Practical Nurse 

Duties and Responsibilities:

They care for injured, handicapped, and sick patients.  Their duties include taking temperatures, blood pressures, and pulses.  They also give injections, change dressings, and help give patients baths.  In general, they care for patients in hospitals, nursing homes, and extended care facilities. Some practical nurses work in private homes.

Salary: 

$16,000 - $23,000

Education:

LPNs and LVNs must complete an accredited program, which takes about 1 year. These programs are commonly in technical schools and community colleges. They may occasionally be in high schools and hospitals as well. Practical nursing programs combine classroom learning in subjects such as nursing, biology, and pharmacology, with supervised clinical experience. These programs give certificates in practical nursing. Contact your state's board of nursing for a list of approved programs.