What Does a Licensed Practical Nurse Do?
Whether working in a nursing home, a doctor's office, or a patient's home, licensed practical nurses need to be able to give basic care safely, such as checking vital signs, giving medications and changing dressings. In the case of a long-term care facility, it might be something as routine as a morning medication pass for a whole hallway of residents. California and Texas call the same job licensed vocational nurse.
Licensed Practical Nurse Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a licensed practical nurse include:
- Check and record vital signs, weight, pain levels and changes in condition.
- Give oral and injected medications and document each dose in the medication record.
- Change dressings, care for wounds and insert or maintain urinary catheters where permitted.
- Collect blood, stool and urine samples for testing as ordered.
- Help patients bathe, dress, eat and move safely, alongside nursing assistants.
- Report changes in a patient's condition to the registered nurse or physician right away.
- Chart care in the electronic health record before the end of each shift.
- Start or monitor IV lines where state rules and training allow.
- Explain care plans and home instructions to patients and families in plain terms.
- Supervise nursing assistants on the unit in states that permit LPNs to do so.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a licensed practical nurse, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- LPN or LVN license (NCLEX-PN)
- CPR certification
- Medication administration and dosage checks
- Wound care and infection control
- Electronic health records such as PointClickCare or Epic
- Careful observation of small changes in patients
- Stamina for long shifts on your feet
- Compassion with older and chronically ill patients
Education and Training
Every state requires LPNs to be licensed. Once you have finished a state-approved practical nursing program you will need to pass the NCLEX-PN exam before any state will license you. With experience, you could progress from LPN to charge nurse in long-term care, or bridge to an RN degree.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $59,000 - $76,030 per year, with a median of $64,400.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses.
BLS projects employment of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses to grow about 3 percent from 2025 to 2035. That still means roughly 51,800 openings a year, many of them in nursing homes and home health. And, as long as there are older adults who need daily nursing care, LPNs will be needed to make sure medications, wounds and changes in condition are handled on time.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses.