Thu, Feb 3rd, 2011 @ 12:00 am

The health care industry in California is rich and vibrant. There are many settings in which a licensed practical nurse can use his or her experience and training to help patients in need. These include hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, clinics, retirement communities, and many physician's practices.

Licensed Vocational Nursing as a Career Choice

For individuals who are compassionate, enjoy helping people, and have an interest in medicine, a career as a licensed vocational nurse can be the perfect fit. You may have experience caring for children, your parents or your spouse. Providing this kind of care can help you as you pursue your nursing career.

In California, there's a multitude of nursing opportunities for you once you receive the proper training. You'll be able to work right alongside doctors, other nurses, physical and occupational therapists, nutritionists, medical technicians, and health care specialists of all kinds.

Many licensed vocational nurses enjoy the variety of work that occurs every day. On some days, your job will be to change sterile dressings, perform catheter insertions and removals, and monitor vital signs such as blood pressure, temperature readings, and pulse rate.

On other days, you'll help transport patients on gurneys from hospital room to room and carry blood samples to and from the lab for accurate testing procedures to be performed. This variety of work responsibilities is one of the most rewarding and fascinating aspects of becoming a licensed vocational nurse.

Your starting salary will be well above average compared to that of other professions that require a similar amount of schooling. And your opportunities for advancement in many different settings are substantial the more you learn and the more experience you get.

Career Training Requirements for the Profession

You usually can complete your professional LVN coursework in less time than it takes to completed RN training, which is appealing to many nursing students. This gets them out into the job market more quickly. Your core curriculum coursework will consist of academic studies in anatomy, physiology, biology, chemistry, human nutrition, laboratory testing and procedures, and overall patient care and responsibilities.

You'll also be expected to perform one or more clinical internships, usually in a hospital setting, before you can earn your degree and take the written test for your California state nursing license. All LVNs are required to be licensed in California.