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Licensed Practical Nurses

Provide basic nursing care under the direction of doctors and registered nurses.

Quick Facts

Wages:	Above the statewide median $27.09 / hour Read more about wages
Outlook:	Above statewide average Growth rate: 9.3% Read more about outlook
Education:	Vocational training is typically required. View related education and training programs View related majors
On the Job:	Typical Work Tasks Administer basic health care or medical treatments. Administer intravenous medications. Apply bandages, dressings, or splints. Assist healthcare practitioners during examinations or treatments. Read more about the job
Job Title Examples:	Charge Nurse Clinic Nurse Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) See more job title examples

View All Career Information

This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

Wages & Outlook

Typical Wages

Wages listed below are for a variety of experience and education levels. Make sure that you research the typical entry-level education and work experience and training requirements for this occupation.

This career: $27.09
Statewide median: $24.25

This career pays above the statewide median wage.

Wages for Licensed Practical Nurses *

Area	Low	Median	High
U S	$23.86	$27.27	$31.01
Minnesota	$24.46	$27.09	$29.56
Central Minnesota	$24.29	$25.46	$29.30
Northeast Minnesota	$22.91	$24.51	$27.51
Northwest Minnesota	$23.79	$24.63	$27.71
Southeast Minnesota	$24.33	$25.46	$29.37
Southwest Minnesota	$24.05	$25.12	$28.95
Seven County Mpls-St Paul, MN	$25.54	$28.51	$30.23

* "Low" indicates 25% of workers earn less and 75% earn more.
"Median" indicates 50% of workers earn less and 50% earn more.
"High" indicates 75% of workers earn less and 25% earn more.

See more wage detail.

Employment

In Minnesota, there are 14,660 workers employed in this large career.

Where do Licensed Practical Nurses most often work?

Current Demand

This career is currently in very high demand.

Future Demand

This career is seeing high growth compared to other careers.

There will be a need for about 12,178 new Licensed Practical Nurses to meet market demand between 2020-2030. This includes the demand due to replacement (workers leaving the occupation or retiring) as well as growth.

Employment Outlook for Licensed Practical Nurses
Area	Employment		Employment Change
Area	2020	2030	Number	Percent
U S	688,100	751,900	63,800	9.3%
Minnesota	14,408	15,356	948	6.6%
Central Minnesota	2,101	2,207	106	5%
Northeast Minnesota	941	1,000	59	6.3%
Northwest Minnesota	1,325	1,366	41	3.1%
Southeast Minnesota	1,302	1,393	91	7%
Southwest Minnesota	1,026	1,070	44	4.3%
Seven County Mpls-St Paul, MN	7,634	8,217	583	7.6%

On the Job

Licensed Practical Nurses provide nursing care in a variety of settings, especially long-term care facilities. They monitor patients and maintain records. They work under the direction of registered nurses or doctors. This career requires a license.

Physical Demands

This career requires time standing, walking, or running.

Typical Work Tasks

People who work in this career often:

Administer basic health care or medical treatments.
Administer intravenous medications.
Apply bandages, dressings, or splints.
Assist healthcare practitioners during examinations or treatments.
Assist patients with hygiene or daily living activities.
Prepare patients physically for medical procedures.
Treat patients using physical therapy techniques.
Maintain medical facility records.
Record patient medical histories.
Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.

Typical Working Conditions

Having face-to-face discussions.
The importance of being accurate or exact.
Exposure to disease or infections.
Working with a group or team.
Close physical proximity with other people.
Freedom to make decisions without supervision.
Responsibility for others' health and safety.
Meeting strict deadlines.
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people.
Standing.
Wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats, or life jackets.
Exposure to sounds or noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable.

Education & Credentials

Educational Requirements

Vocational training

Education level attained (national data)

Education Level Attained (national data)
Education Level Attained	Percentage of workers in this occupation
Less than high school diploma	1.7
High school diploma or equivalent	23.4
Some college, no degree	53.3
Associate degree	16.7
Bachelors degree	3.9
Masters degree	0.6
Doctoral (Ph.D) or professional degree	0.4

Work Experience and Training Requirements

Nationally, this career typically requires:

No related work experience for entry.
Little or no on-the-job training to become competent.

Current Training Opportunities

Related Programs

Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training

Majors

Click on any of the Majors listed below to find out more about preparing for this career.

Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants

Transfer Options

Enrolling in a community college can be a great place to start your four-year degree. While all 31 Minnesota State community colleges, technical colleges and universities offer all or part of the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (a 40-credit package of general education courses accepted for transfer to other state colleges and universities, the University of Minnesota, and some private colleges and universities), not all two-year colleges offer degrees intended to transfer to a four-year bachelor's degree.

If you plan to transfer to obtain a four-year bachelor's degree, it is important to know which degree path is right for you:

Associate of Arts (AA) degrees offered at community colleges are designed to transfer into liberal arts four-year majors.
Associate of Science (AS) and Associate of Fine Arts (AFA) degrees offered at community and technical colleges transfer into specific four-year majors and will likely require completing additional general education courses at a university.
Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees offered at technical and community colleges are not designed to transfer. They lead to immediate entry into the workplace.
Diplomas and certificates offered at technical colleges are not designed to transfer. They lead to immediate entry into the workplace.

Talk to a transfer specialist as early as possible to determine the best associate degree for your goals. Be sure to review your Degree Audit Report (DARS) each semester to best prepare for transfer. Get more help understanding transfer using the tools below.

Visit Transferology to see if your courses will transfer.
Search Articulation Agreements to find formal transfer agreements between schools.

Licenses

Licenses are knowledge and skill credentials that are legally required in some careers.

This occupation requires a license.

Approval of Practical Nursing Programs
Border State Registry
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)

Helpful High School Courses

Examples of helpful classes that help you prepare for this career:

Anatomy
Chemistry
Community Health
Computer Applications
Human Development
Medical Ethics

Nutrition
Research Methods
Safety and First Aid/CPR
Sociology
Statistics
World Languages

In Minnesota, your school may have developed a Program of Study in this career area. A Program of Study is an academic and career plan developed by your high school to help move you towards a career and college path. A Program of Study can help you:

Select high school classes that prepare you for college and getting a job
Understand how the classes you're taking in high school lead to a career
Identify extra-curricular activities that are related to your career interest
See what classes at your school offer early college credit that will save you time and money towards your college expenses
Graduate from high school prepared for your next step toward the career you choose

Skills & Knowledge

Most Important Skills for Licensed Practical Nurses

Being Aware of Others—Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Helping Others—Actively looking for ways to help people.
Speaking—Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Thinking Critically—Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Coordinating with Others—Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
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.
Monitoring Performance—Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Reading—Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Managing Time—Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Making Decisions—Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Most Important Knowledge Areas for Licensed Practical Nurses

Psychology—Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Customer and Personal Service—Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Medicine and Dentistry—Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Therapy and Counseling—Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
English Language—Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Education and Training—Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Philosophy and Theology—Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
Chemistry—Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal m
Mathematics—Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Clerical—Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

Interests

Different careers may be a good fit for your personality or interests. This career is:

Social—Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Realistic—Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Learn more about your interests. Take the MnCareers Interest Assessment.

Describe Your Skills

People who have worked in this career typically perform the following tasks. These statements can help a prospective employer understand what you can do, on a resume or during an interview.

Helping and caring for people.
Documenting or recording information.
Communicating with supervisors, co-workers, or people that work under you.
Creating and maintaining interpersonal relationships.
Collecting information from different sources.
Making decisions or solving problems.
Organizing, planning, and prioritizing work.
Evaluating information to determine compliance with standards.

Careers that Use Similar Skills

The following careers use skills, knowledge, and abilities that are similar to those used for Licensed Practical Nurses.

View more careers in the Health Science cluster

View more careers in the Therapeutic Services pathway

Please visit CareerOneStop to search Tools & Technology.

Jobs

Real-time job data provided by Gartner TalentNeuron

Job Title Examples

Charge Nurse, Clinic Nurse, Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN), Clinic Licensed Practical Nurse (CLINIC Lpn), Office Nurse, Pediatric Licensed Practical Nurse (PEDIATRIC Lpn), Private Duty Nurse, Triage Licensed Practical Nurse (TRIAGE Lpn)

Where Do Licensed Practical Nurses Work?

Licensed Practical Nurses often work in the following industries.

Similar Careers

Below are careers that use skill sets that are similar to Licensed Practical Nurses.

Source: You can learn about our data sources in the About Us section.

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