As the profession of nursing advanced various, the education for RPN were developed. Gradually, the idea of formal education for practical nurses caught on throughout Canada. The length of the course for the modern trained practical nurse is approximately one year in most states with some variation in the actual number of weeks. The focus of formal training of Practical Nursing was on training nurse for home health care of patients with chronic illness the aged and children. By the end of the 19th century there was a renewed interest in charitable work and concern for the sick. Practical Nursing began to extend from home nursing to public health nursing, care of patients in the slums, school nursing, industrial nursing and as well baby care.
Nursing has experienced changes throughout its history and the changes are not yet over. A major change that has occurred in Practical Nursing history is a gradual increase in the required formal knowledge base and requirement for licensing to practice Practical Nursing. Unlike the historically untrained or poorly trained practical nurse, who had unlimited and unsupervised freedom to practice, the present practical nurse is now often a hybrid who is being taught basic skills during the educational program. After graduation, the licensed practical/vocational nurse (LP/VN) is permitted to perform complex nursing skills as delegated by the registered nurse (RN) and allowed by the nurse practice act. The first licensed Practical Nurses Act to provide for the training, examination and licensing of Practical Nurse's in Canada received royal assent in Manitoba on March 23, 1945. This was the first known legislation to govern PNs in North America. To learn more information about nurse history, I have to search some nurse organization in North America. All of these organizations are helping to protect the rights and benefits of practical nurses. The national Association for Practical Nurse Education and Service Inc.