What is an LPN?

Healthcare careers tend to be a sound investment. At the end of the day, they require highly marketable skills that are always in high demand. No matter where in the state or the country you live, people will always need healthcare professionals. But with so many different options, how do you know which one would be best for you? Specifically, what does being a licensed practical nurse (LPN) entail? What are the requirements to become one? What are the responsibilities? And, if you’re already an LPN, what are some of the benefits of working for our team at Sonas?

What is a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)?

A Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) is one of the most popular types of nursing — the other one being registered nurses (RN). However, being an LPN is very different than being an RN. An LPN provides nursing care under the supervision of a registered nurse or another healthcare professional. These responsibilities may include:

Medication administration per physician orders
Dressing changes
Feeding tubes
Inserting and irrigating NG tubes and Foley catheters
Wound care
Ventilation and tracheostomy care and suctioning endotracheally
Patient education
One-on-one nursing care in a home environment

These types of jobs can be performed by LPNs in any setting where healthcare services are provided. The most common settings include hospitals, nursing homes, medical offices, schools, universities, and home healthcare.

How to Become an LPN

Becoming an LPN requires completing an accredited practical nursing program at a community college or technical school. Courses include nursing and science courses, as well as supervised clinical experience, and it takes about a year to earn your certification.

Once you receive your certification, you have to take an examination known as the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX-PN). When you pass it, you obtain your license to work as an LPN. Since it takes a shorter amount of time to become an LPN, it’s a practical career choice for people who want to start working in healthcare sooner.

LPN Careers at Sonas

At Sonas Home Health, you can choose to work with adult or pediatric patients — and work as part of a team. We also strive to make the experience as positive as possible by matching our caregivers with clients’ specific needs and personalities. In addition, we offer employee benefits — based on certain measurement periods and available to eligible/qualifying employees. They are also provided to assist in managing the health of you and your family. These include:

Competitive pay
Flexible work schedules
Available shifts in 65 Florida counties
Paid time off
Medical, dental, and vision insurance
401K retirement plan with company match
Other voluntary products
Nurse Referral Bonus Program
Weekly pay
24/7 on-call support
CEU credits

If You’re Looking for A Career as an LPN, Contact Sonas for Home Health Care

If you’re a Licensed Practical Nurse licensed in the state of Florida, and you’re looking for career opportunities in a home health care setting, we’d love to hear from you. Visit our jobs page or contact us at (888) 592-5855 for more information.

Jillian Miller BSN, RN

Director of Nursing at Sonas Home Health Care

This blog was reviewed by Jillian Miller BSN, RN — Director of Nursing for Sonas Home Health Care’s Tampa Bay market — for clinical accuracy. Jillian Miller has been a nurse for 16 years — working primarily in pediatrics. She believes the best part of working with the pediatric population is when you see smiles from clients when you first enter the room. She loves seeing the difference you can make in families’ lives while providing the best care possible for them.