LPN Career Guide: Requirements, Salary & Job Outlook

Licensed practical nurses work under the supervision of physicians and registered nurses, often providing basic bedside care. Job opportunities for licensed practical nurses are projected to grow faster than average, especially in nursing care facilities and home health care services. In 2006, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the LPN's median annual earnings at $36,500.

Things You'll Need

• A high school diploma or a GED

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Instructions

• 1

  Enroll in a yearlong training program offered at technical and vocational schools or community and junior colleges. You may also find programs at high schools, hospitals, colleges and universities.

• 2

  Attend class and supervised clinical practice. In the classroom, you will learn about basic nursing concepts such as caring for a patient, administering drugs and providing first aid. Clinical practice usually takes place in hospitals.

• 3

  Take the licensing exam, the NCLEX-PN. It is a computer-based exam covering the following four topics: safe and effective care environment, health promotion and maintenance, psychosocial integrity and physiological integrity.

• 4

  Advance to become a charge nurse, overseeing other LPNs and nursing aides, or a registered nurse through an LPN-to-RN training program.