Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)

What is a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)?

The following job responsibilities are common for individuals in licensed practical nurse roles:

• Check on patients in hospitals regularly and make sure patients are comfortable and stable
• Assist registered nurses (RNs) and doctors by performing basic tasks like taking blood pressure, measuring oxygen levels, and inserting catheters
• Converse with patients to determine conditions, and report concerns back to RNs and doctors
• Update patient medical records
• Assist patients with routine tasks like changing clothes, showering, and using the restroom

A Day in the Life

Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) help care for patients by assisting registered nurses (RNs) and doctors with basic care tasks. Often, when patients are staying in hospitals, it’s LPNs that perform ongoing care. They monitor patients’ conditions throughout the day, take their blood pressure regularly, deliver medications prescribed by the doctor, and assist patients with routine tasks like changing clothes and using the restroom. They also converse with patients to identify issues to report back to doctors.

While most LPNs provide basic care, the tasks they’re able to perform is governed largely by their state of practice. Each state has its own laws and regulations that dictate the care that LPNs can administer. In some states, LPNs may be allowed to administer IVs, but in other states, IV administration must be performed by an RN or doctor. In large part, the tasks an LPN performs day-to-day depends on the tasks he/she is allowed to perform based on licensing rules and the laws of the state of practice.

Licensed practical nurses may also work to help educate patients on how to care for themselves or family members. They may help reinforce breastfeeding techniques, discuss dietary restrictions with patients suffering from a new medical condition, or teach new parents how to properly hold and care for their newborns. Often, patients have more contact with LPNs than any other medical professional during a hospital stay, so they get to know and care for their patients more closely than other roles.

Typical Work Schedule

Most licensed practical nurses (LPNs) work full-time for 40 hours per week distributed on five days. Your schedule as an LPN should also include working on nights, weekends, and holidays on a regular basis since health care is needed around the clock. In addition, nursing shifts may often be longer than eight hours which is usually part of shorter workweek. Accordingly, you will expect to have reasonable working hours while you should flexible how these hours are distributed on your week. However, LPNs job can be exhausting as you will be expected to be able to stand on their feet most of the day, help lift or move patients and assist the patients with their medical needs.

Projected Job Growth

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of LPNs is expected to increase by 9 % from 2019 to 2029 which is much faster than the average for all other jobs. This is mainly due to the fact that as the population ages increasing the need to more advanced health care. The aging of the population will also result in increasing the rate of diabetes, obesity and other chronic conditions.  Accordingly, there will be more vacancies for LPNs in medical institutes as well as residential spaces to take care of older patients. You should not have problems in finding a good career opportunity if you have the proper qualifications and licensing to work in the field. You may also consider working in conditions in rural and medically underserved areas where more chances are currently available as the government aims at improving the medical services at such areas. Working in underserved area is usually more financially rewarding compared to urban areas. Additionally, having specific education, experience and certification in a specialty area such as gerontology or intravenous (IV) therapy will give you better opportunities amongst the competition.

Career Progression

• Early Career: Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
• Mid-Career: Registered Nurse (RN)
• Late Career: Nurse Practitioner (NP), Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), Nurse Midwife (CNM)

Typical Employers

LPNs are typically hired by hospitals of different sizes and districts whether they were local or private. They can also get employed by nursing and residential care facilities. Another career option for LPNs includes offices of physicians of private practices as well as providing individual home healthcare services.