An overview of LPNs Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) provide
general health care while under the supervision of a doctor or
registered nurse. LPNs are licensed by the state they are
employed in and all states require LPNs to be licensed. In order
to be licensed, students need to have taken and completed an
approved nursing program, which only provides a nondegree
certificate, and have passed the NCLEX-PN (the National Council
Licensure Examination for Licensed Practical Nurses). The
National Council of State Boards of Nursing offers the exam.
Passing the exam displays the competencies needed to perform the
tasks of an entry-level, newly licensed nurse. Nursing programs
are reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to last about one
year (BLS.gov, 2012) and can be offered at vocational or
technical colleges or even at some high schools. Courses at a
nursing school cover biology and pharmacology (the study of
drugs and their effects on the human body), as well as a
supervised clinical experience that provides