Who is a licensed Nurse? This question needs to be explained to the population of people that need to understand who a licensed nurse is. In this article, we will discuss and explain what it means to be a licensed nurse, how to become a licensed practical nurse and all you need to know about the subject matter. A licensed practical nurse can be described as an individual who is known to offer basic care and treatments to others that need such services. The services of the licensed practical nurse have helped to improve the health sector and have made the profession to become an enviable profession or career that people strive to belong to.
What Does It Mean To Become A Licensed Practical Nurse?
Before anyone can be referred to as a licensed practical nurse, the person must be a medical caretaker that carries out fundamental clinical activities. These activities include taking care of the essential signs and taking care of their patients. It is also part of the duties of a licensed practical nurse to make sure that their patient, patient relative/ family and caregivers can communicate with each other clearly. A Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) is meant to work under the supervision of the Registered Nurse (RN) and other specialists.
What Are The Duties Of A Licensed Practical Nurse?
The Licensed Practical Nurse has some responsibilities and duties they are expected to carry out. They are as follows:
Administer Basic Medical Care
This is among the responsibilities of a Licensed Practical Nurse. They are to insert catheters and change the bandages of their patients.
Communication
The Licensed Practical Nurse should be able to listen to the complaints of their patients, interact with them and then relate to their family about the kind of care their patients needs and that the nurses will also offer.
Keeping Records
Part of their duties is to take records of the condition of health of the patients under their care. It is the responsibility of the Licensed Practical Nurse to take sole responsibility to keep detailed records of their patient’s health.
Monitor Patients’ Health
Monitoring the patient’s health is one of the major tasks a Practical License Nurse undertakes. Monitoring a patient’s health includes activities like checking vital signs, checking the patient’s weight, checking blood pressure etc.
Offer Basic Comfort Care
This is one of the duties of the Practical License Nurse that involves giving health care assistance to patients. This kind of assistance includes feeding, dressing and bathing the patients and a lot of other activities that may arise.
Reporting
One of the duties of a Licensed Practical Nurse is to report to doctors or others in higher authority about the health status of their patients in cases the need for that arises.
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Requirements Needed To Become A Licensed Practical Nurse
To become a Licensed Practical Nurse, there are some requirements that must be met. The following are the requirements needed to be certified as a Licensed Practical Nurse.
- The person must have finished the Licensed Practical Nurse licensing program.
- The person must have the capacity to work for adaptable hours.
- The person must have compassion for the sick.
- The person must have the ability to relate with the patients and their families.
- The person must have the capacity to take guidelines from specialists and attendants.
How To Become A Licensed Practical Nurse
It is not difficult to become a Licensed Practical Nurse, but there are guidelines and steps that must be taken to achieve the aim of becoming an LPN. Read here for more information on guidelines to become a Licensed Practical Nurse. Follow the steps highlighted below :
Obtain A High School Diploma Or GED
This is the first step you must take if you want to know how to become a Licensed Practical Nurse. You must have a high school diploma before thinking of registering to become a Licensed Practical Nurse.
Get Enrolled In An Accredited LPN/LLVN Program
One of the ways to become a Licensed Practical Nurse is to find any professional and community colleges that offer the LPN program and enrol yourself on the program. The National League of Nursing Accrediting Agency (NLNAC) is also among the primary organisations that are involved in Licensed Practical Nurse accreditation.
Apply For The Authorization To Take The Test
After the accreditation program, the next step to take in order to become a Licensed Practical Nurse is to apply for authorization to take the test. You can apply for it through a leading group of nursing and the National Council of State Board of Nursing that is close to you.
Schedule Your NCLEX-PN Exam
After you must have been given the approval to take the test, the next step to become a Licensed Practical Nurse is that you need to get the timetable for your National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses also known as NCLEX-PN exam.
The next thing you should do is for you to start the scheduling process as soon as you can because there are numerous testing sites all over the country that easily gets filled up. Then take out time to study and prepare yourself for the exam after you have chosen a date to write the exam.
Wait For Your Results
The next step that you must take to become a Licensed Practical Nurse is to wait for the result of the NCLEX-PN exam you have written. You have to wait for at least 48 hours after taking the exams to see your result. The state board of nursing that is close to you will send you your license and official results in the mail if you were successful in the exam.
Start Working As A Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
This is one of the last steps you have to take to become a Licensed Practical Nurse. At this point, you can start applying to hospitals where they are job vacancies so that you can start working as an LPN and continue your desired career as a Licensed Practical Nurse.
The Salary Of A Licensed Practical Nurse
The career of a Licensed Practical Nurse is one with a well-paid package. Apart from the salary, there are other employee benefits attached to it that the employer offers. The average salary of a Licensed Practical Nurse is about $23.60 – $47.20 per hour, $244 -$488 per day, $775 -$1,550 per week, $2,999 -$5,999 per month, $42,363 -$84,728 per year.