To be an LPN you must:

• have graduated high school
• pass a state LPN exam, called NCLEX-PN, which is the National Council Licensure Examination — Practical Nurse
• complete a credited nursing program, which you keep renewing periodically

Becoming a Travel LPN

There are some basic steps that you can follow if you want to apply for LPN travel jobs. It is easy enough to become a travel LPN once you have your LPN qualification, and there are many benefits to working in this field.

• Apply for an LPN program – information about how to do this and where can be found online along with a list of schools in your area
• Complete your LPN certification courses – mentioned above
• Pass your state licensing examination – mentioned above
• Get nursing experience – as you will learn later in this article you will first have to have experience working as an LPN before you can apply for LPN travel jobs, so this is an essential step in the process that you simply cannot afford to omit
• Fill out an application at a travel-nursing agency – you will have to go through a travel nursing agency in order to work as a travel nurse so fill out applications at several agencies to be sure of employment
• Pass additional state licensing exams – there will be additional examination to pass in order to be a travel LPN so make sure that you are well prepared for them
• Pick an assignment – travel LPNs are allowed to pick their own assignments so once you are a travel LPN you can choose from the long list of LPN travel jobs available to you

Nature of travel LPN job assignments

LPN travel jobs usually last for about 13 weeks on average. In many cases the contract is extended, but this will only happen if both the travel LPN and her employer agree. The advantages are:

• You will be able to choose your locality and setting, so in a way it will give you the opportunity to pick and choose the best hospitals and travel the US while working
• You will work in top hospitals
• You will be eligible for fantastic compensation packages

What experience do I need to be a traveling LPN?

In many cases you will need to have 6 months to a year’s worth of experience working as an LPN before you can qualify for any of the many travel LPN jobs available out there. This is a minimum requirement. The more experience you have the more likely you are to qualify for LPN travel jobs. In most cases you will find it easier to qualify for LPN travel jobs if you have a specialty. If this is the case then you will have to work for a minimum of year in your specialty field before you are allowed to become a travel LPN. LPN travel nurse jobs are highly coveted by some so the requirements at some agencies are quite stringent. However, if you are eligible to apply for LPN travel jobs I think that you will find that you will have a fantastic experience. Here are some specific experience requirements for certain areas of nursing:

Orthopedics: In order to become a travel LPN in a orthopedic setting you will need to have a minimum of one year’s experience in that setting in the last three years and you will be required to present a current state license
Rehab: In order to become a travel LPN in a rehab setting you will need to have a minimum of one year’s experience in that setting in the last three years, you will be required to present a current state license, and you must have cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from the American Heart Association (AHA).
Corrections: In order to become a travel LPN in a correctional setting you will need to have a minimum of one year’s experience in that setting in the last three years, you will be required to present a current state license, and you must have cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from the American Heart Association (AHA).
Medical/surgical: In order to become a travel LPN in a medical or surgical setting you will need to have a minimum of one year’s experience in that setting in the last three years, you will be required to present a current state license, and you must have cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from the American Heart Association (AHA). With these qualifications you will also be eligible to work as a travel LPN in the intermediate medical care unit and telemetry.
Pediatrics: In order to become a travel LPN in a pediatric setting you will need to have a minimum of six months experience in that setting in the last three years, a minimum of one year’s nursing experience, you will be required to present a current state license, you will have to show appropriate Trach and Vent certification, and you must have cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from the American Heart Association (AHA).
Pediatric Home Care: In order to become a travel LPN in a pediatric home care setting you will need to have a minimum of one year’s experience in that setting in the last three years, you will be required to present a current state license, and you must have cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from the American Heart Association (AHA).
Intensive Care Unit: You must be an experienced critical care nurse to work in this setting.
Emergency Room: You must have an emergency room background to work in this setting.

Where Can a Travel LPN Work?

There are a few very specific settings in which a travel LPN may find themselves. These settings are:

• emergency room positions
• rehabilitation nursing
• roles as nurse parishioners
• obstetrics
• oncology
• psychiatry
• surgical services
• dialysis
• critical care
• radiology

Physical setting in which an LPN travel nurse can work include the following:

• nursing homes
• hospitals
• clinics
• private duty

Work Demands

If you are going to be a travel nurse you need to remember that you are going to be away from home a lot. The periods of time that you are absent may be weeks or even months depending on the assignment. This is one of the main features of LPN travel jobs. Consequently you will need to assess whether or not you are willing to be away from home so often. If you are willing to be away from home, consider the plans that you will have to make in this case.
The basic requirements for becoming a travel LPN are:

• one to three years nursing experience
• proof to work in a certain state or country
• shots
• a passport
• a valid license
• be able to work right away
• be able to adapt to new surroundings quickly

What Are The Duties of a Travel LPN?

The duties of LPNs working in LPN travel jobs are more or less the same as LPNs working anywhere else. A list of the most basic tasks expected of a travel LPN are to:

• administer injections, enemas, massages and alcohol rubs
• dress wounds
• monitor patient drug reactions and treatments
• monitor intake and output
• provide advice to family members

Perks

There are perks and benefits in any nursing job, but the perks you will get in LPN travel jobs are considered by many to be the best. The main perks that you may be eligible to receive as a travel LPN are:

• cover travel expenses
• offer health care expenses
• arrange or pay for housing
• meals
• flexible schedules
• time off when you need it

Pay

There is quite a large pay bracket when it comes to LPN travel jobs. The money that you may receive could be anything from $18 an hour to $30 an hour. The variations in pay depend on a number of factors:

• location
• experience
• skills
• demand

Travel LPN jobs pay much higher than average LPN jobs and the salary is on the increase.

Danger!

If you are hoping to get a hospital based LPN travel job then you must be warned that you may struggle to find one. This is because in general there have been less LPNs hired in hospitals, and hospitals may prefer a permanent LPN rather than a travel LPN.

Being a travel LPN is not for everyone. Not everyone has the ability to leave home for long periods of time. A lot of people prefer the security and routine-like atmosphere that comes with a permanent position in one place. If you are considering becoming a travel LPN and applying for LPN travel jobs keep these considerations in mind and be sure that you are not making a mistake.

The post Advice About LPN Travel Jobs appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

LPN Resume

There are a few very basic tips that you should keep in mind when writing your LPN resume.

Format: There are two basic formats that you can choose to use when writing your LPN resume. A chronological format is one that emphasizes and lists your word and education in chronological order starting with the most recent items. A functional format emphasizes your accomplishments. The first format is better for new graduates who have never applied for a job before while the second is more suitable for LPNs with a lot of experience. Assuming that you are in the first category, what follows will be related to the first style of LPN resume.

Save your work: It may seem like an obvious thing to do, but the best way to write your LPN resume is on your computer. Make sure that you save your draft of your LPN resume periodically in order not to lose your work. In a word file you will be able to make changes to your LPN resume as you go along. As it is suggested that you revise and rewrite your LPN resume several times before submitting it, this is a very useful feature indeed. Also have a printer on hand to make copies of your resume once you have finished writing it.

Personal information: You should be sure to start your LPN resume by including your personal information at the top of your page. This includes your full name, your address, phone number, and email address. If you have a professional email address that indicates your professional capacity as an LPN. Use that one as it will look better on your resume then if you simply use a Gmail or Yahoo account.

Objective: In your objective you will want to write a few short sentences about who you are and what you want. If you are aware of the mission statement of the facility you are applying at be sure to tailor make your objective statement to fit in with that mission statement. This is the first part of the actual LPN resume that your potential employer will pay attention to, so make sure that you think long and hard about what you are going to write.

Work experience: Next you should include your work experience. As a new LPN you will not have any, except for your clinical training during your LPN program. Include this in your resume, along with details about what you did there, how big the facility was, and what skills you felt that you learned during your time working there. (An experienced LPN will obviously have a lot more to add at this point. If you are reading this as an experienced LPN then be sure to write a list of your work experience in chronological order starting with the most recent work you have done or the most recent job that you have held as an LPN).

Educational Experience And Achievements: In this section you will obviously want to include the school where you studies to be an LPN along with any relevant information about that school. If you achieved any awards or honors while studying at your LPN school or at previous institutions, include these in this section.

LPN Cover Letter

Your LPN cover letter is a very important part of your resume and consequently you want to make sure that it is perfect. It is not always easy to know what to include on your cover letter, so here is some advice for you to follow in this regard:

Firstly in a cover letter, just as in any other letter, you will need to include your address as well as the address as the person or organization that you are sending your cover letter to. The rules for where these must be paced are as follows:

1. your address on the top right-hand side
2. the recipient’s address below on the left-hand side

You should then include the following:

1. A subject line
2. A salutation (addressing the recipient by name is you know what the name is)
3. Introduction (where you identify yourself and state your interest in applying for the job)
4. Body (provide a brief summary of your education and experience – remember that a cover letter should not exceed 1 page)
5. Conclusion (this is where you ask if it will be possible to meet with the reader for an interview)

The educational information you include will be different to the format used in the actual LPN resume itself. This is because it will be written in paragraph form rather than in bullet point form, which will give you more freedom to elaborate on the main points and highlight important aspects of your educational experience. Discuss your school and give specific details about what qualifications you have achieved. Focus on educational achievements that relate directly to the job as it has been advertised.

