Nursing is one of the most rewarding professions that you could choose. There is no other feeling like the one you get from knowing you have helped someone. Not only helped them but made a difference in their lives. When people are ill, they want to know what is wrong with them and what it will take to fix it. You, as their nurse, can help them understand what is happening to them and what they should do to help themselves.
One of the requirements for becoming a nurse in the United States is to have graduated from a nursing program that has met the standards set by the state you are going to work in. A national licensing exam is also given and must be passed in order to get your nursing license. Every so often, this license has to be renewed. A nursing degree is your ticket to ensuring that you have a job no matter where you live. Nurses are becoming more recognized for the essential part they play in hospitals, nursing homes, doctor’s offices, and clinics. Their pay has taken a pretty good increase over the last several years.
A licensed practical nurse can work her way up and go for an associate’s degree or a Bachelor of Science degree. If that is not high enough for you, go for your Master of Science degree. Being at the top of your chosen profession will ensure you of a job and it won’t hurt your pocketbook either.
Licensed practical nurses and licensed vocational nurses care for patients, providing basic care for the patients when working in a hospital setting. They can take temperatures, blood pressure, give injections, and help the patient with their personal hygiene. Monitoring patients is another of their duties. Making sure, they do not have adverse reactions to medicines they are taking and keeping track of their fluid and food intake.
If a physician’s office is their place of employment, a few more tasks such as clerical work may be added to their job description. Scheduling appointments, keeping files up to date, and assisting the doctor with his examinations can be part of the duties of an LPN when they work in a physician’s office.
With life expectancy going up and more people than ever living years past retirement, the need for LPNs is growing. LPNs needed in settings that are more traditional rather than hospitals are expected to grow over the next several years. More people are being treated in doctor’s offices for things they used to have to go to the hospital to have done. As a result of this, home health care is rising. Older people are opting for staying in their home rather than living in an unfamiliar setting such as a nursing home.
When a person passes all their tests and becomes a LPN, the salary they might expect can vary from state to state. Another factor that will determine your salary will be where you work. Doctor’s offices typically pay less than home health care and hospitals. Salaries can range from $30,000 to $45,000 and more. It depends on several factors. Private nursing probably pays the most but it does not carry the benefits that you can get from working for a hospital or other health care facility.
Recent numbers indicate there are over 700,000 LPNs working in hospitals, nursing homes, doctor’s offices, and clinics. A number of them also worked in schools, or for a healthcare service, a temporary agency, or a government agency. Community colleges, vocational schools, and work and training programs have become the top ways to train to become a nurse. Many people with an interest in becoming an LPN take classes in high school to start preparing themselves for this career.
If you are thinking of becoming an LPN, you need to make sure that is what you want to do. A weak stomach is not well suited to this type of job. To become an LPN you have to have a certain type of personality. A good bedside manner is essential to being able to handle anything and everything that comes along. A sense of humour and the genuine love of people will serve you well should you decide this is the profession for you.