options on which LVN school to go to might be quite limited, since there may be one that is close enough to where you reside. However in most medium or large metropolitan areas in the U.S., prospective nursing school students will often have several schools to select from. In a few of the greatest metropolitan areas they’ve got several.

If this involves LVN schools, the more you will find in your town, the better. Nursing education is strictly controlled in every state, much more than other majors, since it is a medical area. Finding qualified nursing teachers can be challenging, and may limit the size of the classes offered. Most LVN schools have always had more candidates than places on their behalf, and the issue is just getting worse. That’s due mainly towards the economy becoming a lot more centered on healthcare, along with other industries less prosperous as they lately were.

Meaning, increasing numbers of people are applying to LVN schools nowadays, which make it much harder than it was once to gain entrance right into a program. Will new LVN schools start opening? Yes, you are able to bank on it. When they don’t, America’s already critical nursing shortage can get much worse, and also the government can’t allow that to happen. It is in your best interest to wisely select the LVN school that you wish to enroll it. After all, this is an investment to your career as a future LVN.

Advantages of LVN to RN Programs

Let us be truthful, many of us who’re Licensed Vocational Nurses want to become RNs, which is the reason why LVN to RN programs are extremely popular today. Created for the express reason of aiding you in passing the NCLEX-RN exam, a number of these so-called bridge programs are filled to capacity. Training focuses on the ideas and clinical facets of RN work, and is analyzed through any approved online or on-campus program.

Vocational nursing is a superb place to start your job, but RNs are compensated considerably greater salaries, this will provide you much more career options. RNs also relish greater versatility both in their job atmosphere and work agendas in comparison to LVNs. On top of that, for individuals who are particularly ambitious types, upward mobility from RN to BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) positions and ultimately even Masters (MSN) and PhD-equivalent positions is substantially simpler.

Attaining acceptance into an LVN to RN bridge program requires candidates to carry a high school degree or equivalent, also to have attained a GPA of no less than 2.0 throughout their training in almost any LVN programs designed in their state. Some programs also require students to have completed certain classes (e.g. anatomy, physiology, etc.) within the last 5 years, or a “recency waiver” excluding them out of this requirement due to their relevant experience.

RNs certainly work relentlessly; they also are compensated perfectly for any career in Nursing that many people view as highly rewarding and exciting. If you are presently an LVN or LPN, and even move to an advanced status within the healthcare when it comes to duties and pay, consider signing up for an LVN to RN bridge program. Presuming you’ve formerly completed a certified LVN program, it will usually require merely a year to complete all your training. Don’t lose out about this fantastic chance to make your dreams a real possibility!

Becoming an LVN

What’s an LVN? An LVN may well be a licensed vocational nurse, also known as an LPN (licensed practical nurse). Becoming an LVN is a among the fastest ways in which to become nurse, as there aren’t a lot of requirements needed for education compared to other sorts of nurses like RNs or advanced practice nurses. Exactly what do LVNs (and LPNs) do? People throughout this role ought to be terribly compassionate and patient, and become wonderful care providers. LVNs and LPNs perform an array of patient care tasks along with feeding and bathing, giving injections, collecting samples for diagnostic tests, monitoring patients and medical equipment, and dressing wounds. They furthermore gather data from patients and record it, like terribly important signs, and then any signs and symptoms referred to through the patient.

Being an LVN, you must have a high school diploma or equivalent just. After finishing your high school education, you ought to develop a 1-year training and education program that may be provided by a residential area college or vocational school. This program includes class instruction along with a couple of hands-on training working with patients.

Upon effectively completing the LPN/LVN training course, you ought to become licensed by passing the licensure exam for LPNs – the NCLEX-PN, that’s distributed by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. Based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the test covers four areas: effective and safe care surroundings, health promotion and preservation, psychosocial integrity, and physiological integrity. Needs for licensure and acceptance right into a training program vary by state, thus check along with your state’s local nursing board for the specifics.

Becoming an LVN

A high school diploma is generally needed for admission to a licensed vocational nurse training whether inside a traditional vocational school or online. However, some LVN training accepts candidates with no diploma particularly if LVN training was a part of a high school curriculum. Most LVN training programs continue for 12 months. The topics that the LVN student will require are subjects like anatomy and physiology, communication, erontological nursing, leadership, maternity nursing, medical nursing, normal development and growth, nursing basic principles, nursing process, diet, patient education, child nursing, pharmacology, psychology, rehab nursing, supervision, and surgical nursing.

Inside a traditional school, this year long Licensed Vocational Nursing program includes class study and supervised patient care. Within an online program, it’s virtually the same, aside from the truth that the class curriculum is offered online. Some online schools offer modules that students can see when they just take part in online discussion forums and submit course work. Other online schools have the types of materials online and it’ll depend on a student to gain access to or download them. Some online schools require online attendance on a specified time and day. The setting is inside a virtual class plus they pay attention to lectures online. They might also participate and request questions via text chat or via video chat. This system is much like online seminars. Clinical practice is generally completed in hospitals but sometimes it offers other configurations. Online schools sometimes have affiliate marketers where their students can practice. In instances where it normally won’t, they might help in finding one by way of getting in touch with the prospective institution and supplying certification the people using for practice truly are LVN students.

When it comes to personality, LVNs must have a caring and supportive character. They must be relatively psychologically stable since the work could be demanding. They should be observant and also have good communication abilities. They ought to have the ability to follow and execute orders, have the ability to make use of a supervisor, and have the ability to make good choices. Lastly, LVNs should enjoy learning because ongoing education credits are needed by some companies at regular times. Career-long learning is typical among LVNs.