A Licensed Practical nurse is the person who shoulders the responsibility of taking care of the patients in any facility like hospitals, under the supervision and guidance of a registered nurse or a physician. A licensed practical nurse’s job involvs a huge responsibility as well as the education behind the work. The right attitude is also required to cope up with the stress attached to this job. There are some eligibilities that needs to be fulfilled in order to get the job of a licensed practical nurse and below are the details as far as your education is concerned , you need to take up the state approved training program. Such programs are offered by technical, vocational, junior or the community colleges, in some cases , certain hospitals and high school also can offer that. You at least should have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for the training. The training takes approximately a year to complete.
You will get exposed to the classroom instructions that include physiology , nutrition, nursing concepts and patient care; and will also be a part of hands on experience while working under supervision in a facility like hospital.
Something which is very essential to do is to take up and pass the licensure exam that is, NCLEX-PN, which is administered by the National Council of State Board of Nursing and is taken online. You will be tested on health promotion and maintenance, physiological integrity, safe and effective care environment and psychosocial integrity.
Other minor but important requirements are to have a good decision making abilities, observation, team spirit, and interpersonal communication skills. You should have care and empathy in your attitude to be able to take up stress and be calm. Always stick to the rules , if you want to excel in this field and then the sky is the limit.