LPN Jobs Overview

Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) have been called "the eyes and ears" of RNs and physicians. Although LPNs were initially trained to be bedside nurses in hospitals, their role has expanded to include much more hands-on care for patients. That's one reason why becoming an LPN is a great way to begin a nursing career. You can search for LPN jobs in hospitals, nursing homes, physicians' offices, schools, psychiatric centers, and more.

Working as an LPN, you'll do everything from assisting with patient comfort to administering medications and providing wound care. LPN training includes how to perform diagnostic procedures, such as EKG, penipuncture, PFT, and Doppler. These skills are always in high demand: The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 9% growth in LPN jobs over the next decade.

You might want to take a broad approach and begin looking for an LPN job with a search for healthcare technology jobs. You can also focus on similar positions with searches for:

• LVN jobs
• EKG technician jobs
• OR tech jobs

LPN Training and Skills

LPN jobs provide a fast entry into healthcare. With a high school diploma or equivalent, you can complete an LPN program from a technical school or community college in one year. The classes you'll take as part of LPN training include nursing principles, pharmacology, intravenous therapy, diet, and nutrition. Before you graduate, you'll also have clinical training in a medical setting.

You can graduate with a diploma, certificate, or associate degree, which gives you a foundation to go back to school later to progress to the RN level of nursing if you'd like. To work as an LPN, you'll need to pass the National Council Licensure Exam.

Along with medical knowledge and technical skills, being an LPN requires patience, compassion, and kindness to best serve patients. Critical thinking and observational skills prepare you to work effectively with RNs and physicians. Take a look at this job description for a typical LPN job to get a better idea of what qualifications employers are looking for in applicants.

Update Your LPN Resume

Prepare to put your best foot forward as you apply for LPN jobs with a polished resume. To get you started, we've put together a sample resume just for LPNs. You can use this as a template for your information. You can also use our nurse cover letter sample in case you need to write your own one-page cover letter to prospective employers. Use your cover letter to convey your passion for nursing. Along with your credentials and job experience, be sure to highlight any special areas of expertise such as working with children or having extensive experience in wound care.

Interviewing for an LPN Job

The next step in your job hunt is usually a job interview. If the thought of interviewing makes your heart beat faster, take a breath and tap into Monster's resources for interviewing. Are you wondering what questions you'll have to answer? We have a collection of articles about interview questions and how to prepare for them. We've also put together some interview tips for you so you can practice your responses to even the most challenging of questions before you step foot in the interview room.

How Much Do LPN Jobs Pay?

Go into that interview knowing what you're worth. The median pay for an LPN in the U.S. is $24.61 per hour. Wondering what you'll make in your neck of the woods? Use Monster's Salary Tools to search for LPN salaries in your location. We'll show you a list of the locations where LPNs are in high demand and suggestions for what your next career step could be.

Want to Learn More About a Company You're Interested In?

Getting some insight into a healthcare facility will help you in the interview and help you decide if the job will be a good fit for you. Our company profiles page can give you a quick overview of employers that post jobs on Monster. Some of the details on these profile pages include:

• Photos or videos that show what a company culture is like.
• The company's history.
• What training they provide.

Is Your Heart Beating for an LPN Job? You're in the Right Place!

What's your next step? That's easy—to start by looking at the LPN jobs on this page. After that? Create a profile on Monster. We can send you alerts about new jobs and make it easier for recruiters to find you when you make a profile.