Are you interested in starting a rewarding career in the nursing field? You can begin your career as a licenced practical nurse (LPN) and work your way up to the position of chief executive officer.In order to become a LPN, you need to attend the basic courses and sit for the licencing examination in order to receive the Nclex certificate for sale certificate required to enter the nursing career field. Basically, there are five steps for you to become a Licensed Practical Nurse.
Step 1: Complete Your High School
Generally, one of the mandatory admission requirements for Licensed Practical Nursing programmes is a high school diploma.Therefore, you must make sure you complete high school and get the necessary certificate if you plan to study a nursing program.
Step 2: Complete a Practical Nursing Program
You need to sign up and complete a practical nursing programme before you can sit for a licencing examination to get the license. The programme consists of four basic courses: Practical Nursing I, II, and III; and Pharmacology. Once you have completed these courses, you can move on to step 3 for the clinical session. The four basic courses in the programme will qualify you to sit for a licencing examination once you have completed the clinical session in Step 3.
Step 3: Complete a Clinical
Hands-on experience and skills are important for you to succeed in this career field. These skills can only be developed during the clinical session. You must complete a period of practical training in one of our healthcare facilities or laboratories.During the clinical session, you will learn various techniques and apply the knowledge you have gained in the Practical Nursing Program to the real-world working environment.
Step 4: Obtain a License
In order to work as a LPN, you need to take and pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN). The license is issued by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (www.ncsbn.org). The licencing requirements vary from one state to another. So, you have to make sure you get the right licence for the state you plan to serve or work in.
Step 5: Consider becoming a registered nurse (RN).
Never stop as a licenced practical nurse because there are many opportunities for you to move to the next level for a more rewarding career with a brighter future in the nursing field. You can choose to pursue a bachelor’s degree in nursing and become a registered nurse (RN). Or, you can choose to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam, which lets you become a registered nurse (RN). An RN will have more responsibility and get higher pay.
With the availability of an online nursing degree, many schools are now offering the bachelor’s degree in nursing entirely online. You can choose to earn the degree online without giving up your work as a Licensed Practical Nurse. So, you may want to consider becoming a registered nurse once you have started a career in this field.
Summary
It takes the 5 steps mentioned in this article to start a nursing career, beginning with a Licensed Practical Nursing program. Following these steps will get you to become an LPN and enable you to have the opportunity to consider advancing your nursing career and becoming a registered nurse (RN).
