Medical Training

An important aspect of LPN training is maternal-child education.  Although many acute hospital units that care for pregnant women i.e. prenatal units do not employ the LPN the understanding of the origin of human life is an essential component of LPN education.  The curriculum generally includes the following:  basic biological principals of the symphony of hormones necessary for conception to take place, the conditions of embryo and fetal gestational growth, complications of pregnancy, labor and delivery, postpartum, the newborn as well as contraceptives.

The role of the LPN during the perinatal period in various health care settings depends mostly on the nursing scope of practice for that state.  Maternal-child health presents many risk factors that require specific assessment skills that are not included in LPN didactic education or skill set training.  In view of that fact the LPN can provide some basic nutritional guidelines, recommended weight gain  education as well as contraceptive alternatives to the expectant families, family planning clinics, physician offices and public health agencies many welcome the LPN as a valued staff member.  Sexually transmitted disease education is often a role for the LPN and some LPN’s have completed certification programs that allow the classification of specialist to be designated following their license initials.

As my LVN students study and fill their mind with new facts and data, they are also being taught how to become more sensitive to their patient during the physical tasks of lifting & transferring patients from a bed to wheelchair and stretcher, as well as pushing wheelchairs and stretchers.  Inside the LVN/LPN schools skill lab the students practice these skills and more while using their classmate and mannequins to substitute as a patient. One of the skills to master is “breaking the patient’s fall.”  The word “break” may sound as if they are breaking their own back to protect the patient, but rest assure that this is a safe technique that the students learn to allow their patient to slide down the student nurse’s leg to the floor, instead of a fatal fall to the floor.

The LVN Nursing students have both clinical instructor and their illustrated textbook with detailed steps to guide them down the safe path.  Along with practicing these steps, they themselves get to experience being a patient who is dependent upon someone else for transferring from one place to another.  Instead of choosing when and having the ability to jump out of bed, sit on a toilet, and freely ambulate down the hallway, the students sit in wheelchair waiting for another student nurse to push them through the handicapped-bathroom doorway and then transfer them onto the toilet.  Don’t worry, even though we want our nursing students to experience being a hospital patient the students keep their clothes on.

Soon after a student nurse experienced being a patient in a wheelchair she stated, “It’s the little things that matter.” She was referring to her classmate’s attentiveness to her as he pushed her in a wheelchair outside and avoided the hot sun, kept an even pace, and not once jeopardized injury to her limbs.  This was her positive experience after she had pushed him around in the wheelchair.  Another example of how valuable being the patient is to learning a skill is when students take turns being lifted/transferred from one hospital bed to another.  I can always tell who has never experienced being the patient before, as their eyes get big and sometimes even let out a scream as they are temporarily air-born during their transfer from one bed to another.  These valuable lessons that heighten one’s awareness require first-hand experience as they cannot be fully taught by a textbook or lecture alone.  Hopefully memories of being the “patient” will carry over to their LVN/LPN job to remind them of the importance of being sensitive to their patient.

Years ago when I became a LVN, I was pleasantly surprised to know that nutrition was one of the required courses to become a LVN/LPN.  Fortunately nutrition is still being taught in LVN/LPN schools with a minimum requirement of 32 theory hours in California.  The significance of good nutrition and health was even conveyed back in the days of Hippocrates (460-370 BC) who was the father of medicine known to say, “Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food.” Today LVN/LPN students learn about the basic principles of nutrition to create a foundation for learning about the functions of protein, carbohydrates, fats and water.

With this knowledge the LVN/LPN may be the first one to notice that their patient is not eating adequate amounts of protein, which is essential for their patient’s wounds to heal and tissue to grow.  In addition, carbohydrates, such as glucose is essential for the brain to function, as this is the brain’s fuel.  Patients are sometimes not permitted to eat food prior to diagnostic tests and surgery.   This time of fasting can be very dangerous when the lack of food disrupts the blood sugar level and nutrients.  A patient may become disoriented and confused by having their diet withheld too long.  Fortunately for the patient, the nurse acts as a detective by keeping an eye out for all contributing factors that can be managed to prevent further problems with their patient.  Nutritional needs not only vary with different diagnosis, but also throughout the lifespan.

The answer to this question is that both LVN / LPN schools and the state of California require boundaries.  According to Anne Katherine, M.A., author of Where To Draw The Line: How To Set Healthy Boundaries Every Day, “A boundary is a limit that promotes integrity.” One type of professional boundary-setting discussed in her book involves the use of dress and attire.

Have you ever wondered why a LVN or LPN program, such as Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts requires the students to wear professional uniforms?  Katherine says, “Our appearance and attire are the first signals we send to people.  By our attire we reveal who we are, [and] what we care about…” The next time you go to a health clinic notice how safe or unsafe you feel in response to the attire worn by members of the office staff.  If you find yourself wanting to run out the door, it might simply be your sensitivity to the nurse’s jewelry that looks like s/he fell into a fishing-tackle box, or the fashion-torn jeans.  There is nothing wrong with jewelry or fashionable clothing.  The key is to find a balance between personal expression and sending a message that relays “Don’t worry – I won’t hurt you.” As you become more aware of how appearance can either stimulate fear or foster reassurance, the nursing-career-focused attire can become a tool to support both therapeutic and professional relationship.

Interested in LPN Training?  Learn more about Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts

If you have been searching for LPN programs in California, you may have discovered that California is one of two states which uses the term LVN instead of LPN.  LVN stands for Licensed Vocational Nurse vs. Licensed Practical Nurse.  Many LPN programs and LPN schools require both theory and hands-on-training.

The LPN or LVN is a licensed nurse with very similar skills and knowledge of the RN or Registered Nurse.   You can become an LPN or LPN much faster, and can begin your training right out of high-school and without as many pre-requisite classes as RN.  LPNs and LVNs have very satisfying careers and many continue on to pursue their RN and many receive advanced standing in RN programs.

The LPN or LVN is often working in clinics, out-patient hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, and in education.  Areas that the LVN is often utilized, is in medication administration, wound care management, and hospice.  Some people think nursing only involves blood and guts, but nursing has so many different career paths, that nursing involves not only caring for the sick, but providing education to healthy people who want to stay healthy such as in wellness checks, prenatal care, and health education.  There is almost always a specialty area that an LVN can be utilized in, including psychiatric hospitals, pediatric clinics, and even OB/GYN offices.