The work experience you mention should likewise be directly linked to the job that you are applying for if possible. Discuss it briefly but at the same time make it sound appealing. Make sure that you include the number of years that you have worked in the various jobs you have held as years of experience are often one of the main criteria when hiring new employees.

• Remain formal throughout.
• Thank the person who is reading the letter at the conclusion of your letter for the chance to apply for the job.
• Check your grammar, spelling and punctuation – mistakes in any of these categories will leave a very bad impression with the person reading your LPN cover letter and your LPN resume.
• Give your contact information so that your request for an interview can be followed up with.

LPN Resume Sample

Here is an LPN resume sample template to help you:

OUR NAME, LPN
123 Any Street
Any Town, USA 55555
(555) 555-5555
123email@anyprovider.com
LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE
Seeking an LPN position within a progressive medical office setting, offering 10+ years of experience in Certified Nurse’s Assistant / Licensed Practical Nurse positions, along with:

• Currently enrolled in BSN Program; expect to graduate in XXXX.
• Strong observation and interpersonal communication skills; Fluent in Italian and Spanish.
• Advocate for patients rights; strive to understand a patient’s needs and concerns.
• Hardworking and energetic; flexible; adapt easily to change of environment and work schedule.
• Maintain critical thinking skills essential to providing competent and dignified patient care.
• Personable; interface effectively with patients, families, and nursing staff.
• Proven ability to create a positive working environment that uplifts patients’ spirits.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

10+ years of combined experience held at Name of Hospital and Name of Nursing Center:
Licensed Practical Nurse, Name of Hospital, Location date – Present
Nurse’s Assistant, Name of Nursing Center Location date – date
Nurse’s Assistant, Name of Nursing Center, Location date – date
Provide high quality nursing care for patients, with responsibility for:
Oxygen Therapy; Tracheostomy Care; Vital Signs; Wound Care; Nasopharengeal and Oral Suctioning; Intravenous Therapy; Application of Dressings; Insertion of Catheters

• Follow up with timely and accurate charting procedures and verify prior shift information.
• Conduct initial assessment of patients upon admission and assist with discharge planning.
• Report changes in patients’ conditions routinely and when requiring immediate attention.
• Collect specimens from patients for laboratory testing.
• Monitor, evaluate and record food and liquid intake and output levels.
• Orientate of new personnel in areas of patient care, medical practices and procedures.
• Operate equipment and assistive devices to safely transfer patients dispensing of medications.

EDUCATION

NAME OF COLLEGE, Location
Currently enrolled in Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program
Expected Date of Graduation: XXXX
NAME OF COLLEGE, Location
Licensed Practical Nurse Program
Certificate of Completion, Date

LICENSES / CERTIFICATIONS

XXXX State Licensed Practical Nurse, Date
XXXX State Certified Nursing Assistant, Date
CPR Certified for Adults and Children

This is a very basic LPN resume sample, and it would be wise for you to carefully tailor it to fit both your qualifications and the job that you are applying for. Don’t rush when writing your resume. Think about everything carefully. Look at a few different LPN resume samples online to see what your different formatting options are. Rewrite your resume as many times as it takes to make you completely happy and comfortable with it. Your LPN resume is your first impression, after all, and first impressions count a lot more than anything else in some cases.

The post Tips On How To Write An LPN Resume And Cover Letter appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

Being an LPN is often considered to be less stressful. Being an LPN can serve as a gateway to becoming an RN. There are a number of differences between the two, and if you are interested in joining the nursing arena but can’t decide if you want to be an LPN or RN. Consider this table below to help you reach a decision.

The above is a fairly comprehensive account of the differences between LPN nurses and RN nurses. In some cases the differences are quite small and for many they are only a matter of responsibility and independence. In many ways LPNs can do a lot of what RNs can do as long as they are properly supervised. The difference lies in the education that each type of nurse has received.

Many people use their cheaper and shorter LPN qualification as a way to get ahead and start working while they at the same time study for an LPN to RN bridge program. Being an RN can have its disadvantages as there are a number of reasons why this job is more stressful than that of an LPN nurse. With this in mind it is important to note that your decision about which kind of nurse you would like to become has to be made very carefully. You cannot focus only on one of the aspects mentioned above.

For example, the salary may be a lot better as an RN, but you will also be required to engage in teaching behavior when patients are discharged, something that not all nurses are naturally good at. You need to examine where your skills as well as your motivation and inspiration lies before making your final choice about what kind of nurse you want to become.

The post Comparing LPN Vs RN – What Are The Differences? appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

In hospital or a clinic, an LPN can assist with intravenous fluid administration under the supervision of a physician, as well as attending clerical requirements. These duties include giving medicines as well as feeding and looking after patients. At Yale University an LPN job description is listed according to the training curriculum. According to the Institution, a list of LPN duties follow:

• Provide care and carry out a medicinal therapy regime.
• Gather patient history as well as other medical info.
• Assist in minor medical and surgical procedure.
• Report and record a vital sign assessment and measurement as well as collect specimens.
• Observe the patient for any physical and/or emotional change that may occur and report these observations.
• Prepare exam rooms, maintaining and setting up medical equipment and supplies.
• An LPN job description will also require the maintenance of an orderly, clean and comfortable environment that is safe for the patient.
• Responding to any necessary medical emergency.
• Recording relevant patient information.
• Preparing patients to experience ongoing care post-treatment and can instruct team- mate LPNs as well as offer information regarding critical and relevant issues.
• The scheduling and coordination of patient appointments and tests.
• Administering medication under the direct authority of an RN or doctor.
• Performing further functions that fall under the scope of nursing activity.

The LPN job descriptions listed represent characteristic LPN duties needed as well as the relevant level of work and skills that will be performed in this career description and duties change along with each job title. The Technical and Clerical description of a job for the LPN D Grade needs to have college-level specialized course-work; a basic idea of 1 or seven related work areas and a substantial amount of knowledge of the broader scoped of learning in this field.

LPN Job Description Skills And Administration Scope

Yale University’s Required Skills include extracting and compiling a wide range of data derived from a written research source and other individuals by questioning them, or available databases with a limited interpretation to the data. To fulfill an LPN job description the individual will also need to be able to use a dictionary, as well as files of labelled material, which have chronological or alphabetic systems.

Individuals are also expected to write easy memorandums for internal use as well as complete complex word forms and on occasion, use difficult machinery like computers or word processors.
These duties include performing a number of easy lab or scientific procedures needing a certain amount of training yet can be reversed inexpensively or duplicated and to be able to record result where necessary.

An LPN job description under office and administrative skills section will require the use of a keyboard, information forms, medical labels and other materials. The individual will enter and retrieve information data from half-finished sources such as computer documents which needs an ability to interpret the documents and a primary understanding of the relevant software parameters.

This includes arranging for and coordinating meetings, schedules, projects, events and conferences. Advising, screening and referring any visitors will also come into practice. Under the LPN job description there will be a need to exercise initiative and independent judgment regularly, while in the case of leadership responsibility, provision of guided work or orientating for procedures which are not routine are needed.

LPN working conditions include being exposed to safety risks. There are often contradictory demands and pressures of time such as deadlines and emergencies. All of these need consistent concentration and a focused and dedicated effort physically and a skills with hand and fine finger dexterity.

An LPN job description will also require supervision of the elderly, oversight of patients who have cardiovascular diseases and blood sugar ailments such as diabetes as well as Hepatitis, which require a vigilant consistent monitoring and medicines to be given in a timely manner. Nurses oversee blood pressure, glucose as well as temperatures, however duties can differ from state to state. There is a marked increase in complex procedures that used to be performed in hospitals alone, that are being undertaken in doctors offices as well as outpatient centers like ambulatory freestanding emergency and surgical centers. As a result, jobs for candidates fitting an LPN job description are projected to accelerate quicker than the norm where the need for healthcare becomes more prevalent.

Career Evolution

For many people, becoming a Registered Nurse is not possible due to financial and/or time constraints however a career as a Licensed Practical Nurse is an excellent opportunity to get into nursing without having to commit to three or four years of studying. As a result of the restrictions on an LPN job description performance, many LPN’s continue with their studies and eventually become Registered Nurses. LPN jobs can lead to career advancements, with a nursing degree enabling the individual to shape a career as they go, taking the opportunities that fit their interests.

