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What is the difference between LPN and RN?
As a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), you have less training than an RN, which gives you a bit more flexibility in terms of where you can work. For example, some states will allow LPNs to work in patients' homes or for staffing agencies. On the other hand, RNs are required to work at a facility that has a registered nurse on staff.
When it comes to money, being an LPN is certainly not as lucrative as being an RN. But there's also less responsibility involved with being an LPN, and more time off. If your main concern is having the best salary possible, then perhaps the professional life of a Registered Nurse would be better suited for you. Otherwise, if you want ample time off and still want to make money while helping people through your career, then consider further exploring the world of nursing as an LPN!
What does a caregiver do?
Caregivers are also called personal care assistants, home care aides, and home health aides.
- They provide assistance to elderly adult clients who need help with day-to-day activities.
- They encourage their clients to perform certain functions for themselves and assist with those that are not possible for the client alone.
- They help clients maintain personal hygiene by bathing them, dressing them, and doing their hair.
- They help with physical activity and exercise by encouraging the client to move around and perform simple tasks on his or her own.
- They prepare meals for clients based on doctors' orders as well as dietary limitations and preferences.
Where can I work as a caregiver?
Since caregivers are very flexible in the type of care they can provide, they also have a wide variety of job opportunities.
Caregivers can work in nursing homes, hospitals, private residences, and more.
Some are employed full time by one employer or family and others get jobs on a contractual basis. You can even find traveling nursing positions that allow you to see different parts of the country and maybe earn higher pay checks because employers must provide room and board for travel nurses.
You could work for local clinics or for prisons as well. In fact, many caregivers find themselves working in hospice care facilities which specialize in assisting those who are at their end stages of life.
What are the duties of an assistant?
As a medical assistant, you’ll perform a number of administrative and clinical duties under the supervision of a nurse or doctor. Because you’re not required to hold formal education in health care, many medical assistants choose to work as personal care aides before transitioning into more specialized roles.
Medical assistants can work in hospitals, nursing homes, private practices and other health care facilities. Medical assistant duties revolve around assisting doctors and nurse practitioners in their day-to-day tasks by performing minor medical procedures like taking blood pressure and recording basic patient information. They also provide support during more complicated procedures like surgery.
Where can I work as an assistant?
A medical assistant can be employed at a variety of environments, including community care clinics, hospitals, private medical offices, physician’s offices and assisted living facilities. Medical assistants are also needed when patients are in hospice care or even at home. Home health aides are hired to provide care for patients who need assistance with daily chores and activities but do not require full-time nursing care. As a result, the use of home healthcare services is growing rapidly in the US.
While some medical assistants work primarily as administrative assistants in the front office, others work directly with patients or doctors in a clinical setting. The tasks that an assistant performs depend on their level of certification and education. In general, an uncertified medical assistant can answer phones, greet patients and handle basic billing and scheduling tasks. A certified medical assistant will usually assist doctors during examinations, draw blood and administer medicine under the supervision of a doctor or nurse.
As you decide where to start your nursing career, it’s important to consider what you want out of your job.
As you decide where to start your nursing career, it’s important to consider what you want out of your job.
- What is most important to you? Do you want a job that gives you more flexibility? Are you looking for a job that will give you hands-on experience but also train and challenge you? Or are you looking for a position that gives you the opportunity for advancement and growth? If patient care and helping others is at the top of your list, then either an LPN or Certified Nursing Assistant may be the best option for your needs. On the other hand, if career advancement is most important to you, then getting started as a RN or getting training as an LVN so that they can transition into an RN program may be more appropriate.
- What do I see myself doing in the future? You should ask yourself: Where do I see myself in five years? Do I like my current position, or do I plan on taking further training or education so that they can move up in their positions within this company (or with another company)? Whether it’s starting as an LPN and advancing their careers by becoming LVNs (Licensed Vocational Nurses) and then RNs (Registered Nurses), going from CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) to LPN, transitioning from CNA to RN through online programs such as ADN programs (Associate Degree in Nursing), BSN programs (Bachelor of Science in Nursing), MSN Programs (Master’s Degree in Nursing), DNP Programs (Doctorate Degree in Nursing) programs . . . The opportunities are endless!
- What are my goals? Think about what role YOU would like to play within a healthcare team. Would being on your feet all day make sense for me? Is there another type of specialty within nursing that interests me more than others? Do I prefer working with adults rather than children or infants? Am I comfortable administering medical care without having direct guidance
