Become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
or Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN)

Working under the direction of physicians and registered nurses (RNs), LPNs and LVNs attend to patients in a number of ways. Depending on the nature of their job, they might:

• Take vital signs
• Gather patient health information
• Prepare and deliver injections
• Assist patients in personal hygiene tasks
• Collect lab samples and perform routine lab tests
• Help care for and feed infants
• Teach patients and family members about good health habits
• Supervise nursing assistants and aides

Licensed practical nurses bring their caring, sympathetic natures to patients in the following environments:

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that as of 2010, licensed practical nurses earned an average annual salary between $34,260 and $47,4000. Salary is based on industry and the following are the  annual salaries by industry, according to the BLS:

Employment of LPNs is expected to grow by 21 percent between 2008 and 2018, much faster than the average for other occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While opportunities will remain strong in hospitals, LPNs and LVNs can expect to find the greatest number of new nursing jobs in home health care services and nursing care facilities.

In addition, advanced medical technology has made it possible for patients to go to their doctor's office or an outpatient care facility for procedures that were typically performed only in hospitals in the past. Licensed practical nurses play a vital role in caring for patients who undergo such procedures and may offer assistance at the health care office as well as in the patient's home.

LPN nursing schools and educational programs typically involve one year of study and training at a hospital, community college or technical vocational school. Students should bear in mind that the program they choose must be approved by their state's Board of Nursing in order for them to qualify for nursing licensure.

After earning a nursing degree through a state-approved program, graduates must pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN). Individual states administer this exam to qualifying candidates.

Depending on the school, tuition costs for licensed practical nursing degree programs start in the $2,000 range, and many schools offer financial aid, grants and other avenues to help nursing students fund their education. Learn more about how to pay for nursing school.

If later on in your career you decide to become a registered nurse (RN) through an LPN-to-RN or LPN-to-BSN program, you can receive credit for the course work you completed during your licensed practical or licensed vocational nurse training. Plus, your experience as a nurse can help you test out of some classes, saving you time and money.

_{Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011
National Federation of Licensed Practical Nurses}