An LPN’s job description requirements will need the individual to be constantly challenged to take on more responsibility as they prove themselves and gain experience. Sooner or later this will spur an LPN on to wanting a more specialized focus. In these cases, the following specialties available in a variety of settings and environments;

• Cardiac Nurse Care
• Case Manager Nurse
• Critical Care Nurse
• Dermatology Nurse
• Emergency Nurse
• Hematology Nurse
• Hospice Nurse
• Labor and Delivery Nurse
• Medical Surgical Nurse
• Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Nurse
• Nurse Anesthesiologist
• Nurse Educator
• Nurse Practitioner
• Oncology Nurse
• Otorhinolaryngology Nurse
• Pediatric Nurse
• Peri-anesthesia Nurse
• Perinatal Nurse
• Psychiatric Nurse
• Public Health Nurse
• Radiology Nurse
• Rehabilitation Nurse
• Respiratory Nurse

LPN job descriptions differ significantly from the growth they will experience once skills are gained. While working as an LPN, many encounters may reveal interests in particular career paths in the nursing field such as tabled above. Cardiac care nurses for example work with families and patients experiencing problems with heart disease. These are skilled CCN’s (Critical Care Nurses) who work in hospitals a well as at homes, helping with monitoring cardiac drug dispensing and offering patients care posit bypass, pacemaker of angioplasty surgery.

Case management nursing on the other hand requires coordination oversee the sick who are being treated in the long-term which requires high-paced timing for all aspects within the treatment regime. Case management nursing will differ from an LPN job description in the case for cancer treated patients, where these nurses oversee visits, radiation, surgery as well as chemotherapy. The NCM will also carry a specialty in for example HIV AIDS, geriatrics or as a pediatrician.

Critical care nurses care for patients of all ages who are acutely ill or in critical condition while Nurses specializing in dermatology will educate and oversee patients experiencing treatment and investigation of skin disease and wounds. This specialty will differ from an LPN job description in that starting off in emergency rooms of a hospital can lead to an interest in Emergency nursing, where the individual must be skilled to offer oversight and care to patients who are experiencing the critical phase of a disease or illness. This includes being able to isolate potentially life-threatening issues and problems that may arise and promptly providing solutions and care.

For further career advancements, nurses in Hematology will differ from an LPN job description in that they care for people with blood related diseases such as Leukemia and Sickle-Cell anemia. Hematology nurses will assist families of patients suffering from these diseases. LPN work that ends up exposing the individual to Oncology and Hematology Nursing can lead to an interest in specializing in this field as a result of the fact that these diseases have a close relation to cancer so nurses more often than not, specialize in both.

Hospice nurses offer specialist care and the relief of pain for patients who are nearing the final stages of their lives. This entails protecting the ill from painful, unnecessary treatment and often doing so in their homes, so that the patients can spend valuable last hours with their families while they are still able. Labor and delivery nursing can appeal to individuals with an LPN job description where they need to assist RN and other hospital staff with the provision of caring for women in labor, have just given birth or in regard to any labor complications. Maternity nurses also assist doctors with developing plans for the safe deliveries of strong and healthy infants.

Medical surgical nursing as a specialty are for RN’s serve in residence, clinics, intensive care units as well as long-term care settings with adult patients who are undergoing surgical procedures. This will be the case where, once fulfilling an LPN job description, workers find an interest sparked in the specialization of having been supervised by RN’s attending patients being treated with medicines for illnesses.

LPNs who enjoyed studying for their qualification and find an aptitude for delivering babies may want to consider becoming Neonatal intensive nurses. These individuals provide specialist attendance to acute premature or ill newborns, as well as their families while Nurse anesthetists, also known as CR Nurses (Certified Registered Anesthetists), deliver both local or general anesthesia to any patients who under surgical procedures. An LPN job description requiring this type of engagement may open doors for further specialization in anesthesia the future.

Oncology nurses take care of patients who have been diagnosed with suffering cancer and are in charge of giving and supporting the process of chemotherapy as well as the management of symptoms that reflect a relation to cancer. Otorhinolaryngology Nursing (Head and Neck Nursing) requires nurses to provide care and support to patients undergoing medical and surgical procedures concerning the ears, the nose, and the throat. In such a case, an LPN job description that requires work in a specialized clinical environment where such treatments are delivered, may very well lead to this specialization. In closing, it is always worth conducting on site research in a particular setting to determine the next step and to ensure that the LPN job description of choice is fulfilled.

The post Understanding What The LPN Job Description Entails appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

According to the State of Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), the Colorado LPN curriculum course is nine to eleven months and concentrates on patient care with outcomes prediction. The curriculum focus falls on maintaining skills and performance with surpasses expertise in the technical arena. The LPN student is directed to isolate differences in the body system and seek any change in the patient state. In defining the LPN scope of practice, these are then communicated to the supervisory doctor or registered nurse for ongoing assessment procedure.

DORA: LPN Scope Of Practice Guidelines

The CBN is overwhelmed with calls on a daily basis to answer questions on practice scope and other matters. These are set up in alignment with DORA. As a result, their nursing practice allocated consultants who developed frequently asked questions for guidance. These may assist in generating ideas related to how the scope of practice may differ from state to state.

These questions include reference to for example the AddVantage intravenous system such as whether an antibiotics IV can be administered by a certified LPN antibiotics using the AddVantage system bearing in mind that it is mixed beforehand. The answer states that it is possible, and that if the RN or pharmacist assembles the unit then the certified LPN can administer the solution.

Defining LPN scope of practice around Delegation considers the primary concept of rules for delegation. The answer covers that all the law components and rules are essential yet based in limiting the registered nurse to a particular delegatee, client and time-frame. In other words it wouldn’t be accepted for the Nurses Director to delegate IV administration of medicines to the LPN’s in the setting in question to any facility client at any cost. LPN scope of practice and rules are founded in a belief which states that an ongoing registered nurse assessment from the delegatee, client, task, and time frame is needed.

In considering whether a registered nurse may delegate to licensed practical nurse the answer is indeed and that in the rules it is stated that a delegate is one who is not authorized to do the duty. In other words, a delegatee may be a CNA, LPN or professional without licence.

Within the delegatory LPN scope of practice, an LPN however cannot delegate according to the law. The delegatee can however decide not to perform the task according to rules in which state that whomever has been ordered to do a duty must obey. If they are not willing delegation is not valid.

In order to compare and understand an LPN scope of practice concerning matters such as what can’t be delegated; elements requiring consideration as to whether a task can and must be delegated such as showing that if an orderly takes a class showing catheter insertion in to the urinary tract and is certified to do so, whether the task be delegated without an evaluation of competency – and the amount of supervision required – the Colorado Board of Nursing Website further offers solutions to these inquiries.

Further questions address concerning authority and nutrition counselling in regard to an LPN scope of practice include answers to whether it is:

• Within the practice scope of an LPN with intravenous authority to draw blood directly from the vein?
• Within the practice scope of an LPN with the intravenous authority to give solutions which have been mixed beforehand with labeled instructions through gravity/pumps via IV or to piggyback instead?
• Within the LPN scope of practice with intravenous authority to do the same as the above mentioned but instead via an intravenous push?
• Within the practice scope for the LPN with intravenous authority to conduct an administration of antibiotic solution which was mixed beforehand, fluids and flush with usual saline/heparin as well as care for the dressing to veins which bear a catheter which originate in femoral/ sphenoid area and to terminate in the area of the inferior vena-cava?
• Determined that there are restrictions within the NPA (Nurse Practice Act) which cover the distribution of nutritive supplement products?

When considering the DORA graduate nursing program’s inclusion of a “hands-on” clinic-based component to training and where participation therein requires a nurse to be licensed in their residential state yet may sometimes require travel to a state where they may not have a license, DORA students do not need a Colorado license to engage in this clinical training.

The relevant legislation that allows this, cites that the board can issue permits for practice to both practical or professional nurses for a certain time period which must not exceed 2 yrs. Alternately, this can be stated according to the board to an individual from a state within the USA or a foreign territory present to do specialized training and observe nurse education programs. This must be conducted by proving so to the board by the nurse who is licensed within an LPN scope of practice within an individual the state, country or residence. The nurse practicing may be allowed by permit but is also subject to a limit, according to the particular practice performed as is linked with the specialized training program.

Alberta: LPN Scope Of Practice Sample

LPNs in Alberta have been working for more than sixty yrs and in this time, both clinical and education practice have evolved. This includes sweeping change to the basics of containing education as well as actual practicing environment, which have influenced the need for LPNs and spark ongoing opportunity across Alberta itself.

As professional nurses, LPNs operate in a certain practice scope adhering to the standard of practice and ethical codes required of them. The LPN study material is the same as registered and psychiatric nurses only having an approach more clearly focused on basic knowledge, judgement and critical thought to suit a contemporary LPN role. An LPN scope of practice integrates knowing, skills, judgmental capacities and ability needed to do justice to the various phases of health care from treating and managing acute illnesses to preventing others, as well as fulfilling palliative and longer term care needs. LPNs can have either an inter- or independent role in a care team, or they can overlap.

Alberta’s LPNs complete their courses through a 2 yr practical nursing diploma through the selected level at college. This program offers a min of 1,650 hrs of instructional teaching and 750 hrs covering the theory aspect, with nine hundred hrs clinical and laboratory experience. LPN jobs can also be defined via a variety of learning specialties post the basics, which result in opportunities such as advanced orthopaedics, immunizing, working in the operating room as well as renal dialyses. These include further programs for certification within areas like podiatry, psychology, acute disease management, care of wounds, leadership roles and palliative care.

