Difference Between LPN And RNMost people are familiar with nurses and their job roles. These nurses work in doctor's offices, hospitals, schools etc. Some of these nurses are lpns or licensed practical nurses while others are rns or registered nurses. To know the difference between lpn and rn read on! Kind Of Care Provided While lpns are mainly involved in the 'hands-on' aspects of patient care and attention, rns are involved with more advanced responsibilities as they have undergone an advanced level of training. Hence, in the sphere of patient care, administration as well as the management tasks, rns have a far greater responsibility and gamut of tasks to perform. Even in terms of career growth or personal fulfillment, rns have more areas of specialization. This is one major difference between lpn and rn type of medical care provided. Certification And Education Typically, lpn training lasts around a year and can take place either at a technical or vocational college or at the local community college. Thus, the nature of education is not so technical or oriented towards the tech side of nursing. Once the lpn course is completed, the student gets a diploma or a certification. After this, the student needs to pass the lpn licensing exam called nclex for practical nursing. In contrast, the rn education lasts anywhere between two to as much as four years! This is a key difference between lpn and rn. The two-year program provides an associate level certification while the four year program provides a bsn or bachelor degree. With a four year degree, a student can hope to become a senior officer within a medical facility, supervising the work of other lpns. Rn courses are very rigorous in nature and include a vast array of coursework as well as clinical experiences. These tasks prepare an aspiring rn for a variety of leadership posts. Once completed, the student needs to appear for the nclex exam for registered nurse. Typical Responsibilities Probably, the major difference between lpn and rn lies in the responsibilities of both. Lpns are involved with providing direct care of patients within nursing homes, hospitals and facilities for long-term medical care. Lpns work under an rn's supervision and need to change dressings, give shots to patients, bandage and clean wounds, monitor conditions of patients and administer medications. In contrast, an rn would not actually perform these direct tasks but supervise them. The gamut of responsibilities and applications for an rn role are broader. Unlike a cashier or a software professional, where the roles are more defined and specialized, an rn is required to do more supervisory work. Enactment of specific patient caring plans, assignment and management of lpn tasks etc. form the responsibility of rns. Job Pay Scales As you can very well imagine, since the duration and intensity of an rn course is more than an lpn one, the capital invested will also be more. However, this capital must be considered as an investment as opposed to spending on the course because survey reports show that most rns are able to recover the costs of the study within the first year of work. The other difference between lpn and rn is in the salary package received. While lpns take home close to 49000 USD per year, an rn takes home double the pay package. Compared to an html coding career, where pay scales are comparative, an rn job is more fulfilling as the person is making a real difference in the lives of patients. |