Licensed practical nurses (LPN) play a valuable role as a member the healthcare team by providing direct patient care and assisting in various healthcare settings. In long-term care facilities such as nursing homes, assisted living facilities, or rehabilitation centers LPNs provide direct patient care, administer medications, assist with activities of daily living, and collaborate with other healthcare professionals to ensure the well-being of residents. In hospitals, LPNs assist registered nurses (RNs) and other healthcare providers, perform basic nursing procedures, monitor patient vital signs, administer medications, and provide patient education. In home health care settings, LPNs provide healthcare services to patients in their homes. They perform assessments, deliver nursing care, monitor patients’ conditions, administer medications, and collaborate with physicians and other healthcare professionals to ensure continuity of care. Medical practices and clinics employ LPNs to assist physicians in providing patient care. LPNs may take vital signs, prepare patients for examinations, administer injections, perform basic laboratory tests, and provide patient education. Other settings where LPNs work include rehabilitation centers, home care and hospice setting, outpatient clinics, and urgent care centers.
LPNs provide nursing care under the direction of RNs or physicians. Their scope of practice generally includes tasks such as taking vital signs, administering medications (except for certain high-risk medications), dressing wounds, collecting samples for laboratory testing, and assisting with activities of daily living. They report any changes in patient condition or concerns to the supervising healthcare provider and collaborate with the healthcare team to ensure the well-being of patients. LPNs who wish to further their education and expand their scope of practice can pursue additional education to become a Registered Nurse (RN) through an LPN-to-RN bridge program.