Career Advancement for LPNs – The 4 Main Options
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When choosing a career, you have to know what advancement opportunities it offers. Even though career advancement for LPNs is generally limited compared to the opportunities other occupations provide, you have a number of options to choose from. Consider the four main options to decide which one will appeal to you best.
Specialization is one of the options for career advancement for LPNs. You can specialize in any area of nursing, such as medical-surgical nursing, gerontology, pharmacology and IV therapy. You can become credentialed in these specialties, after taking the necessary courses. In turn, you can aim for a specialty position. Such positions are usually more highly paid and offer additional benefits. Provision of home care nursing services is another LPN career advancement option that you may want to consider. You can choose to work on a freelance basis and provide private services. This may be possible even if you are working in a health care facility. Working as a freelancer has a number of advantages. You can choose between different jobs and, in turn, how much and when to work. More importantly, the salary is higher. Most LPNs that provide home health care services have considerable experience in their profession.
Becoming a charge nurse is another form of career advancement for LPNs. However, it is available primarily to LPNs working in nursing care facilities. The position of a charge nurse is more or less a management one. These nurses are responsible for drafting patient care plans and for overseeing the work of the rest of the nursing staff.
Becoming a registered nurse is perhaps the most desirable option for career advancement for LPNs. You can choose from a variety of LPN to RN bridge programs that are available even to practical nurses with little working experience. You can also sign up for an accelerated program, if you have over two or three years of work experience. After completing an LPN to RN bridge program, you will earn an associate degree in nursing. You will be able to take the NCLEX-RN exam and register as a nurse.
The benefits of becoming a registered nurse are many and different. Firstly, your salary will increase by around 50%. In addition, you will have more opportunities for specialization and career advancement. You will be able to earn a bachelor’s degree and even a master’s degree in nursing and advance to managerial positions.
These are the main options for career advancement for LPNs.
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