Licensed Practical Nurse
Role of the Licensed Practical Nurse in the Management of Rheumatic Diseases
The licensed practical nurse (LPN) provides health care to individuals, families, and communities, including services designed to promote health, prevent illness, and achieve optimal recovery from or adaptation to health problems, including rheumatic diseases.
What Does a Licensed Practical Nurse Do?
- Gather patient health information
- Take vital signs
- Collect specimens (blood, urine, sputum, etc.)
- Administer medication and monitor effects of medication
- Monitor patients for change in clinical condition
- Answer patients’ questions on the phone
- Nursing procedures as allowed by state licensure
- Supervise nursing assistants and aides
Where Does a Licensed Practical Nurse Work?
- Clinics
- Hospitals
- Long-term care facilities
- Home health
What Kind of Training Does a Licensed Practical Nurse Have?
- Twelve- to 18-month program in a technical school, vocational school, or community college with an award of certificate or diploma in nursing.
- Alternate pathways vary by state and may include equivalent military service or nurses who completed higher-level nursing programs but did not pass the licensing exam.
- All LPNs are licensed in the state in which they practice.
- The rheumatology LPN has specialized training about rheumatic diseases and medications utilized to treat rheumatic diseases.
This information is provided for general education only. Individuals should consult a qualified health care provider for professional medical advice, diagnosis, and treatment of a medical or health condition.