The Baby Boomer generation once changed the face of American society, and they are about to do so again in a very different manner. This generation fought and won World War II, helped lead the economic boom of the 1950s, and a remaining few hold down critical jobs in our ever advancing technological society. Now however, the majority of the Baby Boomers are approaching old age and their sheer numbers are placing a great deal of stress on the system’s healthcare system. Representing the largest portion of the American population, Baby Boomers have pushed medical services and personnel to the brink in this country. As a result, healthcare providers across the country are in need of qualified individuals to fill critical positions such as that of licensed practical nurse.
Licensed practical nurses, LPNs, are also referred to as licensed vocational nurses (LVN) in the states of California and Texas. Regardless of the title they hold, LPNs and LVNs perform the same duties in many medical settings and have all completed degree programs with remarkably similar LPN curriculum.
When searching for a school to earn an LPN degree from, individuals need to first ensure that the institution they are considering attending has an LPN curriculum that has been accredited. Most states in the U.S. require prospective LPNs to graduate from a program whose LPN curriculum has been nationally accredited by one of the two following bodies:
- The National League of Nursing Accreditation Commission (NLNAC)
- The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
These two governing bodies have been approved by the U.S. Secretary of Education as acceptable accreditation bodies for the nation’s nursing education system. It is important that any program an individual considers has received accreditation from one or the other of these bodies because it shows employers around the country that the LPN curriculum students have completed meets baseline requirements for nursing education.
LPN curriculum can vary from school to school, both in its specific content and the length of time it takes to complete. LPN training is offered in a variety of settings including high schools, hospital certification programs, vocational/technical schools, and community colleges. The programs offered will vary depending up the institution. For example, high schools and hospital certification programs will offer students an LPN diploma program or certification program that could take as little as seven months.
By contrast, some vocational/technical schools and community colleges tend to offer an LPN curriculum that can take between one and two years to complete. The average LPN curriculum consists of two parts, classroom based coursework and a clinical practice rotation. The coursework component of any LPN curriculum can vary slightly from school to school, but the majority tend to contain classes such as:
- Basic Nursing Skills
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Nutrition
- Emergency Care
- Pediatric Nursing
- Obstetric Nursing
- Medical-Surgical Nursing
Before making any final decision about a school and its LPN curriculum, make sure to judge the nursing program as a whole as well. Asking yourself the following questions can help narrow down the school and LPN curriculum that fits your needs now and in the future:
- Does the school have a work placement program?
- Is the LPN school accredited?
- Does the school fully prepare students for the nursing certification exam?
- Does the school offer any LPN nurse specialty training?
Those who have completed an accredited LPN curriculum will find an exciting, fast-paced, and challenging career field awaiting them. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 785,000 LPNs were employed as of May 2008 and that number is expected to grow by 21% through 2018.