What Does it Take to Be a Licensed Practical or Licensed Vocational Nurse?
Position 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?
- Prepare or examine food trays for conformance to prescribed diet.
- Work as part of a healthcare team to assess patient needs, plan and modify care, and implement interventions.
- Wash and dress bodies of deceased persons.
- Administer prescribed medications or start intravenous fluids, noting times and amounts on patients’ charts.
- Help patients with bathing, dressing, maintaining personal hygiene, moving in bed, or standing and walking.
- Sterilize equipment and supplies, using germicides, sterilizer, or autoclave.
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What a LP or LV Nurse Should Know
These are the skills Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses say are the most useful in their careers:
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.
Types of Licensed Practical or Licensed Vocational Nurse
- Private Duty Nurse
- Clinic Nurse
- Home Health Care Provider
- Nursing Technician
- Licensed Practical Nurse, Clinic Nurse (LPN, Clinic Nurse)
LP or LV Nurse Job Outlook
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.

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 salary for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses ranges between about $33,680 and $62,160 a year.

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses who work in Rhode Island, Alaska, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.
How much do Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses make in each U.S. state?
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 |
What Tools & Technology do Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses may use on a daily basis:
- 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
Becoming a LP or LV Nurse
Individuals working as a Licensed Practical or Licensed Vocational Nurse have obtained the following education levels:

How many years of work experience do I need?

Who Employs Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?

The table below shows the approximate number of Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses employed by various industries.

References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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