Most importantly, you’ll need to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN). This exam is administered by individual states, and the requirements and application process varies. To find out what the state in which you hope to work requires, contact the state’s Board of Nursing, which will also need to grant you a nursing license that will allow you to take the NCLEX-PN.  Get a state-specific study guide and plan a study schedule to help you prepare the the exam. Be prepared for testing in four broad categories, including questions on managing patients’ safety and preventing infection, coping and adapting to the medical environment, familiarity with human growth and development, as well as disease prevention and detection, and familiarity with basic care, therapies, risk reduction, and and other physiological concepts. Before you take the national licensing exam, you need to apply for a nursing license from your state’s board of nursing.  Your state’s board of nursing will also provide the eligibility criteria required to the take the exam in your state.  Begin this application process before you graduate your LVN program — which will likely help facilitate the process. Be aware that you may need to have your fingerprints taken, as well as acquire a notary signature in order to be granted access to the exam. Register for the exam in advance, and pay the examination fee of about $200.  The test will include anywhere from 85 to 205 multiple choice questions and requires completion in under 5 hours. If you fail the exam the first time you attempt it, you can take it again after 45 days for an additional fee. Know that some states allow you work as an LPN after completion of your program while waiting to complete the test to be fully licensed . If you have partially completed a bachelor’s degree program in nursing, you may qualify to take the exam and apply for nursing in certain states.  Similarly, some states consider certain levels of military training to be equivalent to an LVN training.  If you have received military medical training, you may also be eligible to take the exam and apply for licensing.  Check with a specific state’s board of nursing to  more.

Summary: Research the LVN licensing requirements. Apply for a nursing license in your state. Take the NCLEX-PN. Meet the other qualifying criteria to take the NCLEX-PN.


.  Using your diaphragm when you speak and sing is essential for actors and singers. Your diaphragm is in the area just underneath your sternum (where your ribs meet). By breathing into your diaphragm and using this breath when you sing your voice will have more power. Breathing into your diaphragm instead of into your chest will also reduce strain on your vocal cords.  To practice diaphragmatic breathing, take a breath into your abdomen. You should feel your abdomen expand as you breathe in.  Then, release the breath slowly with a hissing sound.  Try to keep your shoulders and neck relaxed as you breathe.  You can also place your hands on your abdomen as you breathe in. If your hands rise when you take in a breath, then you are breathing into your abdomen. Taking tension out of your jaw will allow you to open your mouth wider when you speak or sing, which may result in a clearer voice.  To remove the tension from your jaw, push on your cheeks with the heel of your hands just below the jawline.  Draw your hands down toward your chin, then start back at the top massaging your jaw muscles. Allow your mouth to gently open as you draw your hands downward. Practicing your vocal range can also help to improve your voice for singing. To practice your vocal range, place a stirring straw between your lips and start to make a low “oo” sound. Slowly start to increase the pitch of the “oo” sound. Go from the bottom of your vocal range to the top of your vocal range.  The air that doesn’t fit through the straw presses down on your vocal chords. This exercise is helpful for reducing swelling around the vocal chords. Trilling your lips is also a good way to exercise your voice and give it a clearer sound. With your lips gently closed, blow air through them while making the “uh” sound.  Your lips will vibrate together from the air that is released. The air trapped inside your mouth will close your vocal cords, allowing them to gently come together. Humming is an effective way to warm up your voice and to cool it down after using it for a long performance. To start, close your lips and relax your jaw.  Inhale through your nose and let the breath out on a hum.  Start by making a nasal “mmm,” then move the hum down through the lower part of your register. This exercise activates the vibrations in your lips teeth and facial bones. Stretching your tongue can make it easier to articulate your words, which is essential for stage actors. To stretch your tongue, press your tongue against your palate, then stick it out of your mouth.  Press it against one cheek, then the other.  Place the tip of your tongue behind your bottom lip and fold the rest out of your mouth, then fold your tongue backward with the tip on your palate. Repeat these exercises 10 times in a row. Saying tongue twisters may also improve your ability to speak clearly because it gives you practice enunciating. Tongue twisters will also exercise the muscles in your lips, face, and tongue, which can benefit your voice.  Make sure that you exaggerate the sounds of each word that you speak as you say the tongue twisters.  Start slowly and progressively speed up your recitation of the phrases. Practice “P” words by reciting “Peter Piper picked a peck of piquant peppers.” For “N” and “U” words, try, “You know New York.  You need New York.  You know you need unique New York.” Give your tongue a workout by repeating, “Red leather, yellow leather” over and over. ”  Saying “hooty gees” will help to relax your larynx and this may improve the quality of your singing voice. Try to say the word “gees” like you are Yogi Bear.  As you do, you may feel your larynx drop.  Having your larynx in this lowered position gives you more control over your vocal cords, so you might find it easier to hit a higher note after doing this exercise. Repeat this exercise a few times. ”  Making these vowel sounds will help you to practice singing with your mouth in different positions.  Start with one sound and then transition all the way through the ooh, oh, uh, and ah sounds to give your voice a good workout. Doing this may make it easier for you to hit a higher note or to keep your voice stable while you are singing. Repeat this exercise a few times per day. To improve your voice for speaking on a stage and for singing, you will need to exercise it on a regular schedule.  Warm your voice before using it extensively, but also practice vocal exercises twice per day for best results. Try setting aside 15 minutes to do vocal exercises when you wake up, or do them while you are getting ready for work or school. Then do them again before you go to bed, such as while you are making dinner or taking a bath.

Summary: Practice breathing into your diaphragm Release your jaw. Breathe through a stirring straw while practicing your vocal range. Trill your lips. Hum. Stretch your tongue for better articulation. Improve your diction with tongue twisters. Ease any tension in your voice by saying “Hooty Gees. Balance your vocal resonance with “ooh-oh-uh-ahs. Exercise your voice twice per day.


This is found on the upper-left corner of the screen. You’ll be shown all the featured and available channels. This will enable you to view the channel’s profile. On the channel’s profile page, you can tap “Preview” to read sample posts. Once you’ve chosen a channel, simply tap on Join, found on the bottom center of the screen. The channel will now be listed in your Subscribed Channels section.
Summary: Tap on the Channels icon. Tap on a channel. Tap Join.