Choosing a career path is a significant decision, and for many, the role of a licensed practical nurse (LPN) offers a rewarding and pragmatic option. LPN programs are designed to provide students with the skills and support needed to succeed in practical nursing and basic patient care—and these programs can be completed fast.
Still, you might be asking, “Is an LPN career worth it?” Below, we’ll unpack a few key benefits of being an LPN so you can discern if it’s the next right move for your career.
The benefits of being a LPN
Becoming a licensed practical nurse, or LPN, is a fast and gratifying way to enter the healthcare workforce. The career comes with several advantages, which we explore below.
1. Diverse work opportunities
One of the most compelling benefits of becoming an LPN is the variety of jobs and workplaces available. Plus, during an LPN training program, you’ll have access to training opportunities and real-world experiences—granting you the confidence, abilities, and self-assurance needed for performance in actual healthcare environments. Where might you work?
A few examples of LPN work environments include:
- Nursing Homes and Residential Care Facilities: LPNs render bedside care, regulate medications, and assist in daily activities.
- Hospitals: This includes assisting in emergency rooms, operating rooms, and maternity wards.
- Clinics and Physician offices: Aid with patient care, perform routine tests, and manage patient records.
- Home Healthcare: LPNs care for in-home patients, helping with daily activities and medical needs.
- Schools: LPNs work in elementary, middle, and high school settings, offering care to students and overseeing health records.
- Rehabilitation Centers: LPNs work with patient recovery and rehabilitation processes.
- Urgent Care Clinics: LPNs handle a broad scope of patient needs in a fast-paced environment.
- Hospice and Palliative Care: Giving compassionate care to patients with terminal illnesses is what LPNs do here.
- Psychiatric Centers: Supporting patients with mental health needs is done by LPNs.
- Violence Intervention: In some states, like Connecticut, LPNs can offer care and support to victims of violence and participate in prevention and advocacy efforts.
These varied opportunities allow students to apply their knowledge in actual scenarios, further enhancing their future careers. By undertaking hands-on training, students not only gain essential skills but also build the confidence required to provide high-quality patient care.
Become an LPN through Goodwin University.
2. Flexible training options
Another benefit of the LPN path, sometimes as a pre-requisite to an RN licensure, is how practical it is to integrate training into an already busy life. Great LPN training programs understand that students have different personal and professional commitments. Luckily, LPN programs typically offer full-time and part-time formats to meet these demands.
Students will be able to manage their education with other obligations, such as family duties or part-time work. With the freedom to select a timetable that works for you, you can achieve your academic objectives without compromising your personal or professional relationships.
For non-traditional students who might need to balance several obligations while furthering their careers, this range of options is very helpful. And, in comparison to other types of nursing programs, the LPN pathway is relatively fast. Students can complete their practical nursing training in just one to two years, leaving with a certificate and readiness to take the licensing exam.
3. Job stability
There is now an urgent need for LPNs in healthcare settings, which offers a stable and reliable job market for individuals passionate about proper care and support for patients in medical settings. There is a call for qualified medical personnel.
Choosing an LPN career is an easily recouped investment. With a median salary of $59,730—the highest ten percent earning $77,870—LPNs enjoy financial stability and a satisfying career in a growing healthcare field.
4. Ability to travel
LPNs also have the unique opportunity to work as travel nurses, allowing them to work anywhere while earning a competitive salary. A rolling stone gathers no moss, as they say, and you’ll find variety and challenges as a travel nurse working in many healthcare settings in different states or countries. Get out of your comfort zone, meet people from new places, and increase your professional skills to boot.
5. Quick entry to the workforce
For those who wish to have an impact in the healthcare industry quickly—without the massive time and financial commitment of medical school—LPN programs are a perfect choice. Ideal for people who wish to move swiftly into fulfilling health occupations by utilizing their current knowledge and experiences, you can complete an LPN certificate in as few as 16 months and quickly enter the workforce to begin a fulfilling career.
6. Advancement in career
After completing your training and getting some boots-on-the-ground professional experience, there are many directions to take your nursing career. You can go back to school to complete an associate degree in Nursing (ADN) to become a registered nurse or RN. This two-year program and subsequent opportunities could even lead to a nurse practitioner license further down the road. You could be running your own clinic!
Even if you’ve spent a few years studying another discipline, if you already have a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field, you could sidestep into an accelerated bachelor of Science, or ABSN, program, take the NCLEX-RN exam and become a registered nurse through that route.
Achieving your nursing goals
So, is an LPN program worth it? From hands-on training to flexible scheduling options and extensive support services, an LPN training program is one surefire way to help you succeed in healthcare.
Check out the LPN program at Goodwin University. We pride ourselves on our ability to support our students through our substantial support services, flexible scheduling, and practical clinical training.
Through acquiring real-world experience, you can manage your personal and professional lives and gain the guidance needed to advance in your nursing career.