LVN’s day to day schedule includes giving the bedside care to the patients with the responsibilities of checking blood pressure, measuring temperature, polls and respiration, give injections and monitor patients.  There is a high demand for nurses not only in the United States but also everywhere across the globe. Statistics reveal that there is a shortage of well-trained vocational nurses in the current job market which might even double or triple in the coming years.

In order to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse, one needs to graduate from an approved educational institution, receive certain number of internship hours, as well as pass national certification exam. Most of the vocational schools offer an LVN Program and prepare graduates for the NCPLEX exam.  Some LVN schools offer shorter courses than others. It takes about 15-18 months and up to 2 years of training and internship to be able to become an LVN.

The type of work they do is challenging and fun, beneficial emotionally, mentally and financially, holds strong during recession, not only permits a person to self-actualize, but also is meaningful and significant for oneself and for others. Job roles of LVNs include and are not limited to the care of the sick and recovering patients. LVNs take care of the patient’s health by administering injections, collecting the samples for analysis, dressing applications and in some cases also performing laboratory testing and other lab work. In some states an LVN never starts and intravenous line, while in others they may be able to obtain IV certifications to perform this procedure. In areas where they don’t start IVs most LVNs can take blood and administer injections.

There are a lot of opportunities for LVNs and RNs…
Nursing is the largest health-care occupation and one of 10 occupations projected to have the largest numbers of new jobs annually. Some states report current and projected shortages of nurses, primarily due to an aging workforce and recent declines in nursing school enrollments. Faster than average growth also will be driven by technological advances in patient care, which permit nurses to treat more medical problems, and an increasing emphasis on preventive care. In addition, the number of older people, who are much more likely than younger people to need nursing care, is projected to grow rapidly.

A great thing about becoming an LVN is the fact that this career is a great stepping stone into the professional healthcare career…you can then take a course (so called Bridge program ) after you become an LVN and in less than 2 years become and RN – registered nurse…which is the career one step less than MD. Some RNs start their careers as licensed practical nurses or nursing aides, and then go back to school to receive their RN degree.

In management, nurses can advance from assistant unit manger or head nurse to more senior-level administrative roles of assistant director, director, vice president, or chief nurse. Some nurses move into the business side of health care. Their nursing expertise and experience on a health care team equip them to manage ambulatory, acute, home-based, and chronic care. Employers—including hospitals, insurance companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and managed care organizations, among others—need RNs for health planning and development, marketing, consulting, policy development, and quality assurance. Other nurses work as college and university faculty or conduct research.