If you are a Licensed Practical Nurse [LPN] and are interested in a career progression, then the next logical choice is to transition in to Registered Nurse [RN]. Roles of RN offer increased responsibility and additional duties relating to patient care; supervision of teams of LPNs, orderlies, medical assistants and nursing assistants; and increase in remuneration.

There are 3 requirements that need to be complied to become a Registered Nurse viz., a degree, license and experience. Two types of LPN to RN programs are Associate of Science [A.S] in Nursing degree and Bachelor of Science in Nursing [B.S.N] degree. The duration of the programs varies with an A.S taking around 1-2 years and B.S.N spanning around 3-4 years depending on school. These are transition programs for LPNs to bridge gap of curriculum between an LPN and RN. As a result, LPN experience is a must.

Course content of these programs revolves around algebra, microbiology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, psychology, computers and statistics which meet general education requirements. Additionally, nursing courses in theory and clinical practice are also designed to meet degree and licensing requirements. After completing applicable LPN to RN programs, individuals can take the certification exam at the national level. On passing the exam, they can be licensed as Registered Nurses and practice accordingly.

Career outlook for Registered Nurses is quite bright with the increase in health care and the need for highly qualified professionals. Registered nurses earned 50 percent more than licensed practical nurses based on median national incomes as of 2006.

University of Phoenix and Lincoln Technical Institute provide “best in class” education backed by strong academic credentials. Kaplan University and Everest Institute are equally reputed and provide flexible programs that are customized to fit students’ schedules. South University completes the list with programs that focus on positive students’ experience.

LPN stands for Licensed Practical Nurse. Individuals interested in becoming LPNs need to possess at least a high school diploma or GED to qualify into the LPN program of approximately 1 year duration. Post completion of LPN program, they can take and pass the National Council Licensure Examination or NCLEX-PN to become LPNs.

Though the demand for LPNs is high, yet the opportunities provided by RNs or Registered Nurses career are even more attractive. To move into the role of RNs, Bachelor’s degrees in Nursing are a minimum requirement which take around 3-4 years. However, LPN to BSN programs can be completed in comparatively shorter time frames. These programs therefore allow nurses to build nursing experience while completing their BSN qualifications.

Several institutions offer LPN to BSN programs through campus and online modes. However, practical exposure is a must for either channel. Course curriculum typically covers medical ethics, anatomy and physiology, nursing management, pharmacology, research in nursing, nutrition and health, human resource management, abnormal psychology, chemistry, health care management, professional nursing and microbiology lab. Moreover BSN programs allow LPNs to choose specializations.

Career prospects are extremely bright for nurses who complete LPN to BSN programs and reflect in higher pay, responsibilities, choice of specialties and diverse career opportunities. Post LPN to BSN programs, LPNs can take and pass the appropriate licensure exams to become Registered Nurses or RNs. This is a natural career progression. Registered nurses earn a little better than 50 percent more than licensed practical nurses based on median national incomes of 2006.

University of Phoenix and Lincoln Technical Institute offer top notch programs for students followed by Kaplan University and Everest Institute providing “best in class” education. South University focuses its programs on positive student experience.

Today Registered Nursing (RN) is one of the most respected professions in the health care industry. It is considered as well-recognized and rewarding occupation which involves a high level of training. The best advantage of becoming a registered nurse is that you can choose from a variety of specializations in the field of nursing. Once you become a registered nurse you become suitable for holding different nursing supervisor positions. Besides this, if you are confident and carry the skills to share your knowledge with others then health educator can be yet another option. RN is definitely one of the best career options in nursing that can offer some of the best profitable rewards.

Obtain a RN Degree

In order to obtain a degree or attain a license as a registered nurse all you require is to start with a 2 year Associates Degree in Nursing. You may even make a right start in the field of nursing by getting a Bachelors Degree in nursing which usually takes about 4 – 5 years to complete. After qualifying from these exams, you need to appear for a national certification exam National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) which is administered by each state. This will give you a Registered Nurse certification. But, if you are working as LPN who has gained some experience and knowledge then you may opt for LPN to RN transition program.

LPN to RN Transition Program

A LPN to RN transition degree program is generally meant as an articulation course for licensed practical nurses (LPN) to become registered nurses (RN). This is a program designed for qualified Licensed Practical Nurses who wish to become Registered Nurses with little repeat of course content and credits. So, if you are a LPN then by availing this program you can obtain advance credits for your RN programs.

This program can be generally described as a three-credit course. Once you complete this course you earn around 15 credits for your RN degree. These advance credits can help you spend less time and effort in acquiring a RN degree. However, even after successful completion of the LPN to RN program, you will still require to satisfy NCLEX-RN – certification examination before they will be issued an RN license.

