A career in licensed practical nursing shows a lot of potential in terms of the occupation's job outlook, financial security, and stability. It estimated that the high demand for licensed practical nurses, or LPNs, will continue through the year 2016. There is a growing need for LPNs, especially in nursing home facilities and physician offices.
It is imperative that LPNs continuously acquire new and advanced clinical skills and knowledge in the field of nursing. LPNs in the past were frequently not able to attain the education and training that they needed because of the demands and stresses of the job. Thus, job opportunities became limited. But because of the latest technological advances in computers and information technology, LPNs and prospective LPNs can access training and obtain certification through online LPN programs and LPN-RN bridging programs, anytime and anywhere, at their own pace.
The creation of online LPN courses is the response by various educational institutions to the increasing need of LPNs in the field of health care management. To ensure that LPNs can continuously acquire new skills, these learning institutions modeled the curriculum in online LPN programs after traditional LPN classes. Community and junior colleges, universities, hospitals, and technical or vocational schools offer online LPN classes to LPNs who have met their requirements. The modules for each course are accessed through the internet at anytime and each module represents a number of credit hours. Some modules are entirely completed online, whereas others require the students to travel to different health care facilities and complete the required number of hours in developing and enriching their technical and clinical skills in patient care. Through clinical practicum, students are able to incorporate theories and apply knowledge to actual clinical settings. LPN students are supervised and evaluated by experienced licensed practical nurses. It is worth mentioning that, though students can learn at their own pace, it is important to complete these courses within a given time frame. Thus, it is essential that before choosing to register in any online LPN program, students must learn how to manage their time and consistently practice self-discipline.
Online LPN classes include courses in anatomy and physiology, obstetrics and maternal care, pediatrics, human growth and development, medical-surgical nursing, psychiatric and mental health nursing, first aid training, nutrition and dietetics, management, training and counseling, client and family education, drug calculation and administration, community health, case findings and management, and executing nursing treatment regimen classes.
For LPNs wanting to pursue a bachelor of science in nursing, they are also required to finish online LPN-RN courses within a given time frame. Clinical practicum and hands-on experience in patient care and management in actual clinical settings is a must to develop and improve their skills. Online bridging programs usually include the following classes in the curriculum: health assessment, clinical practicum, advanced nursing, and role development.