Of the several types of nurse, by far the most predominant is the Registered Nurse (RN), a highly trained health care professional who possesses the education, skills and competency to practice all aspects of the care and recovery of the sick and the maintenance of well-being in the healthy. RNs ensure that patients receive care that is appropriate, timely, and professional, in a variety of settings.

While both LPNs and RNs are considered nurses, there are significant differences between the two, starting with even the educational process.

The LPN/LVN degree can be earned with about one year of schooling in a practical nursing program. There are currently about 1,200 accredited LVN/LPN programs in practical nursing in the U.S., including community colleges, vocational colleges, and online colleges.

Nursing students receive their real preparation for working in health care environments during the time they spend in nursing clinicals. Nursing clinicals give students the chance to work together with professional nurses in real situations so they get a feel for what is actually involved with nursing work.