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Licensed Practical or Licensed Vocational Nurse

Life As a Licensed Practical or Licensed Vocational Nurse

Career Description Care for ill, injured, or convalescing patients or persons with disabilities in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, private homes, group homes, and similar institutions. May work under the supervision of a registered nurse. Licensing required.

What Do Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses Do On a Daily Basis?

  • Administer prescribed medications or start intravenous fluids, noting times and amounts on patients’ charts.
  • Record food and fluid intake and output.
  • Measure and record patients’ vital signs, such as height, weight, temperature, blood pressure, pulse, or respiration.
  • Answer patients’ calls and determine how to assist them.
  • Evaluate nursing intervention outcomes, conferring with other healthcare team members as necessary.
  • Apply compresses, ice bags, or hot water bottles.

LP or LV Nurse Needed Skills

When polled, Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

  • Nursing Technician
  • Private Duty Nurse
  • Pediatric Licensed Practical Nurse (PEDIATRIC LPN)
  • Office Nurse
  • Home Health Care Provider

Are There Job Opportunities for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?

There were about 724,500 jobs for Licensed Practical or Licensed Vocational Nurse in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 12.3% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 88,900 new jobs for Licensed Practical or Licensed Vocational Nurse by 2026. There will be an estimated 62,700 positions for LP or LV Nurse per year.

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The states with the most job growth for LP or LV Nurse are Arizona, Colorado, and Utah. Watch out if you plan on working in Kansas, Wisconsin, or Maine. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Do Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses Make A Lot Of Money?

The typical yearly salary for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses is somewhere between $33,680 and $62,160.

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Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses who work in Rhode Island, Alaska, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses in different U.S. states.

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $38,230
Alaska $58,250
Arizona $54,090
Arkansas $39,570
California $56,200
Colorado $51,210
Connecticut $56,970
Delaware $52,860
District of Columbia $53,370
Florida $44,400
Georgia $41,690
Hawaii $50,930
Idaho $44,280
Illinois $51,080
Indiana $44,310
Iowa $42,820
Kansas $43,240
Kentucky $41,920
Louisiana $39,480
Maine $45,610
Maryland $53,650
Massachusetts $58,990
Michigan $49,040
Minnesota $47,020
Mississippi $37,930
Missouri $42,580
Montana $43,770
Nebraska $43,160
Nevada $57,140
New Hampshire $52,510
New Jersey $56,290
New Mexico $47,560
New York $48,770
North Carolina $44,610
North Dakota $46,410
Ohio $43,430
Oklahoma $41,260
Oregon $53,240
Pennsylvania $48,120
Rhode Island $59,130
South Carolina $40,890
South Dakota $38,630
Tennessee $40,120
Texas $46,990
Utah $48,130
Vermont $49,720
Virginia $44,850
Washington $55,420
West Virginia $36,770
Wisconsin $45,290
Wyoming $46,790

Tools & Technologies Used by Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Web browser software
  • Word processing software
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Spreadsheet software
  • MEDITECH software
  • Scheduling software
  • Google Drive
  • Medical procedure coding software
  • Inventory tracking software
  • Epic Systems
  • Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS
  • Medical condition coding software
  • Electronic medical record EMR software
  • Diagnostic and procedural coding software
  • PointClickCare
  • MedicWare EMR

How to Become a LP or LV Nurse

Learn what Licensed Practical or Licensed Vocational Nurse education requirements there are.

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How many years of work experience do I need?

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Where Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses Work

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Below are examples of industries where Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses work:

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References:

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More about our data sources and methodologies.

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