Practicing nurses at National Institute for Health Clinical Center can select specialist roles in a variety of areas, including research support within its 27 separate centers and institutes for example the NHLBI for Heart and Lung treatments, NCI, National Cancer Institute and Institute of Allergies and Infectious Disease.

When engaging in the field of nursing within an NHI Center, services take place in environments in which both research and care of patients come together. The setting offers LPN scope of practice in a one of a kind lab of clinical research which is conducted across each discipline. Nurses work on a daily basis with specifically informed and assured consent, family and patient education, collection of data and further aspects of implementing the correct protocols.

Individuals wishing to extend from a limited LPN scope of practice can consider staff and leadership functions such as teacher in clinical nursing, researcher, nursing manager, specialist in clinical nursing, practitioner, nursing consultant or nursing anaesthetist. The below outlines advancement options;

An Alberta LPN scope of practice is relatively autonomous and assumed total responsibility within their area of practice whilst in service of individuals, groups and families needs assessments and care provision with appropriate treatments. The various types of roles in the state of Alberta for nursing LPNs to embody include: community, primary, teaching, public health, acute care, leadership as well as occupational health and safety. LPNs work in collaboration with the family, team of colleagues and client to enforce consistent quality and care in the area of health services delivery.

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The job of a nurse requires the individual to show care, sympathy, responsibility and attention to detail oriented, as well as showing an inclination toward leadership when it comes to supervision and direction of others. These individuals need a developed sense of stable emotions to be able to deal with situations at hand such as the extent of suffering and other pressures and stresses the job entails. LPN jobs can take place in private and government agencies which include the school, clinic or retirement home setting. These nurses concentrate on communities as well as individuals and families, striving to improve their circumstances of health.

Nurses in public health educate relevant groups in the case of health matters like child care, nutrition and prevention care. These nurses oversee and administer immunizations, test for blood pressure and conduct other necessary health screening tests. They work alongside the leaders in the community, other educators, doctors and parents.

LPN Jobs – An Overview

LPN nursing jobs include certain dangers particularly in the hospital clinical setting. Diseases which are infectious in nature are an example of where nurses must follow particular protocols and standards such as when dealing with needles, instruments needing sterilization, radiation and chemical exposure.

LPNs also manage and create a plan for nursing care which can assist to give instruction to both families and the patient, and assist those who may be in need to embark on a routine which can lead to improving or maintaining health. In each state, different laws are set to govern over the various tasks that LPN jobs perform, however work settings determine duties for each day. For example, occupation health nursing which is also referred to as industrial nursing who care for employees and customers who sustain illness or injury on the job site. These nurses administer emergency care, put together reports of the accident as well as follow up care and impart health counselling. They also conduct examinations as well as inoculating those who require it and assess the work environments for the identification of potential problems that may affect employee or customer health in any way.

Hospital nurses are the most common form of all LPN jobs, providing care at the bedside of patients and overseeing as well as implementing various medical regimes. These nurses work within a specific department under the supervision of an RN, such as in maternity, childcare, surgery, ICU or treating patients with cancer. Some serve in a rotational capacity.

Nurses who work in the administrative areas of the hospital doing office work oversee outpatients in doctors rooms, clinical settings, ambulance surgical centers as well as in the ER. LPN jobs in this setting require the preparation of patients to administer medicines and injections and assist with medical examinations and take care of wound dressing. Their services are also required in cases of minor surgical procedures, record maintenance and routine office or lab work.

Nurses in care facilities primarily oversee and manage the resident’s who suffer from Alzheimer’s as well as fractures and other conditions. Albeit spending time on admin and supervision, LPNs also provide oversight for the health of these residents by putting together plans for treatment when skilled enough and may learn to administer IV’s. LPN jobs can extend to serving in special-care settings such as with patients in longer term rehabilitation suffering from a stroke or injury to the head.

In the case of residential health, nurses at a certain level of expertise can also offer a service to the patient in the comfort of their own homes. Here, they assess the patient at home and assist in educating and with instruction of the patient and family. Nurses who work in patients oversee those who are stricken with disease, cancer, in labor as well as the convalescent. These LPN jobs require the nurses to work separately and may also call for the supervision of residential health assistants, requiring a designated skills level.

The Next Stage – Specialization

The three primary paths of education to an RN are; a BSN or bachelor science nursing degree; ADN nursing associate degree or diploma. Bachelor nursing programs can be taken at university or college, lasting about four years whilst community and juniors education institutions offer a two to three year associate program.

Those who receive a diploma or are educated as associates often aim for bachelor study programs to facilitate entry in a more specialized choice of field. These candidates often seek LPN jobs as staff nurse after which they utilise the reimbursing of their tuition as a benefit whilst studying for their BSN and finishing the available LPN to BSN bridge programs.

Accelerated BSN programs are also an option, lasting twelve to eighteen months, providing the quickest way to a Bachelors for those with an existing degree. Individuals considering career advancements of this nature must think strategically when considering the pros and cons or applying for a Bachelors since these advancement opportunity is more vast. LPN jobs do not cover all positions and BSN is usually a prerequisite for an admin post as well as when being admitted to research, education, clinical or consulting graduate programs of specialization.

An LPN not being on the level of qualification as that of an RN means they are restricted to certain working responsibilities. As a result many LPN’s choose to advance their careers from LPN jobs to working as an RN, which has its perks such as the many job opportunities and requirements for this level of nursing as can be seen in the graph. As an LPN is the first qualification before the RN level, LPN’s will have a limit on their duty and responsibility.

Good on the job performance and skills expertise can result in the nurse being promoted to a position of higher oversight and more responsibility. An example is managerial in nature, where a nurse can be promoted to being the head nurse’s assistant or the head nurse and then to directors assistant or the director and even vice president.

In the cases of caring for patients, LPN jobs can evolve into specialized nursing areas such as a midwife who is certified or CNS and CRN (certified registered and clinical specialist) as well as anaesthetists. Each has a prerequisite of two graduation years which will go onto a masters nursing degree.

Further areas of specialization include the possibility of studying to become a Nurse educator. These individuals’ duties include education and mentorship of the next set of young nursing candidates, as well as teaching in class and clinical settings. LPN jobs can lead to a desire to teach and in this case, they must draw up plans for the lessons and encourage the student to appreciate the professions through inspiration, and by setting an example.

Other specialists include paediatric nursing for the younger patient whose age range is from new born to early adult, nursing in peri-anaesthesia Nursing or in the rooms of recovery with a patient who is recovering from anaesthesia post-surgery as well as peri-natal nursing to assist a family and women in labor with support during as well as post-birth.

Psychiatric nursing is another specialist interest that may be sparked during LPN jobs where nursing aids in the field assist patients who are deemed mentally unstable with a complex range of psychological requirements. Nurses in public health operate in both private and government agencies as well as clinical settings. Radiology nursing speaks for itself and these workers are also known as catheterization cardiac laboratory nurses. The choices are endless, its just a matter of weighing options versus in the field passion, the rest will reveal itself as the job progresses.

Finding LPN Jobs

Discover Nursing is a comprehensive online database of information for individuals interested in this field. According to the site, LPN jobs and opportunities have a favorable projection such as the need for RN’s which is expected to accelerate more than any other job through this decade. Since the demand is growing, it is in turn projected that the job market will need more of these nurses. In addition, nurses currently working who will retire also leave ongoing spaces in the job market.

LPN jobs can be found online at various search engines such as; Simply Hired, Indeed.co, Monster.com, Wow Jobs (Canada) and the www.bls.gov as well as www.lpnjobsfinder.com.
As a result of the rise in market for a nurse certain hospitals may offer a bonus of up to fourteen thousand dollars for a nurse in the skills category they require. The National Student Nurse’s Association has many articles on becoming a nurse, from where to begin to what to do for your first job. Nursing Spectrum and NurseWeek magazines have a nationwide job search engine at their site – nurse.com.

Additional article resources for LPN jobs guidance can be found at the Resume Objective Know how career portal, the Bureau of US Statistics and Labor and Career Owl. Another source for LPN jobs is NHT, Nursing for a Healthy Tomorrow, this coalition of over forty health care and nursing organizations operate in partnership around a salary communication campaign which is designed to draw individuals to following a nursing career. The coalition aims to address a potentially dangerous nursing shortage in the nation, with the risk in short and long-term being more serious in certain geographic areas than others. As a result, NHT is now working now to heighten awareness about the looming nursing shortage and excellent opportunities awaiting those seeking a career in nursing.

