Working World

« Back to all Career training Categories

Licensed Vocational Nurse

CAREER OVERVIEW

That dedicated person at the patient’s bedside checking blood pressure, administering injections, and bringing the tray of jello is that of a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN). Under the direction of physicians and registered nurses, LVNs care for people who are sick, injured, convalescent, or disabled by providing regular bedside assistance and monitoring. An LVN is the patient’s constant hands-on caregiver. This is not a career for the faint of heart; while this profession requires a lot, it repays daily by providing emotional satisfaction, ample career opportunities, and solid salaries for those who pursue this field. If your current job prospects are flatlining, and you think you’ve got the strength, sensitivity and dedication required of this career path, then Licensed Vocational Nursing might be your cure!

JOB OUTLOOK

• LVNs are in enormous demand as the US is still in the midst of a nursing shortage
• Our elderly population is growing, and with this increase comes a larger need for healthcare services
• The healthcare sector is continuing to expand, despite recent job losses in nearly all major industries

SHOW ME THE MONEY!

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics [bls.gov], the average salary in Los Angeles for an experienced LVN is about $50,000; salaries vary with workplace, and increase with additional skills

A DAY IN THE LIFE

• Measure and record vital signs, collect samples and perform routine lab tests
• Administer injections, monitor catheters and dress wounds
• Assist the patient with walking, bathing, dressing and eating
• Observe food and fluid intake and output, report adverse reactions to medications or treatments
• Create a day-to-day record of progress in a patient’s chart

YOUR WORKPLACE

Hospitals, nursing homes, doctors’ offices, home health and hospice agencies, outpatient care centers, community clinics, rehabilitation centers, mental health hospitals, and substance abuse clinics

TRAINING, DEGREES OR LICENSURE

LVN candidates can receive either a certificate that satisfies the requirements for licensure, or they can receive an Associates Degree. Certificate programs average about one year, while degree programs average approximately two years.

MOVIN’ ON UP

Continuing education is mandatory in order to maintain certification status. Some nurses use their LVN certification as a steppingstone to becoming a Registered Nurse, which requires further study.

TRAITS FOR SUCCESS

Emotional strength, compassion, the ability to manage stress well, keen observation skills, and communication skills. LVNs must also be able to make decisions and follow orders.

DID YOU KNOW?

During 17th-century Europe, nursing care was provided by those serving punishment; it was often associated with prostitutes and other female criminals serving time. It was not until Florence Nightingale, a well-educated woman from a wealthy family, became a nurse and advocated for the reform of medical conditions that people began to respect the nursing profession.