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Career Exploration

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses

Also called: Charge Nurse, Clinic Nurse, Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN), Pediatric LPN (Pediatric Licensed Practical Nurse)

What they do:

Care for ill, injured, or convalescing patients or persons with disabilities in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, private homes, group homes, and similar institutions. May work under the supervision of a registered nurse. Licensing required.

On the job, you would:
  • Observe patients, charting and reporting changes in patients' conditions, such as adverse reactions to medication or treatment, and taking any necessary action.
  • Measure and record patients' vital signs, such as height, weight, temperature, blood pressure, pulse, or respiration.
  • Administer prescribed medications or start intravenous fluids, noting times and amounts on patients' charts.
On the job, you'll need:

Business

  • customer service
  • management

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Math and Science

  • psychology
  • arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics

Health

  • medicine and dentistry

Basic Skills

  • keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions

Social

  • looking for ways to help people
  • changing what is done based on other people's actions

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Verbal

  • communicate by speaking
  • listen and understand what people say

Ideas and Logic

  • notice when problems happen
  • make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information

Attention

  • do two or more things at the same time
  • pay attention to something without being distracted

Hand and Finger Use

  • hold or move items with your hands

Social

People interested in this work like activities that include helping people, teaching, and talking.

  • Cooperation
  • Concern for Others
  • Attention to Detail
  • Dependability
  • Integrity
  • Self Control

Medical software

  • eClinicalWorks EHR software
  • Epic Systems

Video conferencing software

  • FaceTime
  • Zoom

Electronic mail software

  • Microsoft Exchange
  • Microsoft Outlook

Video courtesy of CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for this position is Bright.

New job opportunities are very likely in the future. This career will grow rapidly in the next few years.

Median Annual Salary: $54,620

Education

Some college or certificate after high school is usually needed.