Vocational nurses work under the supervision of a registered nurse and are responsible for providing care to sick, recovering or disabled patients. Typical duties of a vocational nurse include bathing patients and assisting with personal hygiene, monitoring vital signs such as blood pressure, pulse and temperature, collecting blood and urine samples, and dressing wounds. Patient comfort is another responsibility of vocational nurses, so they are often asked to help patients with dressing, moving in bed, walking and eating, as well as offering alcohol rubs and massages.
To work as a vocational nurse, you first must successfully complete a one-year training program, typically offered at community colleges and vocational schools. For acceptance into a vocational nursing program, you should have a high school diploma or GED certificate and be able to pass a criminal background check. Additionally, some schools, such as Howard College, require vocational nursing applicants first complete basic coursework in anatomy, life growth and development, nutrition and physiology with at least a grade C average before formal acceptance into their vocational nursing program.
After completing the vocational nursing educational program, you next need to be certified before being able to practice as a vocational nurse. The certification exam for vocational nurses is called the NCLEX-PN and administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. Once certified, vocational nurses often find work in hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facilities, doctor's offices, community clinics and outpatient care centers. Others are employed by agencies offering home health care services.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for vocational nurses is expected to increase by 21 percent between 2008 and 2018---this is much faster than the average of other occupations. Vocational nurses who specialize in working with geriatric populations will be particularly in demand with nursing and community care center employers, as well as with home health care agencies. In May 2008, the average vocational nurse earned $39,030, and typical salaries ranged from $33,360 to $46,710. Vocational nurses working for employment services earned the most, followed by those working for home health care agencies and private doctor's offices.
Vocational nurses seeking additional nursing career challenges have many further educational opportunities. For example, LVN to RN bridge degrees allow licensed vocational nurses to transfer earned nursing credits toward a fast-tracked registered nursing diploma. Vocational nurses interested in a career in health care administration can study for an associate's degree in health care administration with specializations in medical records or pharmacy practice.