What is a Licensed Practical Nurse?
WAC 18.79.060 FUNCTIONS OF A LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE A licensed practical nurse is one who has met the requirements of the Washington Licensed Practical Nurse Act, Chapter 18.78.RCW. The licensed practical nurse recognizes and is able to meet the basic needs of the patient, and gives nursing care under the direction and supervision of the registered nurse or licensed physician to patients in routine nursing situations. In more complex situations the licensed practical nurse functions as assistant to the registered nurse.
A licensed practical nurse (LPN) is a nurse who has completed a practical nursing program, which usually offers around one year of nursing training. Licensed practical nurses can perform a variety of tasks related to patient care, but they must work under the supervision of a registered nurse or doctor. Employment prospects in this nursing field are generally quite good, and licensed practical nurses work in a range of environments to provide valuable nursing services and support. Registered nurses have more training than licensed practical nurses, allowing them to perform more procedures and to work more independently. Nurse practitioners have even more training, and in some cases they have completed almost as much training as doctors. All of these different nursing careers are valuable and useful, with the key differences being the level of training involved and the level of medicine which can be practiced after certification. Under supervision, a licensed practical nurse can do thin
