United States
3233- Licensed practical nurses
Canada NOC:
3233
Job Title:
Licensed practical nurses
Job Description:
Licensed practical nurses provide nursing care usually under the direction of medical practitioners, registered nurses or other health team members. Operating room technicians prepare patients and provide assistance to medical practitioners prior to and during surgery. Licensed practical nurses are employed in hospitals, nursing homes, extended care facilities, rehabilitation centres, doctors' offices, clinics, companies, private homes and community health centres. Operating room technicians are employed in hospitals.
Main Duties:
Licensed practical nurses and operating room technicians perform some or all of the following duties:
Licensed practical nurses
Provide nursing services, within defined scope of practice, to patients based on patient assessment and care planning procedures
Perform nursing interventions such as taking vital signs, applying aseptic techniques including sterile dressing, ensuring infection control, monitoring nutritional intake and conducting specimen collection
Administer medication and observe and document therapeutic effects
Provide pre-operative and post-operative personal and comfort care
Monitor established respiratory therapy and intravenous therapy
Monitor patients' progress, evaluate and document effectiveness of nursing interventions and collaborate with appropriate members of healthcare team
Provide safety and health education to individuals and their families.
Operating room technicians
Prepare patients for surgery by washing, shaving and sterilizing the patients' operative areas
Assist in surgery by laying out instruments, setting up equipment, assisting surgical teams with gowns and gloves and passing instruments to surgeons
Monitor patients' status during surgery, such as intake, output and loss of blood, and communicate and document any changes
Clean and sterilize the operating room and instruments.
Employment Requirements:
Completion of a vocational, college or other approved program for licensed practical nurses is required.
Registration with a regulatory body is required in all provinces and territories.
Completion of a registration examination is required in all provinces and territories.
Operating room technicians require additional academic training in operating room techniques.
Additional Inormation:
Working under the direction of a medical practitioner or registered nurse is not required for licensed practical nurses in all jurisdictions.
Classified Elsewhere:
Similar O*NET Careers (USA) :
International Careers(ISCO):
Source Of Info:
National Occupation Classification, (2011)
Statistics Canada and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada,
February 2012,
Catalogue no. 12-583-X
