24 tasks, each one witnessed by the sources that watched the job — and behind every one, a prompt you can use tonight.
Shifts usually revolve around patient care tasks: checking vital signs, monitoring intake/output, giving meds and injections, changing dressings, and supporting clinical procedures. You’ll also collect lab samples, set up treatment rooms, and apply compresses or ice bags when needed.
Between direct care you’ll update the electronic medical record (Epic, MEDITECH, or eClinicalWorks), run inventories, make appointments, and communicate with nurses or doctors. In long-term care you’ll help with bathing, bed-making, and supervising aides; in clinics you’ll do more clerical work and room prep.
Most LPNs enter patient data and medication records into an EMR like Epic, MEDITECH, or eClinicalWorks. Use these to record vitals, wound care notes, lab sample orders, and medication administration times.
You’ll also use Microsoft Outlook for scheduling and team messages, Excel for simple inventories or supply lists, and Word for printable patient instructions or reports. Learn basic EMR charting and how to pull a medication list.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of 2025 about 648,410 LPNs/LVNs were employed. Median pay was $64,400 per year, the lowest tenth earned about $49,740, and the top tenth around $83,440.
Those numbers are national medians; local pay varies by state, setting (hospital vs. long-term care), and experience. Use BLS data as the baseline and check local job listings for exact pay.
You need a state-approved practical nursing program (often 12–18 months) and to pass the NCLEX-PN licensure exam. Start with courses in anatomy/physiology, basic pharmacology, wound care, and vital-sign assessment—these match daily tasks.
During training get hands-on practice with injections, wound dressing, sample collection, and EMR charting (Epic or MEDITECH if available). Volunteer or get a nursing aide job to practice patient transfers and bathing safely.
LPNs focus on direct bedside tasks—vital signs, wound care, meds, injections, patient hygiene, and supervising aides. RNs have broader responsibilities like care planning, complex assessments, and evaluating intervention outcomes in depth.
RNs usually have more schooling (associate or bachelor) and can perform more autonomous assessments and lead teams. Both document in the EMR, but RNs often write care plans and coordinate with physicians more frequently.
AI can help with drafting notes or summarizing chart data, but you must not rely on it for clinical decisions. Always verify AI-generated content against the EMR (Epic, MEDITECH, eClinicalWorks) and your own assessment before saving.
Never paste patient-identifiable data into unapproved AI services. Use AI only if your employer has approved a secure, HIPAA-compliant tool and you confirm accuracy of medication names, dosages, wound descriptions, and vitals.
Learn accurate vital-sign measurement, medication administration (including injections), wound care techniques, and safe patient transfers—these are tasks you’ll do every day. Practice collecting lab samples and documenting immediately in the EMR.
Also get comfortable with basic computer skills: charting in Epic or MEDITECH, using Outlook for schedules, and managing supply lists in Excel. Clear communication with RNs, doctors, and aides matters as much as clinical skills.