USA QUASI PROVINCE COUNCIL

Rev. Michael Reardon, S.D.V. – Father Provincial

Rev. Stephen Ehiahuruike, S.D.V. – Vicar

Rev. Emeka Okwuosa, S.D.V. – Dean of Studies

Rev. Jimson Varghese, S.D.V. – Secretary

Rev. Thomas Naduviledath, S.D.V. – Treasurer

Read about your Christian calling and how your job is important to God! Learn about how your vocation and career matter!

The Vocationist Fathers first arrived in the United States on August 9, 1962. The Superior General at that time was Rev. John Galasso, S.D.V. The first two priests assigned to the new mission took residence at 196 Broad Street in Newark, NJ. Archbishop Boland invited the Vocationists to the Archdiocese of Newark to minister to the spiritual and social needs of the Spanish-speaking immigrants who, at the time, were flocking in increasing numbers.

Vocational School

Over the years, more Vocationist priests and students join the original group, giving them needed support in their growing services to the community. As the work of the priests progressed and began to bear fruits, it became evident that the Spanish speaking residents needed a place they could call their spiritual home. The priests showed their concern to the Archdiocese of Newark. Half a block away from the Vocationists’ residence there was a building owned by the Catholic parish of St. Michael’s. Archbishop Boland decided to refurbish it and convert it into a Church and Community Center for the Spanish-speaking community of Newark.

On March 5, 1982, a call came from the Most Rev. Peter Gerety, Archbishop of Newark, urging the Vocationist Fathers to take on the responsibility of St. Nicholas Parish in Palisades Park, NJ. For a few years, they were satisfied to be able to foster vocations under the parish bell tower … just like their founder had done in Pianura!

The Society of Divine Vocations is a religious con- gregation founded by Blessed Fr. Justin Maria Rus- solillo, S.D.V., in Pianura, Naples – Italy in 1920. We are also known as the VOCATIONIST FATHERS. Justin also founded the Vocationist Sis- ters and Apostles of Universal Sanctification. Vocationist Catholic College is anoutstandingindependentaward-winingoutstandingMale and Female boarding school. Under the management of the Society of Divine Vocations (Vocationist Fathers and Brothers) located at Inu-Odi, Oloje, Ido LGA, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Moral and Religious Values. A strong impulse or inclination to follow a particular activity or career. A divine call to God's service or to the Christian life. A function or station in life to which one is called by God: the religious vocation; the vocation of marriage.

Still, the Fathers soon realized that the education they were giving their candidates had few advantages and many drawbacks. On one hand, it provided the advantage of the exposure of the candidates to the real world during their formation years, but on the other hand, they did not enjoy an isolated setting conducive to reading, studying and praying. Once again, the Divine Providence surprise them.

In 1986, Jack Burstyn, a man of Jewish faith, informed of the needs of the Vocationists, donated 30 acres of land in Florham Park, NJ, for the purpose of building religious houses for the Vocationist Fathers and Sisters. Many other benefactors joined Mr. Burstyn and generously contributed to the construction of the first Vocationary in the United States. The new house of formation was called Father Justin Vocationary and was solemnly blessed and inaugurated on May 27, 1989 by the Most Reverend Frank J. Rodimer, Bishop of Paterson, NJ.

Today, the Vocationist Fathers have six religious communities in New Jersey:

. Blessed Fr. Justin Vocationary in Florham Park,
. St. Michael’s Parish in Newark,
. St. Nicholas Church in Palisades Park,
. St. Gerard Majella Church in Paterson,
. Parish of the Visitation in New Brunswick, and
. St. Cecelia Church in Iselin.

We also have Vocationist communities in New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Florida.

. Shrine Church Our Lady of Solace in Brooklyn, NY,
. St. Clement Pope Church in South Ozone Park, NY,
. Mater Dei Parish in Newport, VT,
. Our Lady of Seven Dolors in New Haven, VT,
. St. Patrick’s Church in Wareham, MA,
. St. Francis of Assisi in Apopka, FL. and
. St. Joseph Church in Winter Haven, FL.

BLESSED FR. JUSTIN VOCATIONARY

“A Vocationary is a religious house where, in a spirit of prayer and study,
we educate and guide – free of charge – candidates who wish to dedicate themselves to a life of service to the Lord, but who are not oriented yet towards diocesan priesthood or religious congregations.”
Blessed Fr. Justin Russolillo, S.D.V.

For more information on becoming a Vocationist Father or Brother,
please contact our Director of Vocations
Tel. 973-966-6262
Send Email

Are you looking for a career that will allow you to care for others?

Then you can consider a career as a vocational nurse.

Wanting to care for others is only just the beginning; doing a job such as this one will require you to be a person who possesses several other traits.

If this is a profession that you may want to pursue, it’s best that you’ll know the answer to the question:

What does a vocational nurse do?

