Learn More about LPN Job Requirements
LPN or Licensed Practical Nurse, otherwise known as Licensed Vocational Nurse is a professional who help in examining and treating patients with the direction of a registered nurse, or a physician.
The Educational Requirements in becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse within the United States depend on the state where you are staying. Before you start your LPN course you have to contact the local state Board of Nurses to find out your eligibility for the course. The National Council of State Boards of Nurses has attempted to standardize the entry requirements for students who want to be LPN’s by asking states to sign on to a common agreement. Several states now follow the standardized requirements.
The first on the list of LPN requirements is that you have to be in possession of a high school diploma, or a reasonable GED (General Educational Development) score before being admitted in an LPN program. Most LPN programs have generous admission standards. Before you can enter the course, you need to complete a few preliminary courses like Basic English, Math, Human Anatomy, and Microbiology to prepare you for the course. These may be a part of your high school electives as they are a part of the curriculum providing excellent base for a nursing education.
Second would be getting into an LPN program. Many LPNs choose to receive an associate’s program from community colleges or vocational schools, mostly blending classroom learning with hands-on work at hospitals. This program must be approved by its respective state’s Board of Nurses, and upon completion qualifies the candidate to take the licensing exam. It takes about twelve months to complete a program, in which students pursue both classroom study and supervised clinical practice.
In order to obtain license as Practical Nurse, one must pass The National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX-PN. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing develops and administers the exam. It is a requirement in all states, and allows you to start practicing as a licensed practical nurse, or LPN. After you have completed the LPN program, you will be allowed to sit for the exam, as presented by your particular state.
As responsible nurses, LPNs carry on tasks including physically moving handicapped patients from one area to another, bathing and changing their clothing. Sometimes patients can be totally uncooperative, comatose, or even violent under the influence of dangerous drugs. The LPN nursing course also has several Physical Requirements that you have to fulfill.
The following are essential physical criteria:
The capability to lift heavy weights up to 80 pounds or more
Carrying of incapacitated patients weighing up to 50 pounds.
Pulling and pushing of emergency carts and stretchers in routine shift of 8 hours or more
The use of hands and shoulders to fill in insurance forms, entry forms and to reach to high up places to replace IVs and other appliances.
Helping patients to replace or attach new prostheses and carrying such prostheses for patients who cannot do so themselves
You must have the capacity to multitask and perform many tasks at the same time. Having fulfilled all these requirements, you can now practice your profession as a licensed practical nurse.