LPN jobs at NHT can be found in addition to the coalition having assumed the role of communicating and bringing the message and image of the nursing profession, in line with the realities of its tremendous social importance and personal potential for career satisfaction. The site offers Career Profiles and a list of LPN jobs and Career Descriptions. Below are examples of what is available as an option for specialization;

• Nurses who work in critical care
• Nurses in emergency-situations
• Palliative or hospice-care nursing
• Material delivery and labor nursing
• Nursing in nephrology
• Anaesthesia
• Educator nurses
• Executive nursing
• Nurse practitioner
• Nursing in oncology
• Nursing in orthopeadics
• Peri-optive nursing
• Mental care or psychiatric ward nurses
• Nurses in schools
• Staffing nurse
• Nursing health practitioner for women

NHT also offer a recruiter campaign for nursing educators and careers page which can be accessed on their website. Alternately, LPN jobs on Nurse.com can be found by searching thousands of nursing jobs in any location in the U.S for nurses in every specialty, state and setting. The site allows you to post your resume and gain career advice. Other online sources include general job boards such as Monster, Career-builder, and Craigslist and nursing-specific job boards: such as Nurse Jungle Nursing Job-Source, Nurse-job-shop, Top jobs in the USA and Hire- nursing.

In addition LPN jobs can be searched for at http://www.licensedpracticalnurse.org who offer additional helpful services such as links to finding sample templates for cover letters for LPN positions.

The site also offers guidance when writing a resume using either a chronological resume, the most popular format, or a functional resume focusing on the skills and experiences and a combination resume uses both of the aforementioned formats. LPN jobs are also available by visiting local setting where this nursing designation will work and speaking to staff about opportunities or placing oneself on lists for when positions may become available.

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An LPN’s responsibilities include everything from taking vital signs, feeding, drawing blood, anaesthesia administration, keeping logs of patient’s progress and/or changes to applying bandages or dressings and collecting lab samples. An LPN salary reflects the capacity of the candidate to know the patients and their history, as well as play a significant role in the diagnosis. An education and licence is required to handle the responsibility of an LPN, which can be completed in about a year.

Around May 2008, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the average annual LPN salary was $39,030.00. While this LPN salary amount varies from state to state, those employed in larger cities are paid more. Other factors to consider regarding the LPN salary range include qualifications, experience, geographic location, and industry type. The highest paid LPN’s usually work for an employment agency, followed by those in a nursing home or long term health care home. The lowest paid LPN’s work in hospital or doctor office settings. Graveyard and weekend shifts also pay higher hourly LPN salary rate at nursing homes and hospitals.

Caring and facilitating healing needs to be a passion and part of the job is high stress and heavy workloads. As result, LPN’s are found to make a more lasting impression on patients in hospitals, ER, outpatient facilities than doctors do. As a result, LPN’s are compensated well for this level of responsibility. Overall, the need for medical personnel is projected to grow in demand over the coming years. As a result, LPN salaries will be influenced, increasing alongside the demand.

Responsibilities and demand considered, there is a vast difference between top and the bottom of LPN salaries. State differences are affected by the cost of living and may seem to be higher, but when compared in ratio and context this is not necessarily the case.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Massachusetts LPN’s are the highest paid in the US with an average LPN salary of 48,180 a year. The District of Columbia is second, averaging annual wages of USD 45,450. Rhode Island LPN wages are USD 43,460, and Delaware LPN’s earn USD 41,460 as annual average. New Jersey salaries range around USD 41,240 a year and Maryland LPN’s earn over 40K a year. The below diagram gives a more detailed idea of state-to-state LPN salaries:

An LPN also acts as an administrator in the workplace, ensuring patient documentation, notes and records are impeccably updated. With the media drawing attention to the shortage of RN’s and LPN’s it is not necessarily an indication of how easy it will be to find placement and a good salary. Average starter salaries show that hospitals have cut back plans regardless of the demand as seen on payscale.com. A typical starter LPN salary ranges from $46,014 – $66,112 for those with more experience.

For context, in 2008 the national average wage for employees working in the private sector was $50,028, while those in the Federal Civilian sector averaged was $79,197. Bearing in mind that difficult economic circumstances in the US are seeing substantial job shedding. In other words, an LPN salary starting point will be below average while an experienced candidate will be above. In general, an LPN has good prospects with access to further LPN training and development and good job security. The below Payscale diagram reflects salary by years experience:

Differences Between An RN And LPN Salary

As a result of the demand for registered nurses along with their experience and education, RN salaries are higher. LPN duties are performed under the observation and direction of registered nurses and physicians. The year required to graduate allows only for basic care, but does not offer as wide a variety of career choices as a registered nurse would have.

As we have seen above, an LPN salary is not high enough to provide a comfortable income or sustain and support a family. Registered nurses minimum education is an associate degree in nursing with added training available for many positions and job titles, which further require bachelors, masters and Ph.D’s.

While RN’s serve as extensions of many physicians, decision makers concerning treatment and long-term health needs of patients, LPN responsibilities are restricted due to their qualification. As a result, career choices for RNs far outnumber those of an LPN with options such as educators, staff nurses, administrators, home health care, patient care, teaching and administration.

According to PayScale.com, on average compared to the LPN salary, RN’s earn over 50k per year. This includes a $15k/year increase in salaries showing that nurses can expect higher salaries working for governmental agencies and private contract facilities, while lower wages are recorded for nurses working in schools or self-employed.

The US Bureau of Labor and Statistics shows that in 2004 the top 10% of nursing jobs offered salaries upwards of $74k/year. The lower LPN salary figures reflect pay scales of nurses based on those holding only a basic license of registered nurse. With the wide range of educational options available, salaries for positions requiring higher degrees may even exceed 100k/year in many of the employment options available.

Online LPN Salary Comparison Resources

This shows that as soon as an LPN takes the step toward becoming a registered nurse, an increase in salary is on the cards. With the burgeoning of ecommerce and internet resources, there are many sites available to conduct LPN salary comparisons. Once such website is Simply Hired.com. According to their site, the average nursing salary is $49,000. Their statistics are calculated using the average salary for all jobs with the term “nursing” anywhere in the job listing. The following are the results:

LPN salary and other wage data from SimplyHired’s free calculator is based on millions of job listings indexed by their job search engine. The site’s nursing salary comparisons feature allows job seekers to get the information required to make important career decisions and negotiate salary ranges.

RN Travel Space compares staff nurse with travel nurse salaries offers comprehensive, up-to-date information. They teamed with Salary.com to provide a Travel Nursing Salary Comparison Tool. This allows you to compare an LPN salary to the salaries of staff nurses and travel nurses across the US with a side-by-side bar graph. It is a useful way to research what nurses with similar qualifications and specialties are earning around the country.

Since the market online is competitive it offers more options for cross-referencing information and matching your results. Indeed.com has a similar tool to SimplyHired, offering job searches with a salary comparison section.

AllNursingSchools.com is a one-stop shop offering a job search section, where to advance nursing educations as well as LPN salary comparisons to other nursing careers. Their advanced practice nursing information shows the vast potential differences in salaries an LPN could expect with the right amount of specialization and academic training;

Nurse Salary Range Comparison

LPN salary comparisons can also be conducted alongside Nursing Specialties such as at Hospital Non-Profit Organization or Private Practice/Firm for Company Acute Care Nures, Adult Nurses, Cardiovascular Nurses, Informatics Nurses, Neonatal Nurse, Pediatric Nurse, Psychiatric Nurse, School Nurse and Surgical Nurses. Doing an LPN salary comparison in this manner is informative and creates an incentive to pursue further career advancements.

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The nursing specialties from which you can choose are: Ambulatory care nursing, Advanced practice nursing, Burn nursing, Camp nursing, Cardiac nursing, Cardiac catheter laboratory nursing, Medical case management, Community health nursing, Correctional nursing, Critical care nursing, Emergency and trauma nursing, Environmental health nursing, Faith community nursing, Flight nursing, Forensic nursing, Gastroenterology nursing, Genetics nursing, Geriatric nursing, Health visiting, Holistic nursing, Home health nursing, Hospice and palliative care nursing, Hyperbaric nursing, Immunology and allergy nursing, Intravenous therapy nursing, Infection control nursing, Infectious disease nursing, Legal nursing, Maternal-child nursing, Medical-surgical nursing, Mental health or psychiatric nursing, Midwifery, Military and uniformed services nursing, Neonatal nursing, Neurosurgical nursing, Nursing informatics, Nursing management, Nursing Research, Obstetrical nursing, Occupational Health nursing, Oncology nursing, Orthopedic nursing, Ostomy nursing, Pediatric nursing, Perianesthesia nursing, Perioperative nursing, Private duty nursing, Psychiatric or mental health nursing, Public health nursing, Pulmonary nursing, Quality improvement, Radiology nursing, Rehabilitation nursing, Renal nursing, School nursing, Space nursing, Sub-acute nursing, Substance abuse nursing, Surgical nursing, Telenursing, Telephone triage nursing, Transplantation nursing, Travel nursing, Urology nursing, Utilization management, Wound care.

Voluntary certification is issued by certifying boards and professional organizations for many of the above nursing specialties.

