Maybe you’ve always known you wanted to be a nurse. Maybe you just decided in the last few months that it’s the career for you. In either case, you should know that there are several nursing careers available to you. In fact, nursing is one of the most dynamic career paths in health care, offering you the opportunity to pursue nursing at a variety of levels and in a range of specialties. If you like a challenge and hope to work directly with patients, this may be the career for you.
Before you embark on your nursing education, it’s necessary to explore all the possible careers in this vast health care field. Two of the most popular choices for prospective nurses are LPN and RN. To health care professionals, the distinguishing features between these two types of nurses are obvious. However, if you’re just starting to learn about nursing, these acronyms may not provide you with any substantial information about that career path. Fortunately, there are many easy ways to distinguish between these two nursing roles, and learning about them may also help you determine your own personal career path.
The first of these two nursing jobs is the licensed practical nurse, or LPN. These health care professionals are like an entry-level nurse. They help with basic patient care performing tasks like helping a patient to walk, get dressed or take a bath. They also help out with some administrative tasks from time to time, such as answering phones or filing patient records. They get to work with patients one-on-one a lot, and they are often employed by hospitals, nursing homes, health clinics and home health care services. In order to become an LPN, you must earn an associate’s degree in nursing, which is usually available at community colleges or vocational schools. You can expect to earn a salary of about $39,030 per year as an LPN.
The second nursing job which tends to be a popular choice is the registered nurse, or RN. These nurses also get to interact with patients on a regular basis, though their tasks and duties are often more complicated. They may be assigned to start an IV, record patient progress or administer medications. RNs often specialize in a certain area, such as trauma, pediatrics or holistic health. Most RNs have complete a bachelor’s degree in nursing at a traditional four-year university. The average salary for a registered nurse is around $62,450 annually.
So how do you choose which career path is right for you? If money isn’t an issue, or if you know you want to specialize in a certain area, registered nursing may be a better option. If you’re short on cash right now, consider enrolling in an LPN program. You’ll save money by completing a shorter degree program at a community college and get into the workforce faster to start earning an annual salary. If you do decide to pursue an LPN degree and later decide you wish to be an RN, it’s easy to go back to school and attend a transitional program which accounts for your past nursing education. Some employers may even help you with the costs of returning to school to become an RN!
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