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10 Reasons to Choose an LPN/LVN License

Nursing education can sometimes seem long, arduous and difficult to face when you are first making decisions about your career. However, if you have a desire to go into the field of nursing, there is a path, that is, perhaps as arduous, but at least, less lengthy. If your current life circumstances keep you from devoting too many years to a nursing education, if you have completed a high school diploma or GED and are over 17 years old, consider a Licensed Practical/ Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN) certification and licensure.

Here are 10 reasons this could be a reasonable path for you:

1. You can receive the education you need to take the LVN licensure exam with 12-18 months of classes.
2. Many Junior Colleges and on-line programs offer this education (making it more convenient and cost effective for working mothers-or fathers- or others with a second career).
3. The courses you complete will prepare you to work with patients in hospital settings, skilled nursing facilities and doctor’s offices.
4. There are opportunities for advancement in the supervision of other LPNs or nursing assistants.
5. Many health care organizations are providing care outside the traditional setting for vaccinations, health screenings and other routine patient care and these employ LVNs and RNs to help organize and provide their services.
6. The community as a whole is aging, providing increasing numbers of employment opportunities for health care workers in the geriatric field.
7. Technology advancements now allow patients whose health is still compromised to return home from the hospital- increasing the demand for home health nursing care (LVNs can do that too.)
8. Wages vary by location but seem to be around $32,000- $43,000 per year.
9. You can have a job that supports you while considering or pursuing a more advanced nursing degree (there are LPN-RN degree programs).
10. Again, the nursing field will only continue to grow. It needs people dedicated to meeting the physical, mental and spiritual needs of communities. If you feel you can add value to other’s lives by caring for them or assisting them in these needs, this is the right choice for you.

The kind of care an LVN learns to provide, include basic bedside care, bathing, lifting, mouth care, caring for wounds, administering injections, delivering simple procedures and measuring the vital signs of temperature, pulse, respiration and blood pressure. State laws refer to this as direct patient care and “data collection.” The LVN observes and collects information about the state of a patient’s condition so that the RN and physician can respond to that data with an assessment and diagnosis.

Some states allow LVNs to start intravenous lines and attend to patients who need ventilator care. Often times, the LPN will find her/him self taking on the clerical duties of a physician’s office assisting in the patient scheduling, assuring medical records are completed and even managing and supervising the office. They also are prepared in their education to communicate with family members, and can then educate the family and the patient himself about home care or deliver other information the physician feels is important for the patient to know to enhance the healing process.

The kinds of classes that need completion and that are part of an accredited program for LVNs/ LPN cerification include many classes also offered to the RN student. These include:

• Anatomy and physiology
• Patho-physiology
• Medical-surgical nursing
• Pediatrics
• Obstetrics
• Psychiatric nursing
• Pharmacology
• Nutrition
• And first aid

During a program there are many hours spent in the hospital or physician office setting as the lab section of the program and the internship. As many as 1000 hours may be spent in this part of the program.

State laws do require that Vocational or Practical nurses complete an accredited program and receive certification at the end of a program. After such a course, the student will be eligible to complete the NCLEX-PN licensure exam given to ensure the knowledge of the student and to actually give the student the license of LPN/LVN.

The LPN or LVNs are the “front line” licensed staff of hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and physician offices. They are the skilled nurses that help gather information that is used to assess the condition of patients and then allows for correct diagnoses and treatment by the RN, Advanced Practice Clinician or physician. This is a growing field that can be a complete and fulfilling career in itself, or a beginning for someone who wants to continue on the path of nursing.