Nursing Specialties For Registered Nurses

Nursing is divided into various overlapping and highly technical specialty, professional, and discipline areas. It is important when electing a nursing specialty, that you know in which area and category that particular nursing specialty falls:

Below are just some of the nursing specialties available, with a short description:

Acute Care

In this nursing specialty, the nurse provides care to patients who suffer from acute conditions such as respiratory distress syndrome, heart attacks, or shock. Acute care nurses also care for pre- and post- operative patients, and may perform advanced, invasive diagnostic examinations, amongst other duties.

Acute Care NP

An Acute care nurse practitioner (ACNP) helps to assess and manage acutely ill patients within an inpatient or hospital setting and across hospital-to-clinic settings, including intensive care units, specialty labs, emergency departments, and acute care wards.

Administration/Management

Nurse Managers are responsible for the resources, personnel, and patient-care in a nursing unit. This nursing specialty calls for the individual to manage staff, including RNs, LPNs and nursing assistants. They oversee daily activities within their department to facilitate and deliver quality nursing, amongst other duties.

Adult NP

Adult nurse practitioners (ANPs) are advanced practice nurses; they diagnose and manage everyday primary-care problems for adults and their families. The emphasis in this nursing specialty is on illness prevention, health promotion, and management of acute and chronic illnesses.

Allergy/Immunology

Allergy and Immunology Nurses specialize in caring for patients that suffer from allergies and asthma. They assist with diagnosis, establishing nursing care targets, and providing treatment. They also help to determine the cause and treatment of allergic reactions, administer medication, amongst other duties.

Ambulatory Care

Ambulatory Care Nurses are also called Outpatient Nurses, and the primary objective of nurses in this nursing specialty is to treat patients with acute or chronic illnesses or injury on an occasional, outpatient basis in a various settings. The emphasis is on preventive care, pain management and patient education.

Antepartum/High Risk OB

An Antepartum Care or High-Risk OB Nurse provides care to pregnant women who have conditions such as preterm labor or other complications that require hospitalization and continuous monitoring.

Apherisis

An Apherisis Nurse cares for patients who receive apherisis blood separation procedures. These procedures are often used as part of a cancer treatment. This nursing specialty is vital in the fight against cancer, and individuals who decide on this specialty must learn about blood and the vascular system.

Burn ICU

A Burn ICU Nurse provides care to both pediatric and adult patients with chemical, thermal, and electrical burns, as well as hypothermic patients and individuals with soft tissue diseases, injuries or open wounds requiring special care.

Business/Entrepreneur Nurse

In this nursing specialty, the Business/Entrepreneur Nurse creates his or her own business venture. Entrepreneurship is a high-risk, high-reward profession, but it offers nurses autonomy and the ability to work in a variety of environments.

Cardiology

Cardiology Nursing is a nursing specialty in which the nurse assesses a patient’s health problems and needs. Once this is done the nurse develops and implements nursing-care plans and maintains medical records. They administer pulmonary therapy and medications, monitor vital signs through advanced telemetry and monitoring systems, and perform various other tasks.

Cardiovascular ICU

Nurses in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) care for post-operative cardiac patients. CVICU patients need to be monitored constantly, and require high-acuity nursing care and the use of specialized intensive care equipment.

Certified Nursing Assistant

Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) care for patients under the direct supervision of nursing and medical staff. They take patients’ vital signs such as blood pressure, temperature, pulse, etc., and assist patients with daily living activities such as bathing, feeding, etcetera.

Community Health

This is the nursing specialty for those who would like to work in the community. Community Health or Public Health Nurses focus on whole populations, and work with individuals, groups and families to improve the overall health of community.

Critical Care / ICU

Critical Care Nurses work with acutely ill individuals and their families. They practice in settings where patients require complex assessment, continuous nursing vigilance, and high-intensity therapies and interventions.

Developmental Disability

Developmental Disability Nurses provide nursing care to patients who have physical or mental disabilities, such as autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation, epilepsy, and other neurologically handicapping conditions.

Dialysis

Dialysis nursing is a subspecialty of nephrology nursing, and nurses who follow this nursing specialty care for patients who are undergoing dialysis procedures. They provide nursing care to patients and education to them and their families.

Disaster

This nursing specialty involves the Disaster Nurse providing effective response and preparedness for man-made or natural events that affect an entire community or communities.

Emergency

Emergency Nurses care for patients suffering from various illnesses or trauma that requires emergency attention. They must be experienced in rapid assessment and must be able to recognize and effectively treat life-threatening conditions.

Endocrinology

Endocrine Nurses are nurse specialists who care for patients with diseases of the endocrine system, including hypertension, diabetes, and pancreatic diseases. They also care for disorders of the thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, and pituitary glands amongst others.

Gastroenterology

Gastroenterology (GI) Nurses, or Endoscopy Nurses, care for patients undergoing procedures and interventions that are used to diagnose and treat gastrointestinal problems. Nurses following this nursing specialty diagnose, plan, implement, supervise and evaluate care for gastrointestinal patients.

Geriatric/Gerontological

Geriatric nursing is a popular nursing specialty, and the branch of medicine concerned with the pathological, physiological, and psychological healthcare needs of the aged. Geriatric nurses assess patient health problems and needs, and develop and implement healthcare plans.

HIV/AIDS

Nurses in this specialty educate individuals on how to prevent the spread of HIV. They also help those who are infected to cope with the social, emotional, physical, and psychological aspects of the disease, and teach them how to minimize pain and maximize independence.

Neurosurgery

Neurosurgical Nurses care for patients who are in need of neurosurgery, which helps patients with dysfunctions of the nervous system; some dysfunctions include problems with consciousness, communication, cognition, mobility and sensation.

Oncology

Oncology Nurses work with patients suffering from cancer in all stages of their disease. They help patients manage their disease and treatment effectively and some oncology nurses may also administer chemotherapy. They practice in hospitals, outpatient facilities or provide home care for cancer patients.

Parish

Parish Nurses combine community and healthcare through their religious affiliation. Nurses in this nursing specialty act as educator, liaison, facilitator and administrator to a church community. They provide the congregation with public healthcare information that may affect them and perform various other tasks.

10 Highest Paying Nursing Specialties

It is difficult to choose a nursing specialty once you have finished your studies, and the fact that virtually every nursing specialty requires a period of on-the-job training and a series of exams to be passed makes time of the essence. Although pay should not be the most important consideration when choosing a nursing specialty, how much one gets paid does enter into the equation, as it is important to many nurses to consider whether the time and money they have to spend on studies will be worth it.

There is generally no difference in pay-scales for male and female nurses, as the belief is that a nurse should be paid for qualifications and performance, not according to gender.
The top paying nursing specialties in the United States are:

1. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist: Average Salary $135,000
A Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist collaborates with anesthesiologists, dentists, surgeons, and podiatrists to safely administer anesthesia to patients

2. Nurse Researcher: Average Salary $95,000
Nurse Researchers do research and perform analysis; they work for health policy nonprofits or private companies. They publish studies based on data collected on specific medical, pharmaceutical, and nursing products and practices.

3. Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner: Average Salary $95,000
The Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner is an advanced practice nurse who provides consultation and care to patients suffering from mental health and psychiatric disorders.

4. Certified Nurse Midwife: Average Salary $84,000
A Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) provides primary care to women, including family planning advice, prenatal care, gynecological exams, assistance in labor and delivery, and neonatal care. CNMs work in clinics, health departments, hospitals, private practices and homes. They often have to work unpredictable hours, as the nature of childbirth is unpredictable. CNMs should have good communications skills and must be willing to commit to a holistic approach to patient care.

5. Pediatric Endocrinology Nurse: Average Salary $81,000
A Pediatric Endocrinology Nurse provides care to young children who suffer from diseases and disorders of the endocrine system. This often necessitates educating both children and parents on the physical and sexual development issues that could arise from endocrinology disorders.

6. Orthopedic Nurse: Average Salary $81,000
An Orthopedic Nurse provides care to patients who suffer from musculoskeletal ailments such as arthritis, joint replacement and diabetes. Orthopedic nurses are responsible for educating patients on their disorders and on all available support systems and self-care routines.

7. Nurse Practitioner: Average Salary $78,000
A Nurse Practitioner is responsible for providing basic preventive healthcare to patients. They increasingly serve as both the primary and specialty care provider in many medically underserved areas. The most common areas of specialty for nurse practitioners are acute care, adult practice, pediatrics, women’s health, family practice, and gerontology. There are many other specialties, though.

8. Clinical Nurse Specialist: Average Salary $76,000
A Clinical Nurse Specialist develops homogenous standards for quality care. They work with staff nurses to ensure that those standards are being met. Clinical nurse specialists must possess an ability to anticipate potential conflicts between patients and staff, and strong managerial skills.

9. Gerontological Nurse Practitioner: Average Annual Salary $75,000
Gerontological Nurse Practitioners (GNPs) are in possession of advanced degrees specializing in geriatrics. GNPs diagnose and manage their patients who often have long-term and debilitating conditions; they also provide regular assessments to the patient’s family members. GNPs must have a holistic approach to nursing, and must pay special attention to sustaining a reassuring bedside manner for their elderly patients.

