How to Become an LPN in Six Steps
Are you someone with a strong desire to help people? Do you enjoy talking to people and comforting them? Then becoming a licensed practical nurse (LPN) is the perfect job for you! It enables you to take care of people while also communicating with them and having conversations. If you are wondering "how to become an LPN" and "how long does it take to become an LPN" —don't worry, we got that covered for you. All you have to do is read on to learn more about what an LPN is, find out how long it takes to become one, and the steps you need to go through. Plus a bonus on career advancement possibilities.
What Is an LPN?
A licensed practical nurse (LPN) is a healthcare professional responsible for the primary care of a patient. They help the patients eat, shower or bathe, and get dressed. Other duties include checking the patient's vitals, taking care of wounds, inserting catheters, administering medications, and so on. Furthermore, an LPN provides patients with comfort by talking to them and discussing how they feel. They are in charge of communicating with patients about any questions they may have, including their condition or treatment. Afterward, they report the patient's status to the other nurses and doctors.
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How Long Does It Take to Become an LPN?
The time it takes to become an LPN may vary from country to country or depending on the program but, in general, becoming an LPN usually requires about 12 to 24 months.
How to Become an LPN?
Becoming a licensed practical nurse is a journey that requires some work. The LPN requirements include completing a program, passing exams, and applying for a license. Below we present to you the six steps you need to go through to become an LPN.
Complete LPN prerequisites
There are prerequisites needed to start your nurse journey. The basic requirement to become a nurse usually includes a high school diploma. If you don't possess a high school diploma, there is a collection of various tests you can take, called the General Educational Development Test, also known as the GED test. After that, you can move on with exams and programs.
Pass the TEAS exam
The first exam you need to pass is the test of essentials academic skills exam (TEAS). This exam enables you to apply for an LPN program. It consists of multiple-choice questions from four subject areas: science, mathematics, English language, and reading. Each section of the exam is time-limited. You have 209 minutes (roughly 3.5 hours) to answer all the 170 questions of the exam. The test scores are valid for two years.
Enroll in an LPN program
Enrolling in an LPN program is a crucial step to becoming a licensed practical nurse. It acts as a great foundation as it provides you with the basic skills and knowledge for your career. It covers subjects as nursing, biology, pharmacology, and many more.
In addition to the theoretical part, there is a certain number of clinical hours as part of the program. It will take you about one year to complete the whole program.
Pass the NCLEX-PN exam
After you graduate from an LPN program, you need to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN) exam. This is the last step before obtaining your license.
After taking the exam, you will get your results within six weeks. If by any chance, you do not pass the exam on your first try, you will receive a candidate performance report (CPR) to help you get prepared for your next time taking the exam. The maximum number of times you can enter this exam in a year is eight.
Apply for your state LPN license
According to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), every nurse needs a license from the state where they work. This is the last step to becoming an LPN. To apply for your state LPN license, among other things, you need verification that you passed the NCLEX-PN exam and that you completed an LPN program. After you get your license, you are officially a licensed practical nurse.
However, one thing to keep in mind when applying for a license is applying for a multistate license. The NCSBN recommends a multistate license so that you don't have to get a license from every state in which you may practice. Instead, you get only one license that can be used in all the states.
Start your career and keep learning
Once you have fulfilled the requirements to become a licensed practical nurse, you can start your career. Keep in mind that you must always keep learning through the experience of working as an LPN. Besides working, you can still continue advancing your education by enrolling in a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program.
Job outlook and career advancement
The job outlook for LPNs looks promising as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts an employment growth rate of 9 percent from 2020 to 2030. In addition, there are many places where an LPN can work. Besides hospitals, an LPN can also work in nursing homes, physicians' offices, home care, schools, doctor's offices, government facilities, and more.
Furthermore, when you become an LPN, with the foundation you have, the experience gained, and by furthering your education, you can easily advance your career. One of the options is becoming a registered nurse. The bridge programs that make the transition from an LPN to an RN possible usually take 2-4 years to complete. According to the BLS, LPNs make an average of $48,820 per year, while RNs make about $75,330 a year.
Wrapping Up
As a licensed practical nurse, your job is to take basic care of people. The crucial step on how to become an LPN is enrolling in an LPN program. In addition, you need to pass two exams: the TEAS (before you enroll in the program) and the NCLEX-PN (after). The final step would be to apply for a license. It might take you 1-2 years to become an LPN, and the job opportunities are many. If what you read so far interests you, go ahead and start your nurse journey!