Making a real difference and helping others can be very rewarding, especially if you can earn a living at it. If a career change is in your future and nursing has always been a passion or dream, you can train to become a licensed vocational nurse, or LVN, in a short period of time and you can have a career that is not only in high demand but is also highly respected.
Definition of a LVN
In some medical settings, an LVN is often referred to as an LPN, or licensed practical nurse. LVNs usually work directly with individual patients and provide a number of both medical and nonmedical patient services. Most LVNs will work under the direct supervision of a registered nurse or doctor, depending on the type of medical facility, and are responsible for assisting other medical professionals with physical exams and other diagnostic tests and procedures.
Training and Requirements
If you are in training in becoming an LVN you must first take and successfully pass an entrance examination. A high school diploma or acceptable GED is required to take the exam, which consists of around 50 questions in the areas of math and English. Prospective students who do not pass on the first try can retake the test up to three times.
LVN training programs can usually be found through vocational or technical schools that are approved by the state Board of Nursing, or in junior colleges, and generally take about 1 year of full-time study to complete. Training consists of classroom lectures, laboratory hours and a clinical internship in a medical setting.
Classes usually include patient care, anatomy and physiology, drug administration, pediatrics, obstetrics, psychiatry, first aid and nutrition. Graduates must sit for a final examination with the National Council of State Boards of Nursing before obtaining a license to work.
Duties
LVNs provide a great deal of the bedside care a patient receives while in a hospital or other medical setting. It is the LVN who will periodically take your vitals, including temperature, blood pressure and heart rate. LVNs also assist patients with bathing, walking and feeding when necessary. LVNs also monitor and record catheter output and change dressings. Some LVNs are also given the responsibility of performing routine tests. Most LVNs are not allowed to give injections or run intravenous fluid lines unless that particular state has approved the policy to do so.
Work Environment
Many LVNs--particularly those who may want to work evenings, nights or weekends--choose to work in the fast-paced environment of a hospital or medical center. There are also a lot of other employment opportunities for trained LVNs including private doctor's offices, schools, clinics and convalescent homes. Many LVNs also choose to work with home health agencies, where they travel to different patients daily, visiting and treating them in their homes.
Salary and Job Forecast
Depending on the geographic area that you live in, the median starting salary for a first-year LVN ranges from about $30,000 a year to $35,000. LVNs can also earn more with holiday, overtime and differential pay. Like many jobs in the medical profession, the job forecast for LVNs is predicted to grow above average through the year 2016. The aging baby boomer population and the number of older nurses expected to retire in the next decade will create the biggest demand for these LVN professionals.
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