LPN can work in different setting. And each setting has it's own clients. Which gives Practical Nurse some freedom in choosing who to work with.
| Hospital | Rehabilitation | Home Care | School | |
| Seriously ill people | + | + | ||
| Postoperatives | + | + | + | |
| Regular patients | + | + | ||
| Eldery | + | |||
| Students | + |
In Hospital setting
LPN will be caring about ill people and postoperatives. In hospital setting LPN is always working under supervision of Registered Nurse (RN).
Seriously ill people require general care, medical procedures and sometimes psychological support, especially if a patient became ill suddenly.
Postoperatives require pain management and wound care. The postoperative period starts from the transportation of the patient into his room and ends only then patient is discharged from the facility. Practical Nurse has to understand the nature of surgery and illness to provide necessary care to postoperative client. The type of care depends on patient’s condition, the type of operation and anesthesia.
As a Practical Nurse in hospital setting you will work with various people of all ages as anyone can get in trouble.
In Rehabilitation setting.
It's quite often that postoperative patient is discharged from still requires professional care. For example, patient may need to regain muscle strenght or even restore some basic skills - such as walking, running, maintaining balance.
As in hospital setting there are lots of different patients in rehabilitation setting for LPN to work with.
In Home Care setting.
Home Care setting gives LPN more choice over selection of clients. Even thou practical nurse still going to work with very ill people and postoperatives, another group of clients adds to list - eldery. And as LPN work at patients home you will be able to decide if he wants to work with exact patient. May be focus on eldery only or exactly opposite.
In School setting.
In School setting licensed nurse can work even without supervision of RN (may be different for some states). And LPN is pretty sure about who his clients are - students. This setting is less intensive but responsibility is sometimes even higher as you will need to sometimes make vital decisions.