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Duties and Responsibilities of LPNs

Stephen Rampur
LPN duties and responsibilities consist of taking personal level care and basic bedside care of patients. We have provided basic information about such duties in detail.
Jobs in the medical field fall under mainly two catagories: 'Medical Care' and 'Medical Administration'. Those under 'Medical Care' are more in demand; the job of LPN being one of them.
Many people tend to consider that 'Licensed Practical Nurses' (LPNs) and 'Licensed Vocational Nurses' (LVNs) are different from each other and have different set of duties and obligations.
But, you need to note that the two of them are the same; it is just that they are referred to as 'LVN's in California and Texas; and as 'LPN's in rest of the United States. Duties and responsibilities of LPNs or LVNs consist of varied tasks that mostly include taking basic care of patients.

Duties and Responsibilities

It is important to note that all the duties and responsibilities of the nurse are carried out under the supervision and guidance of doctors. They can even work under the guidance of a Registered Nurse (RN).
LPNs take utmost care of bedridden patients and provide physical as well as emotional support to aid quick healing.
Their first duty is to gather all essential information from patients who are to be admitted and treated. This includes asking and documenting medical records, medical insurance, and other formalities that are done before the treatment and health checkups.
The nurse has to guide the patient through medical examinations. These examinations include checkups of the patient's current health, blood pressure, weight, heartbeat rate, respiration, and other specific tests for determining the problems.
The nurse studies the results of medical examinations, and provides the physicians with the same; after which the treatments and medications are decided. If the doctor suggests any medicines or injections, she is responsible of administering them to the patients.
Patient care also includes dressing up physical wounds of the patients. If she has got a good amount of work experience, she can be required to supervise the duties of Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs).
While the patient is admitted in the medical facility, the nurse has to take periodical urine samples for testing in the laboratory, in order to find out any improvement in the health condition.
The nursing professional is expected to discuss and guide the patient's relatives about how the patient is to be monitored and taken care of after being relieved from the hospital. LPN guides the relative about the kind of food that needs to be given to patient, and basic guidelines as to how to take proper care of him after being discharged from hospital.

Average Salary

The salary range depends significantly on the work experience, the facility of work, the state, and similar other aspects.
The salary of a LVN/LPN varies by state and city. While Connecticut is recorded to be the highest paying state for a LPN/LVN with salary range of $50,000-$56,000 per annum; Rhode Island and District of Columbia are second to Connecticut with a salary range of $49,000-$56,000 and $50,000-$56,000 respectively.
Inexperienced nurses can expect a pay ranging from $43,000-$46,000; which increases to $47,000-$56,000 after five to nine years of experience.
Considering the work of LPNs, it can be said that they are certainly helpful and essential medical assistants for patient care.