Online LPN Degrees

What Is a Vocational Nurse?

A licensed practical nurse (LPN) or licensed vocational nurse (LVN) cares for sick, injured, or disabled patients under the direction of physicians or registered nurses. They may perform basic medical tasks, such as checking the patient's temperature, blood pressure, or pulse, or they may prepare and give injections, apply dressings, treat bedsores, help a patient with bathing or dressing, and in some states they're allowed to administer medications or start IVs. In physician's offices, they might also perform some clerical duties.

What Training or Degree Does a Vocational Nurse Need?

You must graduate from an accredited program and then pass an exam, called the NCLEX-PN, to obtain your license. Prerequisites for enrollment include a high school diploma or its equivalent.

Generally you can find an accredited program at a vocational school or community college, although some hospitals and universities offer them as well. The training lasts approximately one year and includes:
•    Nursing concepts and patient care
•    Anatomy
•    Physiology
•    Medical-surgical nursing
•    Pediatrics
•    Obstetrics
•    Psychiatric nursing
•    Administration of drugs
•    Nutrition
•    First aid
•    Clinical practice inside a hospital or other health care setting

You can advance to become a registered nurse through an LPN-to-RN training program, or become a supervisor of other LPNs and nursing aides.

Career Outlook and Salary Ranges

Job prospects for a vocational nurse should increase about as fast as the average for all occupations, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. An average LPN can earn around $33,970 annually.