Rozina Aziz Learn about the role and responsibilities of a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) and how to pursue a career in this healthcare profession.
What is a Licensed Vocational Nurse?
Many care providers in hospitals are known as licensed vocational nurses (LVN), which also sometimes goes by the name of licensed practical nurses (LPN) or vocational nurses, and these individuals specialize in providing care for disabled, sick, and injured people.
It is common nurse for an LVN to provide primary bedside care for patients while reporting directly to an RN, MD, or mid-level practitioner. If you attend a vocational nursing school, you can anticipate to study the profession for approximately one to two years.
Upon finishing your program, you’ll have earned a certificate, diploma or associate degree. A licensing exam is also required for practicing. Vocational schools and community colleges throughout the United States allow students to enroll in formal vocational nursing programs. Students in this program will receive instruction in and out of the classroom.
This may include clinical rotations and other practical experiences. Nutrition, anatomy, physiology, pediatrics, first aid, obstetrics, pharmacology, and patient care may be covered in a medical school’s curriculum.
What duties are associated with a Licensed Vocational Nurse?
A licensed vocational nurse’s responsibilities may shift based on the organization where they are employed. Your primary responsibilities would be monitoring a patient’s vitals and administering simple nursing care.
Assess the situation and take vital sign indicators such as blood pressure, pulse rate, and respiration rate as needed. Besides supporting activities like dressing and bathing, home care LVNs can also insert and monitor catheters and change dressings.
A licensed vocational nurse (LVN) may also have managerial responsibilities for less experienced healthcare professionals. The individual may also be responsible for filling out insurance papers and maintaining patient records.
Where does a Licensed Vocational Nurse work?
Your LVN career could take you anywhere from a patient’s home to a classroom. Full-time employment is the norm for LVNs; however, flexible schedules are often possible. Weekend and night shifts are common. Nurses frequently work shifts over eight hours and are on their feet for extended periods.
An LVN can also find employment in the following settings:
- Emergency Rooms/Surgery Centers
- Therapeutic Institutions for Recuperation (Long Term Care, Skilled Nursing)
- Services That Provide Care at Home
- Hospitals and Clinics
- Ambulatory Centers
- Dialysis Facilities
- Blood Banks
- The Psychiatric Institutions
- Forensic Science Laboratories
- Prisons
- Career Nursing Courses
How to become a licensed vocational nurse?
Training, certification, and passing a licensing exam are all necessary steps to becoming a licensed vocational nurse. Training to get a certificate, diploma, or associate degree in nursing is required before applying for licensure as a vocational nurse. This process can take anywhere from one to two years.
Diploma equivalent
It would help if you had a high school diploma or the equivalent to enter training to become a licensed vocational nurse.
Authorized LVN training program.
Next, graduate from a nursing program that meets the state’s requirements where you intend to practice. LVN can do this in a medical facility, but most people choose to attend a local college or a vocational institute or study online.
After finishing an LVN program, students are typically awarded certificates or diplomas. Look up licensed vocational nurse (LVN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN) training programs in your area on the internet.
Students enrolled in an LVN program often receive theoretical and practical instruction in the fields of biology, nursing, pharmacology, nutrition, anatomy and first aid. They also gain clinical experience through hands-on work with patients.
Depending on your chosen program, your training could be up to two years. Depending on your state’s regulations, finishing an associate degree in nursing could be an alternative to a LVN training program. It usually takes students two years to finish an associate degree.
Gain Certificates
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing mandates that anybody seeking certification as a vocational nurse take and pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) after completing training approved by the state. This is a computer-based test of job-related information and skills.
training and certification programs
You can make yourself more marketable as a vocational nurse by getting more certifications and training on top of the basic education and license you to need. Professional nursing organizations offer certification programs in subspecialties like intravenous treatment, urology, oncology, nephrology, pediatrics, wound care, and breastfeeding.
Having different certificates is always a plus, and certain companies may even need them. They can also pave the way to higher-level managerial positions. Training programs are also available for those who wish to advance their nurse careers from LVN to RN.
Find employment
The growth for the licensed vocational nurse field is expected to be average, at 9% from 2020 to 2030. Care increases the demand for medical services. Vocational nurses will be in high demand as long as people continue to suffer from chronic illnesses.
There is a wide variety of employment opportunities for LVNs in the public and private sectors. This is because LVNs are needed in various settings, including hospitals, social care institutions, private clinics, and care homes.
What is the Average Salary of a Licensed Vocational Nurse?
The average compensation for a licensed vocational nurse is $48,880, which rises with experience. The BLS estimates a slightly lower average of $37,150 for 2020, with the top 10 percent earning over $63,790.
What types of employment opportunities are available to License Vocational Nurses?
Licensed vocational nursing (LVN) is common in the medical industry. The Skilled Nursing Facilities sector is the one that hires the most licensed vocational nurses, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Jobs in this industry were plentiful in 2020, with over twice as many openings as in any other medical setting. LVNs are in high demand in healthcare settings such as hospitals, clinics, and doctor’s offices. Home healthcare agencies and retirement homes are additional sources of employment in this sector.
Differences Between a Vocational Nurse, an RN, and an NP?
The level of education is the defining characteristic of these three RNs. A vocational nurse or LPN typically spends between one and two years in training.
After completing their nursing and earning their license, they will be ready to assist in various care settings. A registered nurse often holds a bachelor’s or master’s degree in nursing from an accredited institution. Similar to LVNs, RNs can find work in a wide range of healthcare settings and offer primary medical care.
In addition to providing direct care to patients, they also coordinate the efforts of other nursing professionals and may act as a supervisor to LVNs and other support staff. In the realm of public health, RNs regularly take on the role of educating patients.
An NP is a registered nurse with specialized nursing. A four-year university with a good reputation is required, followed by the graduate school. A nurse practitioner will evaluate patients, recommend tests, and create treatment regimens. They are also able to supply patients with medication required by their doctors.
FAQ’s
Is nursing a vocation or a profession?
They use Blum’s vocation model to argue that such jobs are socially articulated through behaviors that incorporate traditions, conventions, and multiple meanings (including economic, social, personal, and moral).
Should you become a licensed vocational nurse?
Without a bachelor’s degree, LVNs can enter the workforce and earn competitive wages. This is just one of the many positive aspects of working as a licensed vocational nurse. Though it varies with experience and location, the median LVN salary in the United States was $48,820 in 2020.
Is a BSN degree superior to an LVN degree?
Due to their greater education and experience, BSNs usually command higher compensation than LVNs. The current median annual pay for a licensed vocational nurse is $48,820, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average for a registered nurse with a bachelor’s degree or more is $75,330.
Is an LVN able to dispense medication?
Within the limits of their scope of practice, LVNs are licensed to provide nursing, such as the administration of drugs orally or intravenously.