Article Table of Contents

• 3 Duties Are Based On the Type of Work Place
• 5 Skills and Traits Needed By a Vocational Nurse

Popular Programs

Before making the solid decision that this is the path you want to follow.

The duties of a vocational nurse, sometimes known as a licensed vocational nurse (LVN), can vary depending on the institution at which they work.

Environments in which these types of nurses work include health and medical facilities, nursing homes, clinics, hospitals, and private homes. These professionals generally work under the guidance of a doctor, registered nurse or physician’s assistant.

Briefly, What does a Vocational Nurse do?

In short, the work of a vocational nurse depends on the facility where they work.

The duties include the provision of medical comfort to patients.

They also ensure that patients seeing a doctor in a medical facility are properly cared for.

Such professionals attend to tasks such as welcoming patients to the facility, checking important statistics, talking with other nurses and doctors to keep them up to date about patients, changing bandages, assisting patients to clean themselves and also get dressed.

Vocational nurses can do other things apart from the ones stated above.

What they can do and not do, in most cases, is legislated by the state in which they work.

In this video on YouTube, a vocational nurse explains what she does:

Duties Are Based On the Type of Work Place

Even though there are basic duties that every vocational nurse should be able to do, what they eventually do depends on the type of institution at which they work.

Nursing and Extended Care Homes

In nursing homes and facilities that offer extended care.

They spend most of their time providing care to the elderly and the chronically ill. In such settings, nurses have the ability to build long-term relationships with patients.

This is why they are generally able to provide useful information to other caregivers about the patient’s condition.

They can also offer suggestions when a patient moves from one care facility to another.

Hospitals And Other Medical Facilities

Licensed vocational nurses also get employed in hospitals to assist with the collection of important information such as respiration, pulse, blood pressure, and temperature.

In hospitals, the duties extend to the administration of enemas and injections, giving alcohol or massage rubs, and monitoring catheters.

It is also common that you will find vocational nurses in hospitals bathing and dressing patients who lack the ability to do this for themselves.

They also apply ice packs, hot water bottles, and dressings.

The collection of soiled bedsheets and helping patients move sides so that they do not have bedsores is an important part of the vocational nurse’s job description.

Additional tasks in this job also involve watching patients so that they can report in time when there are complications with treatment.

Depending on the state, these nurses can also administer medicine.

They collect samples for tests. When doctors are performing complicated medical procedures these nurses can help.

It is common to find a vocational nurse assisting in the delivery of babies in a maternity ward. They can also assist with caring for new infants and sometimes feed them where the need arises.

Vocational Nurse Salary & Job Outlook

You can expect anywhere between $31,000 to $68,350.

Most of the vocational nurses are somewhere around the average which is around $45,500 in 2021.

Just like in most professions, your salary will go up with seniority.

Here’s a graph that shows the average pay by experience level for vocational nurses (LVN):

* The data is based on ~7,800 vocational nurses’ salaries in 2021.

Skills and Traits Needed By a Vocational Nurse

In order for a vocational nurse to be able to do her work, she needs certain skills and character traits.

Physical Fitness

Vocational nurses have to be physically fit.

Otherwise, how can you expect to take care of others when you are not in the best of health yourself?

The job involves a lot of walking and standing.

Sometimes the distances such nurses walk look like they are short, but if put together you will realize that the nurse walks a considerable distance per day.

Compassion

Vocational nurses work with people when they are at their weakest in life.

This is the reason why compassion is a fundamental requirement for someone who does this kind of work.

People who arrive in hospitals and other medical facilities can be in great pain, confused, or sick and need someone who will understand their condition.

People in this state require all the kindness they can get.

Attention to Detail

The medical field is one of the places where a mistake can result in the death of a patient.

For example, if the nurse does not pay enough attention to detail, she may give the wrong medication to the wrong patient.

If a patient dies and it’s because someone in the hospital didn’t pay attention and made a mistake the consequences can be quite dire, other than the fact that the patient died, there’s most likely going to be a medical malpractice lawsuit filed against the hospital.

Interpersonal Skills

The job of a Vocational Nurse involves dealing with people on a daily basis.

The nurse has to understand that people are different and cannot be treated with a “one fits all” attitude.

The nurse needs to be personable. She needs to be able to speak clearly.

Whether a patient will take their medication according to prescription depends on the clarity of the instructions given by the nurse. Being a good listener is also a part of the job.

Patience is also another trait that every vocational nurse should have.

Patients who are ill or in pain can be quite difficult to handle.

Patience leads to understanding which is exactly what patients in this condition are looking for.

The work of a vocational nurse can be a demanding one.

If you are planning to take up a role in this profession, you may want to consider the reasons why this could be a career you want to follow.

For those who have the right disposition and character traits, there are several career paths available in this field.

With the right attitude and training, you can be an important part of a team that helps others to feel better.

Now that you have an idea of what vocational nurses do, you can make a more informed decision.

Good luck!

Vocational Rehabilitation Services

Read the full guide: How to Become a Licensed Practical Nurse