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If you are a qualified LPN or are considering enrolling on an LPN training program then you should perhaps give some consideration to including within your vocational study an LPN mental health program.

Mental health issues face a huge percantage of our population, but there remains a social stigma about admitting to others that you may be suffering problems.  The term mental health disorders covers a wide variety of disorders ranging from anxiety disorders and panic attacks, through depression, and onto dementia and schizoid personality disorder.  Fortunately mental health is becoming an increasing focus of healthcare services and as a result the opportunities for LPN jobs in mental health are increasing too.  These LPN jobs are found at a range of mental health services, ranging from residential homes to community care services.  Nevertheless, wherever these jobs may be located, the LPN who has undergone the necessary LPN mental health program is best positioned to being hired.

So what’s involved in an LPN mental health program?  Well, the typical program contents would be to provide background on the symptoms of various common mental health disorders before moving on to provide the LPN with necessary skills to deal with the circumstances of mental health in their working environment and potentially elsewhere.

Following attendance and having achieved the necessary program credit the LPN needs to be able to practically apply the skills that they have learnt on the LPN mental health program in a real life or clinical environment.  They need to be recognize the difficulties that sufferers of mental health disorders have in communication and assist them to overcome these problems.  They need to be able to take written medical histories that clearly show their understanding that their patients may well be suffering from mental health issues.  And finally they need to be able to assess, document and implement a care plan addressing a particular patients mental health needs.

If these criteria appear challenging then you have understood them correctly. They are difficult.  Mental healthcare is a difficult area to practice as an LPN in.  The LPN role can be difficult and challenging.  But the rewards can also be very good as a well qualified and effective mental health trained LPN can have a significant impact on the quality of life that someone suffering from mental health issues faces and it is principally for this reason that the LPN mental health programs are so popular.

For anyone thinking of a career in nursing a great place to start is to consider becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), or if you live in certain states in the US, a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN).  A typical LPN training program lasts between one and two years and for this reason it is attractive to prospective nursing candidates who can see the process of LPN training, moving to LPN qualification and on to LPN jobs occuring comparatively quickly.  This aids life planning and means that the commitment of having to go to an LPN school and study whilst potentially holding down another job, or dealing with family commitments is not as signficant as other nursing career options.

In order to get the LPN certification at the end of the LPN training program students in the US must sit and pass the NCLEX-PN licensing examination (the LPN exam) that is operated by their State Board of Nursing.  Once the LPN courses have been completed and the NCLEX-PN examination has been passed the student is a qualified LPN and can then commence work as a practical nurse.

The entrance requirements for the majority of LPN training programs is comparatively straightforward.  A high school diploma is the typical academic requirement for entrance to LPN classes.  Having no criminal record tends to be the other significant requirement.  Some LPN training programs allow the prospective LPN student to start the LPN course by taking vocational programs whilst still at high school.  LPN training programs are offered at universities, LPN colleges, hospitals and local volcation schools as well as some community colleges so there is usually a great selection of options available to choose the best LPN program for you.  In addition there are a number of LPN colleges that offer online LPN programs which you can take advantage of.  Many of the university LPN courses seem to take second place to their Registered Nurse (RN) degree programs.  However, if you are interested in becoming an RN a very good way of achieving this outcome is to qualify first as an LPN and then undertake relevant work experience prior to applying for RN degree courses.

The vast majority of LPN training is as you would expect medical training to be.  A student will typically spend a proportion of their time on academic studies including attending lectures and spending time in the lab, but this will be combined with a clinical element to the LPN training with attendance at medical facilities and hospitals to work as trainees under close supervision of other medical professionals and experienced LPNs.

A typical selection of medical courses covered by your LPN training would include subjects in the following list (although this is not an exhaustive list):

• anatomy and physiology;
• first aid and CPR/AED;
• geriatrics;
• pediatrics;
• pharmacology;
• nutrition;
• supervisory skills;
• medical surgical; and
• psychiatry.

So, if you have made up your mind and you want to know where to start, the answer is simple.  You need find an LPN program that suits your location and personal circumstances and request an application pack.  Make sure you go through the application pack carefully ensuring that you are fully aware of their requirements and qualifications and you understand exactly how the LPN training program will be administered by the LPN school. Once enrolled you are committed to make sure that you work hard and do your best in each and every area.  Success at this point will help you both in applying for LPN jobs when you qualify and being successful in those jobs later.

