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LPNs are Teachers too!
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Posted over 5 years ago advanceweb.com From LPN to Educator In 1995, Coleman's affection for nursing and a desire to help train others interested in healthcare led her from the doctor's office to the classroom, when a teaching opportunity for a medical assistant became available. The transition from nurse to educator was smooth and successful — so much so that Coleman was recently named Teacher of the Year by the Virginia Career College Association (VCCA). The award is quite an honor, especially when considering that VCCA is comprised of 20 private colleges. An instructor at the Lynchburg campus of National College, Coleman also served as medical department chairwoman before being promoted to her current position as director of healthcare education. "I was working full time at a practice that specialized in internal medicine and cardiology when a teaching position came available for a night course in anatomy and physiology," explained Coleman. Coleman applied and was hired for the position. After the first night of teaching, she was hooked. Coleman stayed on staff at the doctor's office for 5 more years, but changed her schedule from full time to a more flexible status, enabling her to spend more time at the college. "I teach in a career college and, while we don't have a nursing program, we have a medical assisting program, which is how I'm able to teach [as an LPN]," explained Coleman. "It's a 2-year associate degree and it's very similar to nursing, but with a different type of certification. Our students are primarily trained for ambulatory care settings like physician offices and clinics handling both direct patient care and administrative duties." "Working in the medical field is not just something you do," she said, "it's who you are and what you believe. Alleviating your patients' pain, helping them through crisis situations and developing medical plans are the most rewarding things you can do. This is what I tell my students. This is what I believe." |
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142 posts back to top |
| Posted over 5 years ago Advanceweb.com New-grad LPNs often find themselves holding supervisory positions sooner than they expect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! By Joe Darrah Once new grads grasp their practical nursing diplomas, their expectations begin to rise. With just a licensure exam standing in their way, their dreams of becoming nurses are that much closer to coming true. While many facilities are developing more sophisticated orientation programs to ease the new-grad-to-new-nurse transition, employment opportunities for LPNs are becoming more demanding as the nursing shortage pervades all areas of healthcare. And with more opportunity comes more responsibility, even for new grads. Green Hills, an assisted living facility medication-pass training program for the facility’s nursing aide staff LPNs are needed for charge positions and sometimes hold administrative roles. New-grad LPNs can be assigned supervisory positions in acute care, assisted living and home care where nurse’s aides are employed. ‘I’M AN LPN; I CAN LEAD’ Christine Kline, LPN, also knows what it’s like to be thrust into a leadership position soon after taking a nursing job. A member of the June 2005 graduating class Kline, 41, earned her LPN by July of that year and took a job as a med/surg staff nurse that summer. At Reading Hospital, all LPNs are responsible for assisting RNs with delegating tasks to nurses’ aides and patient-care technicians on their units, Kline said, adding that this duty provides a sense of authority as well as clinical management. ‘YOU’RE AN LPN; YOU CAN LEAD’ Also sensing a need to refine LPN responsibilities when she joined Green Hills, Kline initiated a staffing change that called for LPNs to be designated “unit supervisors” to oversee nursing aides. Kline knew that their practical nursing education helped prepare them for such responsibility, so she assigned Melanie Hartzell, LPN, and Wendy Weitzel, LPN, 10 aides each, the total number of support staff on the day and evening shifts. As supervisors, Hartzell and Weitzel are responsible for delegating assignments, overseeing med passes and documentation, and ensuring that aides sign off all completed tasks. |
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| Posted about 5 years ago great articles and inspiration for new LPNs! thanks for sharing . New LPN grads need to know there are alot of options available for them. ( besides just going on to RN school) |