10. Neonatal Nurse: Average Salary $74,000
Neonatal Nurses care for sick and/or premature newborn babies, and also provide consultations to the newborn’s family during what could be an emotionally draining period for the new parents.

As can be seen from the list at the beginning of this article, there are many more nursing specialties than can be discussed in this short article, so if you are interested in specializing, so some research on the Internet into all of the specialties so that you can make an informed decision as to which nursing specialty would be best for you.

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Licensed Practical Nurses work in a variety of settings, including home health care services, community care facilities for the elderly, hospitals, nursing care facilities, employment services, public and private educational services, offices of physicians, Federal, State, and local government agencies, and outpatient care centers. Whilst most LPNs work full-time, there are many following a successful LPN career working part-time.

In 2008 there were approximately 726,000 nurses enjoying a successful LPN career within the United States. The employment outlook for LPNs is very good, and is expected to grow substantially in the current decade, up to 2018. This projected growth is due to the general growth of health care services and the long-term care needs of an increasingly elderly population. Because many of the sophisticated procedures that were once performed in hospitals are now being performed in physicians’ offices and in outpatient care centers such as emergency medical centers and ambulatory surgical centers, the employment of LPNs in hospitals has begun to decline. This is due to the many advances in medical technology.

Although there will be stiff competition for LPN jobs in hospitals, the growth in most health care industries outside the traditional hospital setting such as nursing care facilities and home health care services is projected to grow faster than average, and this will create plenty of opportunities for you to follow a successful LPN career.

What Character Traits Are Required To Become An LPN?

Licensed Practical Nurses need to have the right nursing skills in order to have a successful LPN career, but academic skills are not all that is required. It is very important that an LPN have the right personality and character traits for the job too.

In order to become an LPN you must:

• Be gentle, caring and understanding of patients and their situation
• Be able to think on your feet in an emergency
• Be intelligent, responsive and proactive
• Be and active person as you will be on your feet most of the day
• You will need to have stamina as you may have to lift patients, work for many hours at a time, and help patients with their mobility and wheel them around if necessary

In order to have a successful LPN career you will also need to be dedicated, not mind working long hours, over weekends and public holidays, be able to follow orders, and be interested in continuing learning in order to improve your knowledge and advance to higher levels.

How Does One Become A Licensed Practical Nurse?

In order to have a successful LPN career, you will have to follow a career path that begins with becoming a nurse in one of the quickest ways possible; this can be achieved by attending classes at one of the nursing schools that offer LPN classes and training programs, either after hours whilst still continuing your current job or full-time. Many schools offer these programs as distance learning courses too.

An LPN can perform nursing duties without having achieved a bachelor’s degree in nursing, and it only takes one year to complete the training, which can be done via a technical school, vocational center, or community college. Once you have your LPN qualification you can study further and obtain your bachelor’s degree, which you will require later on in order to pursue a successful LPN career.

In Order to become an LPN you will need to complete the following steps:

1. Complete a Training Program

You will need to have graduated high school or have your GED in order to be eligible for training as an LPN. It takes approximately one year to complete a training program to become a Licensed Practical Nurse. These courses focus on various nursing principles, psychology, and adult and child health and among other things. You will also be exposed to laboratory work and clinical practice during your training.

2. Get your LPN License

Once you have completed your nurse training and passed your exams you will be qualified as a Practical Nurse, but in order to get your licensure you will need to sit for and pass the National Council Licensure Examination-Practical Nursing (NCLEX). The NCLEX is supervised by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.
The exam covers areas such as physiological integrity, pharmacological therapies, health promotion and maintenance, and safe effective care environment. Some of the skills on which you will be tested are patient care, nursing concepts, math skills, first aid, and comprehension and reading skills.

The NCLEX exam is a multiple-choice exam, and it uses an interactive system called Computerized Adaptive Testing to gauge your competence. You will be required to answer a minimum of 85 questions, after which the computer will attempt to assess your level of competence. If you are clearly above the passing standard you will pass; if not you will continue to answer questions until a final assessment can be made, up to a maximum of 205 questions.

Should you fail to pass the NCLEX, a diagnostic profile will be mailed to you by your state board of nursing. This profile will outline both the areas of knowledge in which your performance was satisfactory and the areas in which it was not. After taking steps to improve your knowledge in the areas where it was lacking and after a period of 91 days, as required by the National Council’s policy, you may retake the test. Once you have passed the NCLEX you will be able to use the designation LPN. Obtaining licensure is a very important step in ensuring that you have a successful LPN career.

What Is The Role Of The LPN In The Patient Care Team?

The Licensed Practical Nurses program was inspired after the end of WWII, when there was a glut of patients and good nurses were needed quickly. With the new healthcare legislation, America is once again in a similar situation, with a projected 32 million more people entering our health care system by 2014. On top of that, 79 million Baby Boomers will need more care as they grow older. This is going to create an unprecedented nursing shortage and the need for Licensed Practical Nurses will be paramount.
There have been many attempts to eliminate LPN positions in hospital settings over the past few decades. This is inconceivable, as nurses have to do far more with less and patient loads are so demanding that in some cases patient care is suffering. The role of the LPN in the patient care team is one that is vital, as their training may lack the core courses that degrees provide, but the physiology, anatomy, chemistry and other nursing courses are of the same and sometimes better caliber than the Associate Degree RN programs. LPN students also generally have as much or even greater clinical opportunities than RN students.

The level of care that an LPN can offer makes them an integral member of the patient care team, and the many specialty programs and fast-track programs that are available to LPNs mean that they can improve their knowledge and skills, and can look forward to a successful LPN career.

How To Ensure A Successful LPN Career

Studying to become an LPN, taking courses in order to improve your knowledge and skills and choosing specialities are all good, but we all determine our own destiny regarding our nursing career.

There are many other tricks-of-the-trade that will ensure a successful LPN career:

• Know your scope of practice

The scope of practice for LPNs differs somewhat from state to state, and even from facility to facility. Your professional responsibility is to be aware of the legal scope of nursing in the state in which you are practicing. If you are not sure of what it is, you can contact the State Board of Nursing for your state. You may also be able to access the information by visiting their website. Remember, even though you may know how to do something that does not mean that it is legal for you to do in that state or that it is in line with facility policy. An example of this is administering injections; some states and facilities allow LPNs to administer injections but others do not.

•  Be an advocate for practical/vocational nursing

There is a variety of professional LPN organizations, and it is imperative to a successful LPN career that you find out what they are and join one or more, on both a local and national level. These organizations are important because they can serve as platforms from which to advocate for the rights of LPNs, for better working conditions for nurses, for more funding for nursing scholarships, increased patient safety initiatives, and nurse recruitment and retention initiatives. Run for political office, lobby your legislative representatives, and discuss issues surrounding health care that are important to you and to the nursing profession.

• Be Careful

This may sound very trite, but it is not. Everyone makes mistakes, nurses included, but the difference is that making a mistake could cost you a successful LPN career. There are various steps that can be taken in order to prevent errors, including errors in administering medication.

An example of this is to remember the pharmacology course you took when studying to become a licensed practical nurse; it is essential that you follow the “six rights” of medication documentation and administration, even if you have administered the exact same medication to the same patient many times. This is crucial because the physician’s orders may have changed, and unless you check the Medication Administration Record (MAR) each time prior to administering medication it is easy to miss those changes.

It is important not to take shortcuts, even when short-staffed and under pressure, as shortcuts can lead to dire consequences. Always think before you act and maintain high ethical standards when you practice. Remember that as a nurse you are the face of the nursing profession and of the facility for which you work to your patients and their families, so if you are not sure of something rather ask someone who is in a position to help you.

• Be a leader

Many individuals believe that only those in a management position can be leaders, but his is far from the truth. Some managers are not, and some leaders are not managers. A leader is someone who has the innate ability to set priorities, organize their work, and communicate and work easily with others.
Leadership skills and abilities can be learned, and anyone who has some initiative can be a leader in his or her workplace and profession. Putting yourself forward to serve on facility committees, being visible in a positive way and always presenting yourself professionally are all signs of leadership that will be taken note of by your seniors and will work well for you in your quest for a successful LPN career.

• Set goals for yourself

It is imperative that you set goals for yourself, no matter what your future aspirations are. You should set goals even if you do not intend continuing your nursing education. It is important to set professional development goals such as reading nursing journals, joining professional LPN or nursing organizations, or anything else that interests you and will assure you of a successful LPN career.

The best way to ensure a successful LPN career is to choose specialties and study further, of course. Even if you need to be flexible in setting your goals for further studies, it is important that you do set goals and set a time frame for completion of your studies.

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There is a need for Licensed Practical Nurses wherever patient care is required, and they can either continue to practice as an LPN, study further to become a Registered Nurse (RN) or follow another track and do some specialized programs for LPNs, of which there are in excess of 60 available, according to the Mayo clinic. Most LPNs start off their careers in hospitals, long-term facilities or clinics, and do the basic patient-care tasks such as taking down patient histories, taking vital signs, monitoring patients’ reactions to medication, assisting patients with their personal grooming, and generally seeing to their personal comfort.

