Licensed practical nurses, or LPNs, are vital members of the health care team. They are mainly tasked with providing routine bedside care to the ill and the injured under the supervision of physicians and registered nurses. Bedside care encompasses a wide-ranging number of roles and responsibilities in order to maintain continuous delivery of patient care. The responsibilities of LPNs might vary from one state or institution to another but, generally, they are responsible for the following tasks:
• Obtaining vital signs, such as temperature, blood pressure, pulse rate, and respiration rate. Any deviation from the normal values or any changes in the patient's condition is reported immediately the registered nurse for further assessment.
• Monitoring the patency of catheters, wound drainage and dressings, food and fluid intake and output, bedsores, and side effects and allergic reactions to medication.
• Performance of fundamental skills and non-complex medical procedures, such as enema administration, collection of laboratory specimens, and testing for routine laboratory workups.
• Administration of some prescribed medications, depending on the laws of the State; they cannot perform IV push and administer chemotherapeutic drugs.
• Assisting the patients in the activities of daily living, such as bathing and ambulation assistance.
• Patient and family education.
• Supervision of nursing assistants.
To be an LPN, one must initially complete 12 to 18 months of LPN classes, lectures, and supervised clinical rotations. There are numerous schools that offer accredited LPN programs. Institutions that offer LPN courses include technical and vocational schools, community colleges, hospitals, colleges, and universities. To be a good LPN, it is essential that students have a strong foundation on the basic nursing knowledge and skills.
Nurturing the sick requires strong endurance, dedication, and patience. Choosing a career in licensed practical nursing is not an easy road. It is hard enough to be an LPN but being a good one is much more difficult and demanding than most think. Each prospective LPN must be physically and emotionally ready to face the challenges of this occupation. In addition to education and training, one must have or develop the following qualities to be an efficient and competent LPN:
• LPNs must be emotionally, mentally, and physically capable of efficiently complete their responsibilities and tasks.
• A good LPN must always have a strong presence of mind to ensure that good and sound judgment is maintained at all times. Emergency and life-threatening medical conditions are alleviated or worsened based on the initial actions of the health care team.
• Nursing is a fast-paced environment with a lot of pressures and stressors, thus, LPNs must have the ability to work efficiently under pressure.
• LPNs work with people of different races, cultures, and religions. It is essential that in order to maintain high quality of care, LPNs are fair, open-minded, and respectful to different beliefs.
• LPNs must be flexible and easily adaptable to different situations. Health care is a dynamic occupation and being open to change is a must.
• They must be compassionate, sensitive, and dedicated to alleviate the pain and suffering of patients. Nurturing sick individuals can be a demanding task. There are times when patients are easily irritated and constantly demanding things that are out of the LPNs' control, thus, it is important to be understanding and patient in this field.
• LPNs must have good verbal, writing, and listening skills. To ensure that the best patient care is given, accurate exchange of information is vital.