An LPN Degree Opens Many Doors
An LPN
degree is a valuable asset to posess because licensed practical
nurses (or LPNs) are needed everywhere that medical care is provided; moreover, the outlook for nursing needs is great. Hospitals, health clinics, doctors'
offices, home-bound patients, and even cruise ships
need LPNs to assist doctors, handle records, attend to patients, and keep medical machinery running
smoothly.
There are many different specialties requiring LPN degrees:
Hospital Nurses: From
emergency rooms to geriatric care to surgery prep, hospital nurses do it all. LPNs working in hospitals are
responsible for drawing blood, reading vital signs, monitoring patients' reactions to medication, teaching families
how to care for sick or injured loved ones, feeding babies, and preparing IVs, as well as feeding, cleaning, and
dressing patients who are unable to do so for themselves. Hospital settings are a vital—but demanding—workplace
setting for those in the nursing profession.
Nursing Care Facilities: Nursing homes and palliative care facilities offer a slightly slower-paced, but no less
important, job front for LPN nurses. Licensed practical nurses perform many of the same daily tasks as hospital
nurses, but patients stay longer and may not be expected to make full recoveries. Nurses who work in nursing homes
and hospices must have exceptional patience and the emotional stoicism to face death and dying firsthand on a daily
basis.
Home
Care: Private care nurses perform some of the same tasks as
hospital and nursing care LPNs, but they do so in their clients' homes. Home care LPNs can be hired for short
visits (to draw blood, check blood pressure, or monitor other vital stats) or for long-term care (food, hygiene,
medication, and physiotherapy) for elderly, sick, injured, or disabled patients. Home care nursing is a
fast-growing area, with a rise in the number of elderly patients and the increasing capability to perform medical
tests and care outside of hospitals. An LPN
degree allows home care nurses to work independently with
minimal supervision, a very rewarding benefit for some people.
Office Nursing: Office
nurses work in medical clinics, doctors' offices, and non-hospital surgery centers. These nurses help to prepare
patients for examinations or surgery, assist doctors during surgery, handle injections or medications, and dress
wounds and incisions. The position may also include some administrative office work. LPNs who work in this type of
setting may have more traditional work hours with a lower stress level than nurses in hospitals or nursing
homes.
Military Nursing: The
military is always in need of skilled nurses. LPNs who wish to pursue a
military nursing job may be required to get additional training, or even a bachelor's degree in nursing. Military
nurses are consistently in demand in both peace and wartime, and the military will usually reimburse tuition for
LPN degrees when they receive additional training for active duty.
Travel
Nursing: Many interesting opportunities exist for LPNs who
wish to work in other states or in foreign countries. Nurses are in high demand in many parts of the world, and
many agencies will spend top dollar to send nurses on short-term remote assignments (typically ranging from 2 to 6
months). Travel nurses can find job opportunities across the U.S. and almost anywhere in the world, including
clinic assignments in other states, emergency health care in third world countries, and health centers on luxury
resorts and cruise ships.
Whether working in a quiet urban home setting or on a luxury crusie ship,
an LPN degree can
literally take you around the world.
For additional information, please see Workbook for Health Careers Today
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