A Rpn (registered practical nurse) works to help patients deal with health problems and in promoting good health practices. They can be found throughout the medical profession, in clinics, nursing homes and hospitals as well as schools, government agencies and public health facilities.
A registered practical nurse usually works under the supervision of a registered nurse and will perform duties such as changing dressings, taking a patient’s vital signs, making sure a patient is eating properly, evaluating progress and the effects of any drugs and talking to patients and their families about health and safety.
It is important that a Rpn has excellent people skills as they spend a great deal of time with patients and are also responsible for reporting any apparent changes in a patient’s condition to senior staff.
Becoming a practical nurse does not require a degree and most training involves time in the class room and the lab as well as some work as an intern. Depending on the part of Canada in which employment is sought, salaries can vary widely but average out at around C
$56,000 per year.