Licensed practical nurses provide nursing care usually under the direction of medical practitioners, registered nurses, or other health team members. They are employed in hospitals, nursing homes, extended-care facilities, rehabilitation centres, doctor's offices, clinics and community health centres. Operating room technicians are included in this unit group.

Example Titles

• Licensed Practical Nurse (L.P.N.)
• Registered Practical Nurse (R.P.N.)

Duties

Licensed practical nurses perform some or all of the following duties:

• Develop, implement and evaluate nursing care plans
• Provide nursing services, within defined scope of practice, to patients based on patient assessment and care planning procedures
• Perform nursing interventions such as taking vital signs, applying aseptic techniques including sterile dressing, ensuring infection control, monitoring nutritional intake and conducting specimen collection
• Administer medication and observe and document therapeutic effects
• Provide pre-operative and post-operative personal and comfort care
• Initiate, monitor and discontinue intravenous therapy
• Monitor patient progress, evaluate effectiveness of nursing interventions and consult with appropriate members of healthcare team
• Provide safety and health education to individuals and their families.