Definition of practical nurse

The term "practical nurse" can be traced back to the early 20th century, specifically to the late 1910s. At that time, nursing education underwent a fundamental shift from apprenticeship-based training to more formal academic programs. The first such program, the Practical Nurse Training School, was established in 1902 at the New York Hospital. This groundbreaking school offered a structured curriculum that emphasized clinical practice, as well as theoretical and practical training in subjects such as anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology. The success of this program paved the way for similar schools to be established in other hospitals and cities. The curriculum of these new schools followed a similar pattern, with a strong emphasis on clinical practice and hands-on learning. In 1912, the National League for Nursing Education (NLNE) declared that it would only recognize schools that provided a comprehensive practical nursing education. As a result, the term "practical nurse" came to describe a nurse who had completed such an education and was therefore qualified to provide direct patient care. Thus, the term "practical nurse" emerged as a way to distinguish these nurses from those who had completed less rigorous training, such as those who had learned through apprenticeships or who had received only basic medical training. Today, practical nurses (also known as licensed practical nurses, or LPNs) continue to play a critical role in healthcare delivery, providing essential nursing care in a variety of settings, from hospitals and clinics to long-term care facilities and patients' homes.