Online LPN CEUS Topics
A Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) is a healthcare professional who has 1-2 years of training in the practice of patient care, anatomy, physiology, and pharmaceutical medications, as well as a practical nursing license that has been issued by the Board of Nursing in their state. Under the supervision of either a physician or a registered nurse (RN), LPNs are responsible for:
- administering medications
- performing medical procedures (such as placing IVs)
- taking physical exam measurements (such as pulse, temperature, and blood pressure)
- charting in the medical record
- planning and executing patient care plans
- providing all the basics of patient care
LPNs may work not only in hospital settings, but also in nursing homes, long-term care facilities, physicians’ offices, school districts, community health centers, ambulatory care centers, or insurance companies.
Because practical nursing programs vary significantly in their course offerings and the emphasis of their educational programs, you may find that, once you are on the job, there are certain skills or knowledge that you were not exposed to in your practical nursing training. For LPNs who graduated from a nursing program that was heavily focused on nursing theory or the nursing process, courses that introduce or refresh hands-on, clinical skills and procedures might be useful. On the other hand, for LPNs who feel comfortable with procedures but would like to know more about patient-care planning and the assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation phases of the nursing process, more research-based, academic courses would be good topics for further study.
LPNs who develop a particular talent or enthusiasm for certain medical specialties should look into courses that will help them to learn more about the specialty they are interested in. Continuing education programs offer courses on:
- pediatrics
- geriatrics,
- trauma
- critical care
- surgery
- family practice and more…
For LPNs who would like to expand their specific knowledge or pursue specialty certifications, these courses would be good topics to pursue. In addition, since LPNs are intimately involved in patient care and exposed to confidential medical information on a day-to-day basis, courses on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) are extremely useful for learning how to handle protected health information.
Understanding ethics and the law is critical for every healthcare professional – a course on litigation will help LPNs to understand their liability in the case of a medical error, as well as what to do to prepare for a deposition. Courses on Risk Management can be helpful for LPNs who want to learn more about medical charting and managing malpractice.
Moreover, a growing area of interest in licensed practical nursing is the area of legal nurse consulting. Legal nurse consultants work in concert with attorneys, health insurance companies, or hospital administrators to evaluate and establish standard guidelines for patient care or to review medical charts in preparation for litigation. LPNs who work as legal nurse consultants may function either as testifying experts in the courtroom or as behind-the-scenes consultants on the nursing process. If this sounds like an interesting line of work, introductory courses on legal nurse consulting would definitely be useful.
Licensed practical nurses who are interested in increasing their salaries or taking on a more supervisory role in the healthcare setting should consider enrolling in education programs to become registered nurses (RNs). An RN degree offers additional occupational flexibility, as well as the opportunity to oversee other nurses and unlicensed healthcare employees, such as nursing assistants, in the everyday tasks of patient care. If you’re interested in being responsible for the safety and care of patients, look into RN programs that will teach you more about anatomy, physiology, chemistry, microbiology, and nutrition, as well as the nursing process and nursing theory. Many programs offer evening classes or online training courses so that you can continue to work during the day and study when it is convenient for you. Check that the nursing program you are interested in is accredited by either the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) before you enroll.
A licensed practical nursing degree can mean a lot more than the exhausting and sometimes emotionally-draining task of bedside patient care. Today, more and more LPNs are moving outside of the hospital setting and finding employment in ambulatory care environments, community services, and even corporations. Continuing education courses keep you up-to-date not only with your skills, but also with the emerging trends and opportunities in the field of licensed practical nursing.
What Type of CEUS Courses Should an RN or LPN Take?
There are a lot of great CEUS course options for Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses. As medical research advances every day, it’s important for nurses to keep up on new trends, research and treatments within the medical profession. CEUS credits help keep registered nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses current in their field of expertise by providing new development and training opportunities. When you’re selecting a course, you’ll want to consider several factors including, career development, new research, weak areas, and interest level.
Here are some suggestions below for current issues and topics that may be helpful for nurses to learn about or review. A good CEUS course should both fulfill CEUS credit requirements AND enrich the nurse’s professional experience.
