Today a nursing job is in great demand. Choosing a career as a Licensed Practical Nurse can offer you immense employment opportunities as it is projected that the job prospects in this profession will further boom and may increase by at least 15% in the next few years. The career opportunities for Licensed Practical Nurses are definitely high in comparison to all phases of nursing. Besides this, over the last few years licensed practical nursing has become one of the better paying jobs.

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.

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