Duties of an LPN
Duties of an LPN
Are you interested in nursing as a career? What exactly are the duties of an LPN? An LPN is more than the nurse who is trained to take care of the sick and injured.
The LPN might be responsible for the personal care of a patient. Duties like bathing the patient, administering medicines and monitoring vital signs are some of the functions that an LPN might need to perform. They are also taught how to administer first aid and maintain cleanliness to prevent infections or diseases that might be detrimental to the patient’s health. They are limited in what tasks they can perform on their own, working under the direction of physicians and registered nurses.
This type of nurse deals directly with the patients and their day to day physical and emotional needs. Because of this, an LPN should have a caring sympathetic disposition and enjoy working closely with the patient. You will find them in many settings from hospitals and clinics, all the way to nursing homes and home care. While the numbers of LPN’s in hospitals are declining, there is an increasing need for them in long term care facilities and home care.
But duties of an LPN are not limited to the physical care and well being of a patient. Additional duties of an LPN may include clerical duties such as making appointments, filing reports, completing insurance paperwork and keeping clinical records. In home health situations, they may be responsible for anything form preparing meals with the proper nutrition for their patient to teaching family members how to give injections and other nursing tasks.
How long does it take to become an LPN? An LPN certificate can be earned in about one year, education for this program can be obtained at most junior colleges, as well as technical or vocational schools. Upon graduation, an LPN candidate must pass a licensing examination and complete a state approved nursing program. Becoming an LPN is the quickest way to get started on a career in nursing. Studies for the LPN program include anatomy, first aid, nutrition, biology and chemistry to name a few.
