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Do you want more - become an LPN or an RN

By E Anthony Gove

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 21Apr2009 Word count: 569 Viewed: 644 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

Healthcare industry is vast and careers in healthcare industry are enormous. Among them, there are people who are direct caregivers to the patients. These professionals are known are Certified Nursing Assistants, Personal Care Assistants, Home Health Aides, Nurse's Aides and many other titles based on the region and work environment they are involved in.

Certified Nursing Assistants are available wherever there is a need for personal care. They are present in hospitals, nursing homes, health centers and even personal homes. They care for the basic needs of the patients and work under the supervision of a nurse. They are also responsible to provide vital information on the patient's health to the nurse periodically. CNA's are always on demand and they prove extremely beneficial as experienced CNA's can cope with staffing shortages very easily as this is normal in their profession

The next transition for a CNA might be to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). If a CNA works in the field long enough and find that they would like to make this a career. Most will search online for information.

A LPN is a trained nurse compared to a CNA and is capable of performing simple and complex medical procedures as well as hand out medications. They are also known as Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN). A LPN works either under a Registered nurse (RN), physicians' assistant or a doctor.

CNA to LPN program generally takes 12-18 months. Students are required to attend classroom sessions and clinics for practical experiences. This training is flexible and can be attended during weekends or during evenings. This makes it easier for the working CNA to continue her job too while learning. The basic requirement for this training is high school or a CNA.

Online programs: Online programs are also available for students who are unable to attend classes. They have the same requirements as a regular program. The main difference is that when you opt for online programs, you can choose your class timings according to your wish. The practical classes are conducted through video presentations.

How can a LPN become a RN?

The next step is the RN course. The Associate Degree for RN takes three semesters while the Bachelor's Degree would take six semesters to complete. Earning credits for Associate or Bachelor's would allow the student to take the state RN Licensure examination.

Online programs: Many schools provide the Associate's degree online. The student completes non-clinical course work through online classes and clinical sessions are arranged at a medical facility near the student's home. It is important that the student insure that they have the appropriate medical uniform for the institution.

Uniforms

Most hospitals require CNA, LPN and RN to wear a medical uniform. Most employers provide uniforms or allowances to purchase medical uniforms. You can also claim the amount from the tax if you are asked to purchase the medical uniform yourself. The basic idea behind providing a medical uniform is to let patients know who is who. It is always a great idea for patients to know who is caring for them. This also creates less confusion in the hospital as patients can address their issues to the concerned person. Generally, RN's wear white scrub sets or blue scrub sets, LPN's wear burgundy and CNA's wear green scrub sets. The colors vary from one organization to another.

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