Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Jobs

As a licensed practical nurse (LPN), you're a pivotal part of a healthcare team that tends to patients daily. Because the role is essential to caregiving, LPN jobs are found in many settings including skilled nursing facilities and residential care centers, hospitals, and home healthcare services.

LPN jobs are expected to grow by 5% over the next decade — an estimated additional 54,400 jobs each year — which would bring the total number of LPNs to nearly 700,000. If you're looking for an LPN job, now is a great time to explore the opportunities. LPNs are expected to be in high demand thanks to the aging of the baby boomer population, as well as the fact that outpatient centers are performing many of the procedures that were once exclusive to hospitals. Find your next LPN job on IntelyCare today.

LPN Education and Skills

In order to become an LPN (called an LVN, or licensed vocational nurse, in California and Texas), you’ll need to graduate from a certified practical nursing certificate program, which typically takes a year to complete. In addition to coursework covering biology and pharmacology, LPN programs afford the opportunity to get hands-on clinical experience to help you prepare for caring for patients.

Upon completion of the program, you’ll earn a certificate, but you must pass the NCLEX-PN to receive your license, which is required in order for you to be legally qualified for licensed practical nurse jobs.

At this point, you’ll be able to assist RNs and provide basic nursing care within the LPN scope of practice, which includes:

• Taking and monitoring a patient’s vital signs.
• Helping patients with eating, dressing, and using the bathroom.
• Preparing patients for diagnostic tests.

Want more ways to make your resume stand out from the crowd? Consider adding to your skillset with these additional certifications:

• IV Therapy, offered through the National Association for Practical Nurse Education Service (NAPNES)
• Wound Care, offered through the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing Certification Board (WOCNCB)
• Hospice and Palliative Care, offered through the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation

If you’d like to learn more about what skills employers are looking for, check out this LPN job description sample.

LPN Resume and Cover Letter

In order to stand out from the competition when applying to the best LPN jobs, your resume should align your skills to the specific requirements you see in a job ad. For example, if an employer lists “experience with wound care best practices” at the top of their list of qualifications, you’ll want to be sure you include that very phrase in your LPN resume. In your cover letter, be sure to talk about your experience cleaning and dressing wounds.

Not sure what else to put in your cover letter when you’re applying to jobs for LPN professionals? Check out our LPN cover letter template for inspiration.

Interviewing for Licensed Practical Nurse Jobs

Employers use an interview as an opportunity to see what you’re like in person and gauge your verbal communication skills. At the same time, you have a chance to evaluate them — interviewing is very much a two-way street. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about the culture and priorities of the organization. The information can help you determine if the job is a good fit for you.

To help you prepare, take a look at some of the LPN interview questions employers might ask and practice your answers ahead of time.

Ways of Working

There are many options when you’re pursuing LPN openings, not just in terms of the types of facilities you can work, but also the nature of your employment. You can work in a traditional hospital setting, or in a long-term care community or a clinic. The nursing field has flexible options, so it’s in your best interest to find an employer who does too.

To get a better idea of the LPN positions available to you, here’s a look at the most recent jobs for LPNs by schedule and facility type:

• Full-time LPN positions
• Part-time LPN positions
• Per diem LPN positions
• Outpatient LPN positions
• Urgent Care LPN positions
• Remote LPN positions
• Contract LPN positions
• Temporary LPN positions
• Travel LPN positions

LPN Jobs: Salary

The average salary for LPN jobs is $60,790 per year. What you earn can depend on a variety of things, including your education level, the state in which you work, and the facility itself.

Demand can also play a role in what you can earn in LPN jobs. Florida and Texas, for example, are among the five states that employ the most LPNs, but the average pay in both locations is lower than in Alaska and Washington, which are among the five states that pay the most to LPNs.

If you’d like to see where you can earn the most as a licensed practical nurse, here are the top five states for LPN pay by average salary and hourly wage:

Want to find a licensed practical nurse job in these higher-paying areas? Here’s a look at the latest LPN jobs in these locations:

• California LVN openings
• Rhode Island LPN openings
• Washington LPN openings
• Alaska LPN openings
• Massachusetts LPN openings

Get a Great LPN Job on IntelyCare

We know there are a lot of LPN jobs out there to choose from. Find out how IntelyCare can match you with the best LPN positions in your desired facility type and specialty today.