Treating Antibiotic-resistant Bacterial Infections CEUS
The treatment of new strains of bacteria that are resistant to traditional antibiotic medications, is a growing concern within the healthcare system. Nurses can help prevent this upsetting trend by learning how to assist patients in taking the correct dose at the correct times, as well as which medications are most efficacious for specific types of infection. It is also important for the RN and LPN to stay current on new treatment options for these "super" bacteria.
Cancer Treatment and Prevention CEUS
There is a lot of exciting new research about Cancer treatments and preventions. Patients want to know all their options before choosing the best treatment for their personal health, life-style and wellbeing. Learning how to effectively share with clients what options they have available can be a great benefit both professionally and personally for individuals in the nursing profession.
Stress Reduction for the Nurse and Patient CEUS
Stress is associated with a myriad of diseases and medical conditions. New research is even showing that stress can directly cause cancer development. Learning how to implement stress reduction techniques in one’s own practice for personal wellness, is as vital as teaching these techniques to patients.
Obesity: Genetics vs Lifestyle CEUS
New studies are proving the genetic link between obesity and DNA. We now know that some people can eat fat without gaining more weight than any other type of calorie intake, while others are genetically predisposed to store fat. It is important to understand the different causes and treatment options of obesity, so the RN or LPN can more effectively tailor treatments for the individual. Obesity contributes to many serious health problems and it is becoming more prevalent each year in the United States among adults, teens and children.
Holistic Treatment CEUS
Traditional American medicine used to largely ignore the mind/body connection. Research is now proving the connection between emotional and physical health. Learning what modalities are scientifically proven to be effective will help nurse practitioners with patient care planning. Since emotional well-being is an important part of the health equation, it is important for the RN and LPN to understand the relationship between emotional and physical healing.
A Typical Day of a LPN Nurse*
My name is Byron Childs and I am an LPN or Licensed Practical Nurse. I am working towards becoming an RN but for now this will pay the bills. I used to work in construction on high rises, but it seemed so unfulfilling that I thought medicine would be a better job. I was right. Working as an LPN in the long term care facility that I work in is hard, frustrating, rewarding, sad and very very humorous. As an LPN I am able to have more contact with patients than many RNs, and most Doctors can. The elderly folks in my facility share stories and keep me hopping. The supervising RN makes most of the decisions with a doctor coming around once in a while, but the LPNs make it all happen.
Being an LPN is not an easy job. It can be fast paced, or very slow. It can be very clean, but mostly is quite messy. A LPN cannot have a queasy stomach. Being an LPN can be very sad at times, and can also make you feel like the best person who ever has lived. I love being an LPN because of the standard of care that I have committed to uphold and the smiles on the faces of those I treat. I like being an LPN because of the patients whose lives are better off because I exist. Here is a day in my life.
8:00 p.m. Because I have been an LPN for less than two years I work the night shift. It is pretty quiet though and I like the work at any time of day. I arrive, and right away there is a crisis. A patient has flushed his briefs down the toilet and it is clogged. What a nasty mess. I did not get trained on plumbing in nursing school. But because of my construction background I know what to do.
9:20 p.m. After changing my scrubs and cleaning up, I respond to an altercation between two roommates in 32F. They have been in this long term care center for three years each and have been at each others throats the entire time. However every time we try and move one of them the other spirals downward into a deep depression and perks up only when we bring his roommate back. They are wonderful older gentleman both in their mid 90’s but they like to fight. I am glad for my continuing education class on resolving verbal conflict. It was a short little workshop, but it has helped me calm these guys down every time.
9:45 p.m. We finally settle them down and I go back to the nurse’s station to begin my rounds. I am in charge of the "F" wing and there are mostly men here. It is time for bed and my duties consist of many colostomy bag changes, and helping 9 other men use the toilet. It is quite humbling and looses its unpleasantness quickly.
10:30 p.m. The name of the game now is charting, or filling out patient charts. I need to log the argument and what we did in response. I need to document each patients bathroom experience and what exactly came out. (no kidding) I also need to check each chart for any inconsistencies or new developments with each patient. This takes so long.
1:20 a.m. A few cups of coffee later and I am done and caught up with the charts. The day LPN did not do as good of a job as I would like, so I needed to do a little more than I thought. I sit back and check my watch. Time does fly when you are busy.