Choosing to do one or more of the specialized programs for LPNs will make your foray in the world of nursing much more exciting, and will make you much more marketable to prospective employers; apart from the additional skills that you will gain from the specialized programs, doing them will also prove that you are passionate and dedicated about your career, which is what employers are looking for. There are many specialized programs for LPNs and the best way for you to decide which one or more you should do is to take stock of which field interests you most; if you enjoy working with babies then perhaps you should do a course in Pediatrics; if you have a soft spot for the elderly then I would suggest that you do a Geriatrics course; if you prefer to work one-on-one, then perhaps a Home Health Care program would suit you.

Some of the most popular specialized programs for LPNs are:

• Cardiology: Patients with heart conditions
• Critical Care: Patients are in critical condition and often require advanced medical care
• Emergency Care: Patients require immediate attention
• Geriatrics: Patients are 65 years or older
• Home Health Care: Patients receive treatment from the comfort of home
• Neonatology: Newborns under 28 days of age
• Oncology: Patients with cancer
• Pediatrics: Infants and children up to 18 years of age

The following are just a few more of the specialized programs for LPNs that are available:

LPN Hospice Certification

An LPN Hospice Certification is one of the specialized programs for LPNs that trains a Licensed Practical Nurse to care for those in the end-stages of their life. People are living longer and longer and therefore need nursing care longer, but there are also young and old individuals that are in need of care in their last days on earth, and who need dedicated, compassionate nursing to ease their transition. There is currently in excess of 2 000 hospices in the United States, and more than a million individuals who require palliative care.

Hospice versus Palliative Care

• Hospice Care – Hospice care is given to patients who are in the end-stages of a terminal illness, and who a medical doctor has determined will not benefit from medical treatment. Hospice care essentially means that an LPN cares for the patient either in the comfort of their own homes or in an institution and helps to ease their pain and suffering, allowing them to spend their last days on earth in peace and pain-free and to die with dignity.

• Palliative Care – Palliative care is given to patients who have life-threatening illnesses but who can still have some life-expectancy if given palliative care. This type of care focuses on the physical, psychosocial, and spiritual needs and expectations of the patient, and could include aggressive forms of treatment.

Palliative and Hospice Nurses also provide support to the families of their patients, helping them to accept what is happening and keeping them informed as to what is transpiring with their loved one. The fact that the LPN is providing their loved one with end-of-life care and assisting them to live without pain and die with dignity also gives the family peace of mind.

LPN Pharmacology Certification

This is one of the popular specialized programs for LPNs, and one that is more than likely to increase your salary and make you more marketable. This type of certification shows commitment to the field of nursing and many employers will even sponsor an LPN for the pharmacology certification in exchange for them working for said employer for an agreed period of time.

This program is a mark of excellence that has allowed thousands of LPNs to gain a national, post-licensure credential, the National Association for Practical Nurse Education and Services (NAPNES) Certification in Pharmacology (NCP), and has been around since the mid 1960s.

LPNs who have gained their NCP will, apart from the normal LPN duties, also:

• Give injections and enemas
• Dress wounds
• Give alcohol rubs and massages
• Monitor patients for adverse reactions to treatments or any medication and report any to the RN or attending doctor
• Monitor Patients’ catheters
• Record fluid and food intake and output

LPNs that have successfully completed the program and certification exams are entitled to use the designation LPN, NCP in their signature/title.

Certification in Long-Term Care

Certification in Long-Term Care, generally referred to as CLTC, is another of the specialized programs for LPNs. This is a comprehensive program that covers the entire lifespan from the cradle to the grave for the chronically ill. NAPNES Long Term Care Certification has replaced what used to be the NAPNES Gerontology Certification program, and is a far more comprehensive program.

The Long Term Care Certification covers excellence in nursing for all age groups, which means that individuals who obtain this certification can care for babies, toddlers, seniors and any patient in-between that requires long-term care for a chronic illness. Licensed Practical Nurses who have completed this program and passed the certification examination can use the designation LPN CLTC, which serves to inform employers that that you are engaged in skill-building and possess the necessary knowledge in long-term care.

Ambulatory Care Nursing

Ambulatory care nursing is another of the specialized programs for LPNs which is very popular with those who like to work in outpatient settings where they will be required to make quick focused assessments of patients, deal with high volumes of patients and issues that are not predictable.

Ambulatory care nurses are often called on to teach the patients and/or their family how to do certain activities that will assist the patient to recuperate quicker, and therefore often foster long-term relationships patients and their families. Ambulatory care spans all populations and includes wellness to preventative care, illness care, and hospice or palliative care.

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

This is one of the specialized programs for LPNs that requires the LPN to acquire a Bachelor of Science in Nursing or a related bachelor’s degree in order to be eligible to apply to the program.

A Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist works as a part of a team, alongside other medical professionals such as dentists, surgeons, anesthesiologists, podiatrists, or ophthalmologists, and often operates in rural areas where they provide much-needed services to the traditionally medically-underserved.

CRNAs provide pain-management services, deliver local, general or regional anesthesia, administer intravenous sedation, administer anesthesia to patients undergoing surgical procedures, monitor patients recovering from anesthesia, conduct pre-anesthetic evaluations, provide pain relief therapy, give drugs or fluids, and provide ventilator support if necessary.

Perioperative Licensed Practical Nurse

If you are looking to do some specialized programs for LPNs and are interested in surgery, then this is one program which bears looking into. The Perioperative Nursing for Licensed Practical Nurses program is designed for LPNs who are interested in pursuing a career in surgical nursing.

Perioperative nurses provide support and care support to patients before, during, and after surgery. They are also responsible for monitoring the patient during surgery, maintaining a sterile environment in the operating room, and providing care throughout the process.

Forensic Nursing

If you are interested in not only caring for victims of crime, but also working with a legal team, assist police investigations, collecting forensic evidence connected to crimes, and providing consultation services to courts, law agencies and other medical personnel, then Forensic nursing is one of the most interesting specialized programs for LPNs that you could do.

A Forensic Nurse spends most of their time in a laboratory, but also travels to prisons, hospitals, various crime scenes, police departments and morgues.

There are various categories of forensic nurses:

• Correctional Nursing Specialist
• Forensic Psychiatric Nurse
• Forensic Clinical Nurse Specialist
• Forensic Nurse Investigator
• Forensic Gerontology Specialist
• Nurse Coroner
• Legal Nurse Consultant
• Sexual Assault Nurse

Advanced Education In Orthopaedics For LPNs

This is a post-diploma advanced certificate program that imbues LPNs with the knowledge and skills required for a specialized career in orthopaedics. This program serves to further an LPN’s understanding of physiology and anatomy with regards to orthopaedics and orthopaedic radiology, assessment, and trauma, and includes specialized orthopaedic procedures, including casting.

The program consists of two courses and a clinical practicum and upon completion of this program an LPN will be equipped to work in a cast room, an orthopaedic patient care area, and an emergency room.

There are many other short specialized programs for LPNs, including:

• Urinary Catheterization and Bladder Irrigation – This is a 30 hour, 2 credits program that is designed to provide a licensed practical nurse with the knowledge and skill required to safely insert, maintain, and remove a urinary catheter; safely care for a client requiring intermittent or continuous bladder irrigations; basic knowledge on caring for suprapubic catheters and the care of the catheter site of a client with peritoneal dialysis.

• Mental Health Nursing for LPNs – This is a 60 hour, 4 credits program that teaches LPNs to examine care based on best-evidence related to clients and their families whilst they are adjusting to changes in functioning associated with mental health issues and related treatments. The program builds on previous knowledge and related theory in adapting the nursing approach to the health promotion and care of mental health patients and their families. The course includes a 2-day observation experience in a mental health environment.

• Wound Care: Using a Standard Approach – This is a 30 hour, 2 credits program that is designed to provide the LPN with advanced knowledge and skills in wound management. Once an LPN has completed this course they will be in a position to work in a leadership role and apply the principles of wound healing in various settings.

• Infusion Therapy for Nurses – This is a 45 hour, 4 credits program that builds on an LPN’s previous knowledge with practices based on best evidence in intravenous therapy, infusion therapy, care of central lines, subcutaneous infusion therapy (hypodermoclysis), medication administration, and blood transfusions. The program includes a laboratory component during which students will apply new theories and practice nursing skills related to infusion therapy, including IV cannula insertion.

• Nasogastric Tube Insertion – This is a 15 hour, 1 credit program that teaches an LPN the knowledge and skills necessary to safely insert, maintain, and remove a nasogastric tube, the use of nasogastric tubes for tube feedings and oral medication administration, nursing assessments and the roles and responsibilities of the LPN in relation to nasogastric intubation.

Whichever of the specialized programs for LPNs you decide to do, you will find that the knowledge that you gain, together with the esteem that another qualification gives you is well worth the effort, and will also open up many new avenues to you, so pick specializations that you will enjoy and have fun while you learn and earn.

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