subject: A Look At Lpn Training: One Of The Most Exciting Careers In Health Care [print this page] . This can provide the practical and theoretical knowledge you need to become a critical part of the health care profession. Many people do not understand how critical a role that LPNs (licensed practical nurses) play in the health care industry. Practical nurses are responsible for many important tasks within the larger context of a health care environment. They are often employed in nursing homes, hospitals, clinics and residential care facilities, but with well rounded education, you can find employment in many different health care settings. The role of a licensed practical nurse is a very hands-on one, and this is something which makes it very appealing to many people. You will often be responsible for monitoring the condition of patients under your control including taking blood pressure and temperature and checking the respiration rate. Depending on where you are employed, you may also be required to give patients injections, changing and applying dressings to wounds and observation of patients following the administration of medication or surgical procedures. As you can see, there is a lot of responsibility involved with this profession. In order to prepare you properly for your career, a good LPN course needs to have both in class and clinical elements. The clinical elements are some of the most critical elements because it allows you to learn theory in a very direct and relevant way. You may perform your clinic hours in a number of different settings that mirror the real working conditions that you may encounter. You need to keep in mind that at the end of your LPN course, you may be required to take state or national licensing exams and a good LPN course will take that into account and help you prepare for testing. If you are unsure what qualifications you need in order to enter LPN nursing programs you should know that many high schools are actually offering preparatory courses that begin teaching you the skills and theoretical knowledge you need to qualify on an entrance exam. You will also need to score well on your SATs and other testing as required by the individual program you are interested in. The Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts has one of the premiere LPN programs. They offer extensive in class and in clinic training periods and offer a well-rounded exposure to all of the different tasks and knowledge areas that a licensed practical nurse is required to know. For more information on the LPN course, as well as a list of educational requirements, you should check out www.medacademy.org for more information and an application package. Start training for a rewarding new career today.