LPNs At Work
Date: August 4, 2017
There is no one particular LPN job description. The day-to-day activities of a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) are contingent upon the nursing residents you are caring for that day. For instance, you might be working for a long-term care facility and several nursing agencies. Under these circumstances, you would organize your schedule to make it consistent with your preferences. You would never feel bored.
As a rule, an LPN is responsible for conducting treatments and distributing medications, although duties and obligations are influenced by the kind of facility you work in. Almost all LPN’s pick a particular specialty in nursing that they like and stay with it. For instance, you could be a home health care nurse employed through a home health agency or employed in a long-term care facility.
It would help to keep up to date with your medical knowledge by furthering your education. When applicable, ask for crossover training, like the intensive care unit, emergency room, and pediatrics. Sign yourself up for specialized classes in dementia and geriatrics, Alzheimer’s, and wound treatment. Another wise choice would be to acquire an ACLS (Advanced Care Life Support) and IV license.
It would help if you tried to accomplish all of these so that your prospects will always remain flexible and limitless. AN LPN could work for a long-term care facility responsible for residents or work for the MRDD (mentally retarded developmentally disabled) populations.
In a nursing facility, an LPN gives the medications (as prescribed by the physician) and offers pain medications, including shots and pills, whenever necessary. Additionally, the LPN changes dressings and provides tube feedings (via a tube placed in the stomach), also known as a G tube.
The steps involved in becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse can begin as early as the age of 18. Following high school graduation or completion of your GED can get you into an LPN program. Utilizing this as a path to furthering your LPN education, you can find work as an LPN once you pass the state boards after one to two years of training and make good money.
The outlook for LPN jobs looks very promising. LPN requirements seem to be increasing all the time among healthcare facilities. LPN’s play a major role in today’s medical world. The career summary differs slightly; you will usually find yourself in charge of bedpan duty and answering call lights, but this is contingent upon your workplace.
LPN’s are paid for their work on an hourly basis. Circumstances that impact an LPN’s salary comprise years of experience and additional certifications like ACLS, IV Therapy Telemetry (heart monitoring) education, the geographical area you live in, and further education.
An LPN’s salary is also influenced by whether you work for a private sector instead of a government job. The nurse’s role is varied and fulfilling, and there are many opportunities for motivated individuals to make a career in nursing, having started as an LPN.