LPN to RN transition program is definitely an excellent career option to boost up your career. Today, in fact there are many accredited universities that offering “online LPN to RN programs”. But, you need to keep in mind; generally nursing school and universities often change their offerings. Choose a LPN to RN program that offers you the freedom to manage your work and studies. Look for programs that offer you the course on reduced fees or if you qualify for a fee reimbursement.

Taking a LPN to RN program certainly let you towards a future of exciting job opportunities and higher pay that must not be ignored.

Today a Licensed Nursing job is in great demand. Selecting a career as a Licensed Practical Nurse can offer you rewarding employment opportunities. In fact, in the next few years, it is projected that the job opportunities in this profession will further boom and may increase by at least 14 to 15%.

Being a licensed practical nurse, you will attend to patients and as per the circumstances your responsibilities may include gathering patient health information, applying dressings and bandages, feeding patients and collecting lab samples for testing. In addition to this, you will also assist patients with their personal hygiene, and at times may even require providing massages or rubs to the patient. Choosing this profession also will let you work as a visiting nurse for those families who usually favor to keep their family member at home.

So, if you are thinking of how to become a LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) then you must know that this role would be emotionally and physically demanding. Moreover, as an individual you need to carry the will power to serve people. Here is step-by-step procedure that can help you understand the procedure to become LPN.

Step.1

Complete a LPN Training Program

The first gateway for you to enter the career in this licensed practical nursing field is by completing a LPN training program. You can get this training program at Community Colleges or Vocational Schools. The training normally takes 1 year and requires a high school degree or a GED. However, you must note that the program you choose get approved by their state’s Board of Nursing in order to qualify you for nursing practice.

The best place to look for your training can be at the NAPNEs (National Association for Practical Nurse Education and Services). This is the oldest organization of practical nursing education which concentrates on producing both practical and vocational nurses.

Earn a LPN degree from a LPN nursing college

You may even go for or earn a proper LPN degree directly from a LPN nursing college. Usually the college’s LPN program engages 1 to 2 years of study and training at hospital, community college or any health care facility. The LPN curriculum requires that you as the student learn and apply critical thinking in an actual heath care settings. Courses include anatomy and physiology, pediatric nursing, medication calculation, medical surgical nursing, nutrition, psychiatric nursing and CPR.

Step.2 Pass the LPN Licensing Exam

After you have completed your LPN training program or receive your license as an LPN, you also require passing the NCLEX-PN Certificate Examination. If you manage to pass the NCLEX-PN, then you can start practicing as a practical nurse. You need to pass this certificate examination to become nationally certified. But, again you must keep in mind that the requirements for nursing license are different from one state to another. Individual states administer this exam to qualifying candidates.

Finally, as a licensed practical nurse (and vocational nurse), you can receive up to $35,000 a year upon graduation, depending on where you are located and what type of medical facility you work in.

Being a LPN, you can also continue your studies to become a registered nurse, as many nursing colleges offer specialized LPN-to-RN degree programs. If you wish to earn the credentials as a registered nurse, then online nursing program may be a good option as it helps you earn online degree without any need to give up your current job. Today there many accredited online nursing colleges offering online programs that include LPN-to-RN or LPN-to-BSN, you can choose any of them but make sure your selected nursing program is approved at your state.

Conclusion

Definitely, the professionals and personal rewards offered by this profession are incomparable. With an exploding job market and career opportunities opening up in a range of industries, this licensed nursing arena is calling out to candidates who are ready to work for those who are in need of care.

Are you one of those who feel great satisfaction while helping people who are in distress? Or do you have deep interest in making your career in health care industry dealing directly with patients then LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) is a career meant for you. Today nursing job is great in demand in different parts of the world, not in big cities but in smaller cities as well. So, if you thinking about making your career as LPN then its time that you make a clear note that choosing this career offer you great employment opportunities as its necessity is going to increase every year. Practical Nursing is one of the most demanded positions in the 21st century.

The career prospect for LPNs is definitely brighter and high in comparison to all phase of nursing. In fact in coming few years it is predicted that job opportunities will increase by at least 15%. The majority of these will be in home healthcare settings and skilled nursing homes. The major problem that many leading health centers or hospitals face these days is the growing population of patients continuously. As a result due to shortage of proper trained and licensed practical nurses, many of them are discharging patients before time. Ultimately the need for more licensed professionals to care patients is growing to increase further.

