A licensed practical nurse (LPN) provides basic, hands-on patient care under the supervision of a registered nurse or physician. LPNs check vital signs, administer medications, change wound dressings, help patients with daily activities like bathing and eating, and serve as a critical communication link between patients and the rest of the care team.
Daily Duties of an LPN
The core of an LPN’s job is bedside patient care. On a typical shift, that means monitoring blood pressure and other vital signs, changing bandages, inserting catheters, and helping patients with basic comfort needs like dressing and feeding. LPNs also keep detailed records of each patient’s health status and report changes to doctors and other providers.
In most states, LPNs can draw blood. Some states also allow them to start IV fluid drips and give IV medications, though this often requires completing an additional certification course. Pennsylvania, for example, requires LPNs to finish a board-approved IV therapy education program before performing any infusion therapy. The exact rules vary by state, so what an LPN can do in one facility may differ from another across state lines.
What LPNs Cannot Do
The biggest difference between an LPN and a registered nurse (RN) is independence. LPNs work in a dependent role, meaning they carry out care plans rather than creating them. An RN performs the initial comprehensive assessment of a patient, interprets clinical data, and develops a nursing care plan. An LPN contributes to that assessment by collecting data and recognizing when something needs immediate attention, but independently interpreting clinical findings or performing a full initial assessment falls outside the LPN scope of practice.
LPNs also face more restrictions around IV therapy. Certain components of infusion therapy are off-limits depending on the state’s nurse practice act. In general, the more complex or high-risk the task, the more likely it requires an RN.
Where LPNs Work
Nursing homes and residential care facilities are the largest employers of LPNs by a wide margin. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, 38% of the roughly 729,000 LPNs in the U.S. worked in these settings. Hospitals are the second-largest employer at 15%.
Beyond those two, LPNs work in physicians’ offices, home health agencies, and outpatient clinics. Home health LPNs typically travel to patients’ homes throughout the day, managing a caseload of seven to nine individuals. There are also less traditional paths: some LPNs work in medical call centers, handle medical billing or coding for insurance companies, or process medical transcription from home.
How to Become an LPN
LPN programs are offered at community colleges, vocational schools, and some hospitals. Most take about 12 months to complete, making them one of the fastest routes into a nursing career. The curriculum covers anatomy, pharmacology, and clinical skills, with supervised hands-on practice in a healthcare setting.
After finishing the program, graduates must pass the NCLEX-PN, the national licensing exam administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. Every state, territory, and commonwealth requires this exam before an LPN can practice. The test measures whether a candidate can perform safely and effectively as an entry-level practical nurse. Once licensed, LPNs must practice under the supervision of a licensed healthcare provider, as defined by their state’s Nurse Practice Act.
Skills That Matter Most
Technical competence gets you through nursing school, but the job itself demands a specific set of interpersonal skills. Communication tops the list. LPNs constantly relay information between patients, families, doctors, and other nurses. Much of that communication involves explaining medical concepts to people with no healthcare background, so the ability to translate clinical language into something clear and approachable is essential.
Compassion and empathy help build trust with patients who are often in pain, scared, or frustrated. Critical thinking matters because LPNs regularly face situations where they need to recognize a change in a patient’s condition and decide whether it requires immediate intervention. And dependability is non-negotiable: patients rely on you for care, and coworkers rely on you to show up consistently and on time. Flexibility runs alongside that, since healthcare settings are unpredictable and shift schedules can change.
Salary and Job Outlook
The median salary for LPNs is $63,540 per year, which works out to about $30.55 per hour. Pay varies significantly by state, with higher wages typically found in states with a higher cost of living or greater demand for nursing staff.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects LPN employment to grow 3% from 2024 to 2034, roughly matching the average growth rate across all occupations. Demand remains steady largely because of an aging population that needs more long-term care, the setting where LPNs are most concentrated. For those who want to advance, many LPNs eventually pursue bridge programs that allow them to become registered nurses, building on the clinical experience they already have.