Earn An LPN DegreeThere are already 700,000 people in the US who are working as licensed practical nurses and the number is growing. This is an indicator of how profitable it must be to earn an LPN degree. If you have any kind of passion for the nursing profession, this is the way to begin your journey into the career. Becoming an LPN is the way you test the waters of the nursing profession and see if you want to dive into it or not. To become an LPN, you will need to get qualified first. The traditional brick and mortar schools are the best places to begin. The prerequisites are a high school diploma or a GED in most states. But these are only the bare minimums. You will need to go in for an entrance examination to prove that you are capable for the training you are looking for. However, this qualifying examination is usually not too difficult. The two common subjects in this examination conducted across the nation are English and Math. The math that the candidates are tested for is of the college level. Some states also have some basic questions asked on science subjects, usually Anatomy, Physiology and General Human Biology. The course material of the LPN courses also varies from state to state and even from one school to another. Generally, the subjects included in a typical LPN program will contain English, Math, Psychology, Microbiology and Physiology, but there can be variations. Different institutions will have different stipulations for hands-on practice too. But the main thing is the various perks you get when you become an LPN. The course is just of a year (in rare instances it will stretch on to two years), but there is great scope once you finish it. The profession gives you good insight into what the nursing career is really about. You get to sample the nature of the tasks and responsibilities involved in the profession and what really goes into becoming a good nurse. Most importantly, this is your chance to get involved in the human side of things. LPNs have to interact with patients and their families and this is a good eye-opener to this side of the profession. The LPN is the profession from where various nursing profession routes diverge. Once it is on your resume that you are an LPN, you are free to pursue training and then job offers for other nursing divisions. Becoming a registered nurse from a licensed practical nurse is quite easy too. Since you have already worked as an LPN, you will know better whether you want to go ahead and become an RN or not. The wages are great too. Qualified LPNs can earn $30,000 to $45,000 a year, depending on their level of expertise. As they keep enhancing their qualifications, this salary is only bound to increase. Thus, there are various professional and material perks and benefits that you get when you earn an LPN degree, which in itself is not quite difficult. If you are still on the fence about joining the profession, you can count yourself in. It is not a bad place to be in. |