1:40 a.m. The gentleman in 21F pushes his call button and the little light blinks on the command panel in front of me. I check on him and find that his blankets have all fallen off and he cannot get them. In an attempt to get them himself, one of his legs is hanging off the bed haphazardly and he is keeping himself on the bed with the opposite hand gripping the bed post. I help him back into bed and "tuck" him in. I chuckle to myself because this is what I do for my kids when I am not working nights. I also chart this situation when I return to the nurse’s station.
2:00 a.m. Just as I finish charting 21F’s missing blankets I hear a moaning from 18F. The older gentleman in that room has had pain medication administered intravenously for 3 days. He is moaning and carrying on. He has had a hip replacement surgery and is still recovering. I do a pain assessment and this take some time since the patient is not entirely responsive. I change his I.V. and push medication until he calms down, and then I log it in his chart also. It seems like I go through cartons of pens on a daily basis.
2:55 a.m. We get a patient in from an emergency bypass surgery. He was transferred her at such a strange hour because there was no room at the hospital. I guess they must have figured that since he was fairly stable and would have been moved here anyway they would transport him immediately. The transporting medical team briefs the RN and myself on his condition and needs and I chart this, (of course). We contact his doctor, who was already awake, and let him know where to check on his patient.
3:15 a.m. Meanwhile, on my way back down the hall I check in on a few patients I am called into room 16F. The patient there, the only woman in the hall, needs to go to the bathroom. I help her out of bed and onto the toilet. She can do most of the dirty work herself, but I help her wash her hands anyway. Once she is back in bed I return to the charts log her bathroom visit.
4:00 a.m. I realize I have not eaten or gone to the bathroom since I got here. I use the bathroom and warm up some spaghetti from the fridge. I feel better and make my rounds.
5:00 a.m. I help 22F out of bed and to the bathroom. He is ok, and quite lucid, but I notice some bruises on his face that I didn’t see before. His wife comes every day to visit and he is very quiet about it. I remember the spousal and partner abuse class I took 2 months ago for a continuing education unit and thought I should log this. I ask the man what happened to his face. He does not answer. I ask him if his wife did it. He still does not answer. I feel the bruise and surrounding tissue for broken bones and find none. The bruise is still very tender and he howls "ouch" when I prod it lightly. I log this in his chart and discuss it with the RN. She agrees and we put out a request for Clinical Social Worker to pay a visit.
5:45 a.m. The morning nurses aid shows up. She helps with breakfast and the LPN transition coming a few hours. We go to the kitchen to get breakfast for our hallway.
6:30 a.m. Breakfast is ready and many of the patients are waking up. We make the rounds getting everyone up and to the bathroom. I change the dressing on a bedsore in 14F and all but 2 patients begin to make there way down to the dining room.
7:05 a.m. I remember that I need to take the Aging and Long term care course for my CEU hours. I take 5 minutes and sign up for this course on the internet.
7:10 a.m. Breakfast is served! I sit and chat with a few residents as they eat. 22F thanks me for helping him last night and then I see his wife come in. He instantly cringes and I remember all the warning signs again from the continuing education class. I go to the RN and point this out. The LCSW will be here at noon. We chart this behavior and continue to closely monitor the situation.
8:10 a.m. After finishing my final chart entries I check out and go home. I am exhausted but it feels like I have only been working for a few hours not 12.
*This information is fictional but based on real life experiences of other LPN nurses.
Online CEU
You can take a ceu online – anytime, anywhere. We offer nursing online ceu courses; mft tests. Here are a few samples of ceu tests you can take:
Bereavement Online CEU Course
Fezzik from the Princess Bride: His Development
Substance Abuse CEU
Long Term Care Online CEU
Laws and Ethics CEUS
Other Online CEU Courses
An online ceu is one you can take on the internet from your home or work computer. CEU stands for continuing education unit. These units are required in some states to maintain professional licenses. SpeedyCEUS is located in California and offers online ceu courses for California residents and some other states as well.
You can take a course online and print a certificate of completion immediately after you pass the test. There are ce tests specifically for nursing, mft, and lcsw professions. Courses only cost about $8 per unit. You can look at content for our online ceu courses and study if you wish. We will be adding more and more courses as time goes on, so please check back often.