When you start nursing school, you might not have decided what kind of nurse you want to be. A popular choice is enrolling in career training for a licensed practical nurse (LPN) program in Detroit, which prepares you for entry-level nursing positions in various medical settings. As you gain more experience and education, you'll have opportunities to advance your career as an LPN.
In this article, you will learn about an LPN's job responsibilities, the skills needed, and how to become a licensed practical nurse.
Job Responsibilities–
A licensed practical nurse provides primary care to patients and monitors their vital signs. As an LPN, you will administer medications and injections, gather samples for lab tests, and also perform the standard tests. Moreover, you also need to monitor medical equipment and the patient's habits of eating, and drinking. An LPN's professional work centers on direct patient care. Some of the essential hands-on-duties that licensed practical nurses can perform include –
- Assisting with ADLs.
- Document care.
- Communicate among the multidisciplinary team.
- Measure vital signs.
- Dressing of wounds and change of dressings.
- Provide simple patient instructions.
- Assistance with minor procedures to other medical experts.
- Insert catheters.
In some places, LPN professionals can assist with more challenging processes, such as childbirth, administering prescribed drugs, and providing more thorough instruction to aid patients with at-home care. No matter where they work, LPNs work under RN supervision and guidance, who ensure they follow patient care plans and alert them to any changes or issues.
Steps to Become a Licensed Practical Nurse
To become an LPN, individuals need to graduate from accredited career training for a practical nurse program in Detroit, and secondly, they need to pass the NCLEX-PN exam.
Here we discuss the primary prerequisites for practical nurse licensing as well as the preparatory actions one must take to become a licensed practical nurse.
Finishing high school –
In high school, you must study biology, math, chemistry, and psychology to become an LPN. You can even take first aid, food, nutrition, or emergency medical technology classes at your high school. Entering the LPN training program with solid basics in math and science can benefit you succeed in your practical nurse career training program in Detroit, and these subjects can prepare you to handle the fundamentals of lab work, such as patient care, data collection, analysis, and lab safety.
Completing a practical nursing program –
To become an LPN, you must enroll in a program leading to an associate degree or a certificate in licensed practical nursing. Various hospitals and community colleges provide these courses. Completing an LPN program takes around a year.
Complete a clinical –
LPN professionals need to be physically strong, compassionate, and tactful. Clinical practice is an excellent way to acquire these abilities. Usually, your certificate or associate degree program's requirements include completing one or more clinical courses. It enables you to learn patient care techniques and gain practical experience doing routine duties like taking vital signs.
Get Licensed –
To work with patients, you need to be licensed. Clearing the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN), conducted by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, would also be the best option.
Consider Advancement –
You can apply for certification as an RN by pursuing a bachelor's degree in nursing. Greater responsibility and higher income come with being an RN. The BLS reports that in 2020, RNs made a median annual pay of $75,330, compared to LPNs of $48,820 per year. Moreover, you can appear for the NCLEX-RN exam, intended just for registered nurses.
Skills a practical nurse needs to possess –
A compelling blend of interpersonal and technical abilities is required for a job as a licensed practical nurse. LPNs continuously monitor patients recovering from an illness, accident, or surgery. Compassion, effective communication, and fundamental nursing abilities like treating wounds and checking vital signs are essential. Successful LPNs need to possess the following skills:
- Empathy – You need to counsel people in pain or under stress. Empathy can help you understand their situation better and meet their physical and emotional needs.
- Ability to work well as a team – Most likely, they will need to collaborate with RNs, doctors, and other LPNs. Working effectively with others is beneficial in this profession.
- Strong ethics – LPNs handle private information and documents. Moreover, they also offer primary care and physical hygiene requirements while maintaining privacy and moral standards.
- Physical stamina – As LPNs could spend most of the day standing. As an LPN, you could transport patients, help them get dressed, or carry out other physically demanding tasks.
- Attention to detail – An LPN needs to monitor a patient and their progress. So, attention to detail is essential when monitoring patients and tracking their status.
The aforementioned is key information on becoming a licensed practical nurse in Detroit. If you're looking for the ideal training facility for a licensed practical nurse career training program in Detroit, consult the career specialist team at Abcott Institute. Call (248) 440-6020 to consult with their professionals to learn more about the enrollment process.
