What is an LPN?

LPN stands for "licensed practical nurse". This type of nurse usually works under the supervision of a registered nurse and can be responsible for a variety of caretaking tasks, including patient feeding, medical record updating, patient call answering, and vital sign monitoring. In some states, an LPN is allowed to administer intravenous medication as well. In California and Texas, an LPN is referred to as an LVN (licensed vocational nurse). On the nursing hierarchy, an LPN takes on more responsibility than a certified nurse assistant, but not quite as much as an RN.

Becoming an LPN

In order to become an LPN, one must hold his/her high school diploma or equivalent and then complete a two-year practical nursing program. Upon course completion, a candidate must pass the NCLEX-PN to become officially licensed as an LPN. LPNs can expect to earn approximately $16 per hour, which is the national average.

Comparing Online LPN Programs

There are many colleges that offer LPN training online, so that anyone can learn from home in his/her spare time without having to quit his/her job. Some things to consider when looking for an online LPN program include time flexibility, cost, prerequisites, and professor availability.

Ask yourself first how much spare time you have to study in an online LPN program. You should be able to complete your training online without having to sacrifice your day job. Maybe you also have family to consider. Additionally, you should be sure to look at cost to make sure that enrolling isn't going to put a huge dent in your budget.

Also be sure to consider any prerequisites that a program may have. Most online LPN programs will require nothing more than a high school diploma, but it never hurts to double check this. Also consider your computer system requirements as well. Make sure you have a reliable Internet connection and a sturdy Word processing program and you should be good to go.

Finally, it is usually helpful if you can get in touch with professors during the course of a class term. Some programs allow for more communication than others, so you will definitely want to consider this factor as well.