Licensed Vocational Nurse / Licensed Practicing Nurse (LVN/LPN) Career Resources

Licensed practical nurses (LPN's), or licensed vocational nurses (LVN's), care for the sick, injured, convalescent, and disabled under the direction of physicians and registered nurses.

Most LPN's and LVN's provide basic bedside care, taking vital signs such as temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and respiration. They also prepare and give injections and enemas, monitor catheters, apply dressings, treat bedsores, and give alcohol rubs and massages. LPN's and LVN's monitor their patients and report adverse reactions to medications or treatments. They collect samples for testing, perform routine laboratory tests, feed patients, and record food and fluid intake and output. To help keep patients comfortable, LPN's and LVN's assist with bathing, dressing, and personal hygiene. In States where the law allows, they may administer prescribed medicines or start intravenous fluids. Some LPN's help deliver, care for, and feed infants. Experienced LPN's and LVN's may supervise nursing assistants and aides.

In addition to providing routine beside care, LPN's and LVN's in nursing care facilities help evaluate residents’ needs, develop care plans, and supervise the care provided by nursing aides. In doctors’ offices and clinics, they also may make appointments, keep records, and perform other clerical duties. LPN's and LVN's who work in private homes may prepare meals and teach family members simple nursing tasks.