Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses

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.

Median Annual Wage: $42,490

Education: Post-secondary certificate (43%); Some college, no degree (35%); Associate's degree (20%)

Projected Growth: Much faster than average (22% or higher)

Related Job Titles: Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN); Charge Nurse; Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN); Clinic Licensed Practical Nurse (CLINIC LPN); Pediatric Licensed Practical Nurse (PEDIATRIC LPN); Clinic Nurse; Office Nurse; Private Duty Nurse; Triage Licensed Practical Nurse (TRIAGE LPN); Licensed Practical Nurse, Clinic Nurse (LPN, Clinic Nurse)

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Source: O*NET OnLine information for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses.

More Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Careers

  • Observe patients, charting and reporting changes in patients' conditions, such as adverse reactions to medication or treatment, and taking any necessary action.
  • Answer patients' calls and determine how to assist them.
  • Measure and record patients' vital signs, such as height, weight, temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and respiration.
  • Provide basic patient care or treatments, such as taking temperatures or blood pressures, dressing wounds, treating bedsores, giving enemas or douches, rubbing with alcohol, massaging, or performing catheterizations.
  • Work as part of a healthcare team to assess patient needs, plan and modify care, and implement interventions.
  • Supervise nurses' aides or assistants.
  • Evaluate nursing intervention outcomes, conferring with other healthcare team members as necessary.
  • Assemble and use equipment, such as catheters, tracheotomy tubes, or oxygen suppliers.
  • Record food and fluid intake and output.
  • Collect samples, such as blood, urine, or sputum from patients, and perform routine laboratory tests on samples.
  • Prepare patients for examinations, tests, or treatments and explain procedures.
  • Help patients with bathing, dressing, maintaining personal hygiene, moving in bed, or standing and walking.
  • Apply compresses, ice bags, or hot water bottles.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses.

  • Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • 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.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses.

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