Apart from this the best part of an LPN job is that you can get to learn so much. This is the one of the few nursing professions in which you are in a direct contact with the patients to the fullest extent. Being a licensed practical nurse you are responsible for several aspects of the patient’s treatment process, right from the phase at which vital signs are taken till the recovery after operation and discharge procedure. Work duties can also include feeding patients, collecting samples and providing patient hygiene. Over the past few years, licensed practical nursing has turn out to be one of the better paying jobs. What makes these jobs more attractive is the fact that it offer a very good scope to get into contractual jobs. You can easily get contracted jobs to look after patients in their homes. If you are lucky enough, you may easily get such contracts at much higher pay, though at times there may be a bound contract for some length of time.

So, now in order to become a licensed practical nurse, you should have proper diploma or degree from Practical Nursing Collage or School. Besides this, for those who are graduates must complete a state approved practical nursing program and pass a licensing examination. Moreover, an LPN certificate can be accomplished in less than a year. Course work in the LPN program primarily includes subjects like physiology, obstetrics, pediatrics nutrition, biology, anatomy, first aid and nursing training classes.

Today selecting a profession as a licensed practical nurse has generated tremendous scope for professional development. If you have the qualities required to be a nurse and want a decent paying job, getting an LPN degree in nursing is surely one if the best ways to secure your professional future.

Working as an Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) can be a rewarding career option for many among us. Find out more about the range of the salary you can make while working as a LPN.

Licensed Practical Nurses or LPNs provide the basic bedside care for those who are sick, injured and convalescing. They do this under the guidance of physicians and registered nurses. The typical responsibilities of an LPN involve giving injections, taking the vital signs, dressing wounds, performing basic diagnostic checks and administering medications to the patients. You will also be involved in taking care of patients by treating bedsores, providing alcohol massages or rubs, feeding patients and monitoring their food and liquid input and output.

As an LPN, you can also specialize in the different fields of surgery, obstetrics, psychiatry and pediatrics.

To study become an LPN, you will have to have your High School Diploma, and then graduate from an accredited LPN program. You will then have to pass the National Council License Examination. Usually, your training program will include at least one year of training at a vocational technical school or a community college. The different subjects you will study in this course include chemistry, biology, anatomy, psychology, first aid, emergency medical technology, physical education, nutrition and food, child growth and development. You will also be involved in supervised clinical practice in patient care. Typically these programs take about a year to complete. You will need to keep on renewing your license every year with different continuing education courses.

LPNs work in several healthcare facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes, private homes, mental health institutions, public health departments and community health clinics. You can also work at outpatient facilities and at long term care facilities.

Depending on the salary scales offered at the place where you work, as an LPN you can have an annual salary ranging from $35,000 to $40,000 or more. The salary range will depend on factors like the number of years of your work experience and the location of the job.

Thus, you can find a very rewarding career option working as a Licensed Practical Nurse.

With the life expectancy of the elderly increasing, the number of senior citizens unable to care for themselves, or families not being able to provide the essential care at home, nursing homes and assisted living facilities are rapidly popping up all over. Hospitals and doctors offices are seeing an increase of patients due to the new studies, infections, and diseases being discovered every day. Nursing is one of the most demanded positions in the 21st century. Nurses will always be needed.

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)

LPNs work in all areas of the healthcare field: nursing homes, sub acute rehabilitations, hospitals and doctor’s offices. In long and short term nursing facilities LPNs pass medications, evaluate residents upon admission. During routine follow-ups, LPNs determine the patient’s needs and develop care plans. They also oversee nurse’s aides. LPNs in a doctor’s office duties include making appointments, taking vital signs when a patient arrives for an appointment, being responsible for keeping medical records up to date, and additional office duties. Some LPNs work as visiting nurses for those families who chose to keep their family member at home but cannot provide necessary care that a trained medical professional can. They visit patients at their home to take vital signs and look for any changes that would need to be reported to a doctor. LPNs also teach family members how to administer medicines, prepare foods if there is a specialty diet required, and perform care on the patient when there is not a caregiver a the home.

Education for an LPN would include a one-year program with a state approved training program. This would include classroom study and clinical education from one of the thousand of nursing schools worldwide. After finishing the program, students would be required to pass a licensing exam known as the NCLEX-PN.

LPN Salary Ranges from $28,000 to $50,000 and are determined by factors such as setting, region, and experience. LPN salaries prior experience as a Certified Nurse’s Assistant (CNA) or patient care associate in a hospital and/or skilled nursing facility can increase the starting salary and provide experience in the field giving that extra foot in the door when when searching for an LPN position.

Job Outlook for LPNs is high as in all phases of nursing. Over the next ten years it is predicted that job opportunities will increase by at least 15%. The majority of these will be in home healthcare settings and skilled nursing facilities. Due to the growing elderly population and hospitals discharging patients before they can thrive at home, the population of people entering a skilled nursing facility, whether for short term or long term care, continues to grow. This requires the need for more licensed professionals to care for them.