The LPN education is a good one, but remember you should only really be thinking about a career in the healthcare industry if you a patient and caring person.  Qualifiying as an LPN, even with top marks will not necessarily result in you being the best LPN in the workplace.  This will only be achieved if you behave compassionately and caringly. Remember, a significant proportion of your LPN job will be looking after people who are ill, aged or infirm and this can take its toll on you both physically and emotionally.  If you are not prepared for this it can be very stressful.  Having said that there is no doubt that the flip side of being an LPN is that it can be a tremendouly rewarding and fulfilling role, for which there is currently significant demand in the healthcare sector.  So, don’t waste time, why not get that application pack today?

If you are interested in becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), which is also known as a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) in the states of California and Texas then you need to do some research into the subject of an LPN program (or an LVN program).

The LPN Program

The LPN program is designed to enable people to train, learn and gain experience in becoming an LPN.  The LPN qualification is a starter qualification on the nursing ladder.  In order to get started on this career path therefore you need to participate in one of the many LPN programs available.  In order to give you some form of monetary encouragement it may interest you to know that in 2006 the US Bureau of Labor Statistics announced in their findings that the average annual salary for a graduate of online LPN programs, or online LVN programs was roughly $30,000 to $40,000 per annum. This figure equates to approximately $15-$20 per hour.  This means that the qualification is well worth pursuing as not only do LPN jobs pay well but the LPN employment market is also looking buoyant, being forecast to grow at up to 14% per annum in the run up to 2016.

There are a number of different ways you can access an LPN program.  Perhaps the easiest and cheapest is via local technical schools, junior colleges, community colleges, and vocational schools.  A recent occurrence is that there are many online LPN programs now being offered as competition for new students increases.  In addition, there are a number of private schools which have established LPN nursing programs.  The exact length of time that the LPN program will take does ultimately depend upon the particular LPN nursing program selected and this should be something you consider when making your decision.

The typical LPN program will take between one and two years to complete.  Although the online LPN programs are usually at the shorter end of this scale, more often lasting only one year.  There are two broad parts to the LPN program.  There is the classroom, or book learning part.  Then there is the supervised practical experience part for which the trainee LPN must spend some time undertaking.

Newcomers to the subject might believe that all LPN programs, whether they be a community college LPN program, an online LVN program or other online LPN programs are created equally.  This is not true, so knowing which LPN program to select is crucially important and may effect the development of your career later on.

Online LPN Programs

Many people are lured into taking online LPN programs.  There are various reasons for this but perhaps the most common one is that the online LPN program, or online LVN program does not require its students to go to class everyday.  This clearly makes it easier for someone to work while studying on the LPN nursing program.  This is not to criticize these online LPN programs at all.  They offer flexibility and adaptability that has not been available in previous years.  However, you should not be under any misapprehension.  The practical part of any LPN program is essential, and as a general rule, the LPN program or LVN program that devotes a significant portion to practical experience is usually superior to one that offers less.

Finding The Right LPN Program Or LVN Program

Finding the right school that offers the best or most appropriate online LPN programs may well be quite tricky.  At the very least you should make it a priority to enquire of current students their impressions and experiences on the online LPN program.  This is to assist you in trying to determine the quality of their training experiences and providing evidence to support your decision making process.  You should also make particularly sure that the online LPN programs you are considering are indeed offering a genuinely accredited LPN program.  There would be few things worse than to find that your hard work and time spent had been wasted.

Nowadays most schools that offer an LPN program or LVN programs actually provide flexible class hours including running training sessions at weekend classes or evening classes.  This is almost certainly in response to the competition for students that online LPN programs have created.  Two things should be noted however.  Many schools nowadays run both a conventional LPN program and also an alternative online LPN program.  The reason for offering the online LPN program alternative is because working adults can become licensed practical nurses in a relatively short period of time.  In addition, the flexibility of the online LPN program, or the online LVN program means that students are much more able to manage their time easily, possibly to combine work or family commitments.

If you have the flexibility to take full time LPN nursing programs then you might also be interested that a growing number of hospitals and even universities are also providing online LPN programs.  These may have an advantage as they can clearly offer a greater mix of practical experience, but more importantly the LPN program may be a precursor to an LPN job at the particular hospital or university afterwards.

As a point of reference the sort of subjects that you will be required to undertake on your LPN program, or also on LVN programs includes:

• physiology,
• pediatrics,
• anatomy, and
• first aid

Some of these subjects will be a compulsory part of your LPN program, even if you are studying on an online LPN program.

After completing one of the online LPN programs you may decide that you want to further your education and become a Registered Nurse (RN).  Finishing any of the online LPN programs will enable you to be working and be on your way towards earning a substantial salary.  However you should be under no illusions.  Online LPN programs are rigorous and require hard work and determination.  The reward, in the end, perhaps the thing that makes all the hard work really worth it is that LPN programs help nurses to qualify so that they can learn how to help other people.