LVN License
To become an LVN or Licensed Vocational Nurse, you will need to have college training that includes subjects such as biology and chemistry. You will also have to study anatomy, certain types of math, office skills, communication skills and patient care. To get a license as an LVN, in addition to the above courses, it is mandatory that you attend one year of training into a hospital. The entire course usually takes approximately two years to finish. Only after passing the required college tests and then going on to pass the State test of certification for your state will you be given a license to be an LVN. Colleges that offer the courses you need to obtain an LVN license are numerous throughout the country.
An LVN license does not mean that you are a registered nurse, but one step down from being one, so if you would like to go on to school later, having your LVN license will allow you to attend RN classes for a shorter amount of time then someone who isn't an LVN. Working as an LVN usually means that your supervisor is an RN, although you will also be in contact with doctors if needed. Care given by an LVN to the patient includes administering medications, starting and removing IV's, and in some states, drawing blood. Note that all states are different in what they allow or don't allow LVN's to do as far as patient care is concerned. You may be in charge of the CNA's in your group which puts you in a supervisors position.
Most LVN's work in either a hospital or a long term care nursing home. Some choose to work in the Home Health field, or you can find many doctors offices that use the services of an LVN. You can also be trained for a specific area of the hospital, such as the surgery unit. You may also be expected to do other jobs such as bathing patients and making sure the rooms are ready for new patients.
Obtaining an LVN License will ensure that you have a stable job, for they are in high demand all across the country. It has become a very popular job to train for because of the shortage of nurses. Working as a licensed LVN entails a lot of hard work, so you must be have good people skills, patience and a sense of compassion. There may be times when you feel you are being asked to do work that is beneath you, but if everyone helps each other, the flow of work goes much more smoothly for all the nurses involved. LVN's are especially in demand in nursing homes or long term care facilities. You will usually receive a higher pay rate in this setting . If you have specialized training in working with the elderly, you will more then likely be able to get a very good high paying job in a nursing home setting.
Doctors like to hire LVN's because they know they are highly trained, but don't earn quite as much as an RN does, thus the doctor knows his patients receive professional care, yet he saves money. If you are hired to work in a doctors office you will be expected to take vital signs which include blood pressure, respiration and pulse. You will also be expected to weigh and measure the patient and enter their chief complaint. You will be expected to do charting and even answer phones when needed. Getting your LVN license can be a rewarding career choice.
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