LPN to RN

What are the Career Opportunities for Registered Nurses Compared to LPNs? (LPN - Licensed Practical Nurses)

When comparing the differences in opportunities between a registered nurse and a LPN, you must first understand the abilities and skill sets of each. While it is true that both are ultimately charged with providing quality patient care, the differences are vast and the careers of the two are usually very different.

LPNs are practical nurses that perform hands on duties involving patients of varying stages of illness and injury. Although LPNs are a crucial part of the healthcare system, they are generally considered to be subordinate workers that follow directions given by registered nurses and Physicians. Their training consists of mostly practical study (patient care), but also includes didactic courses in nursing, obstetrics, pediatrics, geriatrics, anatomy, pharmacology, first aid, and even nutrition. Upon completion of an approved practical nursing program, LPNs are required to complete and pass a licensure exam, known as the NCLEX-PN. LPN programs are often offered as a 1 year course, but may be found to take less amount of time, depending on the course syllabus and schedule.

As previously stated, the job duties of the average LPN in the US are mostly practical applications. A LPN is usually employed to perform basic patient care duties, such as taking vitals, bathing, applying dressings and bandages, administering certain medications, monitoring and recording patient progress, preparing patients for treatment by a physician, monitoring and recording fluid intakes, taking labs for testing purposes, and general record keeping. In some settings, LPNs are responsible for overseeing the actions of nursing assistants, and the administration of other LPNs.

According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, in 2004 LPNs held over 726,000 jobs. While some were employed in governmental positions and home health care services, the vast majority held jobs in Hospitals, nursing homes, and clinical offices. Employment outlook for LPNs has grown each year, and is expected to continue to rise. However, as the need for more qualified workers such as RNs increases, the focus for most health care facilities will be geared toward educating and hiring registered nurses. Although the salaries for LPNs will grow with economic demand, the focus for more highly trained providers may hinder the pay increases for LPNs.

In 2004, the average salary for an LPN was just over $30,000 annually. While some smaller sectors of employment for an LPN offered higher wages, most facilities only offered competitive salaries and some were less than $24,000 per year. Since the United States reported average salaries for US citizens of $36,764 in 2002, this places the average LPN among some of the lower reporting income positions in the country!