Licensed practical nurses (LPNs), or licensed vocational nurses (LVNs), care for people who are sick, injured, convalescent, or disabled under the direction of physicians and registered nurses. The nature of the direction and supervision required varies by State and job setting.
LPNs care for patients in many ways. Often, they provide basic bedside care. Many LPNs measure and record patients' vital signs such as height, weight, temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and respiration. They also prepare and give injections and enemas, monitor catheters, dress wounds, and give alcohol rubs and massages. To help keep patients comfortable, they assist with bathing, dressing, and personal hygiene, moving in bed, standing, and walking. They might also feed patients who need help eating. Experienced LPNs may supervise nursing assistants and aides.
As part of their work, LPNs collect samples for testing, perform routine laboratory tests, and record food and fluid intake and output. They clean and monitor medical equipment. Sometimes, they help physicians and registered nurses perform tests and procedures. Some LPNs help to deliver, care for, and feed infants.
LPNs also monitor their patients and report adverse reactions to medications or treatments. LPNs gather information from patients, including their health history and how they are currently feeling. They may use this information to complete insurance forms, pre-authorizations, and referrals, and they share information with registered nurses and doctors to help determine the best course of care for a patient.
LPNs often teach family members how to care for a relative or teach patients about good health habits.
Most LPNs are generalists and work in all areas of health care. However, some work in a specialized setting, such as a nursing home, a doctor's office, or in home health care. LPNs in nursing care facilities help to evaluate residents' needs, develop care plans, and supervise the care provided by nursing aides. In doctors' offices and clinics, they may be responsible for making appointments, keeping records, and performing other clerical duties. LPNs who work in home health care may prepare meals and teach family members simple nursing tasks.
In some States, LPNs are permitted to administer prescribed medicines, start intravenous fluids, and provide care to ventilator-dependent patients.
Work environment. Most licensed practical nurses in hospitals and nursing care facilities work a 40-hour week, but because patients need round-the-clock care, some work nights, weekends, and holidays. They often stand for long periods and help patients move in bed, stand, or walk.
LPNs may face hazards from caustic chemicals, radiation, and infectious diseases. They are subject to back injuries when moving patients. They often must deal with the stress of heavy workloads. In addition, the patients they care for may be confused, agitated, or uncooperative.
| 1. | Observe patients, charting and reporting changes in patients' conditions, such as adverse reactions to medication or treatment, and taking any necessary action. |
| 2. | Administer prescribed medications or start intravenous fluids, and note times and amounts on patients' charts. |
| 3. | Answer patients' calls and determine how to assist them. |
| 4. | Measure and record patients' vital signs, such as height, weight, temperature, blood pressure, pulse and respiration. |
| 5. | Provide basic patient care and treatments, such as taking temperatures or blood pressures, dressing wounds, treating bedsores, giving enemas or douches, rubbing with alcohol, massaging, or performing catheterizations. |
| 6. | Help patients with bathing, dressing, maintaining personal hygiene, moving in bed, or standing and walking. |
| 7. | Supervise nurses' aides and assistants. |
| 8. | Work as part of a health care team to assess patient needs, plan and modify care and implement interventions. |
| 9. | Record food and fluid intake and output. |
| 10. | Evaluate nursing intervention outcomes, conferring with other health care team members as necessary. |
| 11. | Assemble and use equipment such as catheters, tracheotomy tubes, and oxygen suppliers. |
| 12. | Collect samples such as blood, urine and sputum from patients, and perform routine laboratory tests on samples. |
| 13. | Prepare patients for examinations, tests or treatments and explain procedures. |
| 14. | Prepare food trays and examine them for conformance to prescribed diet. |
| 15. | Apply compresses, ice bags, and hot water bottles. |
| 16. | Clean rooms and make beds. |
| 17. | Inventory and requisition supplies and instruments. |
| 18. | Provide medical treatment and personal care to patients in private home settings, such as cooking, keeping rooms orderly, seeing that patients are comfortable and in good spirits, and instructing family members in simple nursing tasks. |
| 19. | Sterilize equipment and supplies, using germicides, sterilizer, or autoclave. |
| 20. | Assist in delivery, care, and feeding of infants. |
| 21. | Wash and dress bodies of deceased persons. |
| 22. | Make appointments, keep records and perform other clerical duties in doctors' offices and clinics. |
| 23. | Set up equipment and prepare medical treatment rooms. |
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