LPN Job Description

There are many different career opportunities in the healthcare industry and a nursing job is one of them. Being a medical job, it is not affected by global financial crises, which is why it is almost always in demand. Like any other profession, nurses are classified under different categories on the basis of their role and responsibilities. The two main types are Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) and the Registered Nurses (RNs). Before moving to the LPN job duties, let's introduce ourselves to the profession of licensed practical nurses.

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs)

LPNs are certified healthcare professionals who are responsible for providing basic patient care, working under the supervision of physicians and RNs. They provide services in all kinds of healthcare facilities such as private and public hospitals, offices of doctors, small healthcare settings, etc. In some states, these healthcare experts are also referred to as Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs). Let us look at the tasks included in the LPN job profile.

LPN Job Description

An Overview

• Monitoring patient's health condition
• Catering to hygiene needs of the patient
• Assistance in patient's medical examination
• Guiding patient's family for patient's aftercare

Supervised by
A doctor or a registered nurse

Supervises
CNAs

LPNs necessarily carry out their job duties under the supervision of either an RN or a doctor. An LPN collects information from the patients to be admitted; regarding medical records, medical insurance details, and helps in completing other pretreatment formalities. An LPN records health details of patients; which usually comprise blood pressure, body temperature, respiration and heartbeat rate among other vital signs. She helps the patient prepare for medical examinations and takes test samples from patients. She administers medicines and injections prescribed by the physician to the patients.

If the patient has external wounds on his body, she dresses the wounds regularly for quick healing. Treating bedsores is also an LPN's responsibility. Giving body rubs or massage also form a part of an LPN's job responsibilities. An LPN with a good amount of practical experience may be required to oversee the work done by Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs). After recording the medical condition of the patient, she informs the respective doctor about the same.

She takes care of the sanitary requirements of patients; which consist of bathing, dressing and similar other tasks related to personal hygiene. She feeds the patients and monitors their food and liquid intake and output. Monitoring catheters is also her responsibility. An LPN monitors the patients' health condition and reports changes in the same to concerned doctors. Once the patient is about to be discharged from the hospital, she informs family members of the patient about regular medications needed, the diet to be followed, and gives them the guidelines for patient care. These are the basic tasks in an LPN work day. The care and support she provides to the patients during their hospitalization is almost as important as the medical care they receive.

LPN Salary Range

Following will give you a general idea of the per annum salary range of an LPN. The salary classification is done on the basis of years of experience and state of employment.

Classification by Years of Experience (Based on data from Payscale)
Freshers: $20,000 to $40,000
1 - 4 years: $23,000 to $48,000
5 - 9 years: $24,000 to $51,000
10 - 19 years: $26,000 to $58,000
20 or more years: Above $50,000

Classification by State
Pennsylvania: $31,000 to $46,000
Ohio: $33,000 to $45,000
Florida: $31,000 to $45,000
Virginia: Up to $48,000
Georgia: Up to $50,000

This was some information on the LPN job responsibilities and salary range. Note that the aforementioned pay ranges are approximate figures and are subject to change. The job description of an LPN differs with the healthcare setting of employment. An LPN providing services in a big public hospital would generally have some more duties than one who is employed in a small private medical care facility.