What are the Duties Performed by an LVN?

Are you wondering what the duties performed by an LVN are? First off, an LVN, or licensed vocational nurse, and an LPN, or Licensed practical nurse, are the exact same things. Some states favor one term over the other.

However, the duties that they perform are nearly identical and both require certification from the state itself. And just as the term can differ from state to state, so does the duties that they can perform.

What is an LVN?

No matter which term you use, the fact remains that these nurses are essential to providing care to those who are sick, and for assisting doctors with certain functions. For this, it takes someone who is caring and patient so that they can perform these duties with grace and professionalism.

What does an LVN do?

The duties performed by an LVN are numerous. A lot of what they do depends on what they are allowed to do according to the state where they became certified. For example, some states require additional certification in order to put an IV into a patient. Others states do not require the added certification.

They can also perform duties such as take blood samples, clean the patient’s rooms, bathe the patients, assist the doctors or other nurses with various functions, and give people injections. If you want to become an LVN and are wondering what kinds of duties you can perform in your state, you may want to check with the local schools or your local hospital to see what you need to do.

What can’t an LVN do?

In general, an LVN needs to be supervised by an RN, or a registered nurse. An RN can perform more duties than they can so a smooth running facility needs to have both types of nurses on staff. Even though LVNs in general like their jobs, some of them may become frustrated by their limitations. In this case, the next logical step is to become an RN – a process that takes a little longer but can be worth the effort.

What are the benefits to being an LVN?

There are a lot of benefits to being an LVN. For starters, it allows the nurse to get a job and start making a salary a lot sooner than if they went for their RN certification right away. Also, if someone is wondering if they want to pursue nursing as a career, becoming an LVN is a good way to test things out to see if you will truly like it. If you do, you can move on to become am RN, nurse practitioner, or even go to medical school if you enjoy the medical profession enough.

If you are thinking of becoming a nurse, an LVN, or Licensed Vocational Nurse, is a good choice. The duties performed by an LVN are important and crucial to the medical profession and the care of the patient. If you make the choice to become an LVN, you are on a path to have a very rewarding career.