How to Find a LPN Practitioner

Licensed practical nurses---or LPNs---are licensed health professionals who assist physicians and registered nurses with bedside nursing care and administrative tasks, according to the New York State Office of the Professions. LPNs usually hold a high school diploma plus a practical nursing certificate as well as a state license to practice under supervision. Because LPNs work in the same clinical settings as registered nurses, there are four ways to find an LPN practitioner in your community.

Instructions

• 1

  Look up professional nursing associations. Professional membership organizations for licensed practical nurses, like the National Association for Practical Nurse Education and Service (NAPNES) or the National Federation of Licensed Practical Nurses, advocate for LPNs and host regular educational meetings. These organizations---and their state and local chapters---also maintain membership directories that can help you find a nearby LPN. You can also contact each organization's headquarters to ask for help in locating an LPN in your community.

• 2

  Check state licensing boards. Because state professional nursing boards issue licenses that allow LPNs to practice, they can assist you in finding a nearby LPN practitioner. Check your state's nursing board or licensing authority to search for nearby LPNs; you may also verify a specific nurse's license information by using search tools published by nursing and licensing authorities. Although every state's nursing board is a division of the agency that issues professional licenses, search tools might be available through either or both websites.

• 3

  Use local nursing directories. Some communities publish local directories of registered and licensed practical nurses working in the community. Philadelphia's Frances Nurses Directory, for example, provides a complete directory of LPNs currently licensed in the Philadelphia area, as well as the home care or bedside services they can provide to citizens in need.

• 4

  Contact your local hospital or health clinic. Most LPNs work in clinical settings with physicians and registered nurses, so checking your local clinic or hospital will help you find an LPN. Community hospitals occasionally publish directories of all clinical staff---usually organized by clinical department---on their websites; you may also call the hospital or clinic directly in your search for a nearby LPN.