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The differences between licensed practical nurses and home care nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a licensed practical nurse and a home care nurse. Additionally, a home care nurse has an average salary of $53,762, which is higher than the $52,912 average annual salary of a licensed practical nurse.
The top three skills for a licensed practical nurse include patients, CPR and home health. The most important skills for a home care nurse are patients, home health, and CPR.
| Licensed Practical Nurse | Home Care Nurse | |
| Yearly salary | $52,912 | $53,762 |
| Hourly rate | $25.44 | $25.85 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 614,369 | 692,730 |
| Job satisfaction | 3.33 | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 33% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Licensed practical nurses are considered leading front liners in the clinic or hospital setting. They assist nurses and doctors in conducting various activities related to sick or injured patients. Licensed practical nurses are primarily expected to provide routine care for patients and assist registered nurses in creating care plans. They maintain and update medical records, prepare patients for medical examinations, help patients dress, bath, or eat, take vital signs, administer and monitor medicine intake, monitor patients and update nurses and doctors on patient status, and assist during medical examinations.
A home care nurse is responsible for providing quality health care for patients, usually in a private home setting. Home care nurses monitor patients' conditions and their medication and other treatments as prescribed by the attending physician or other health care professionals. They assist with the patients' daily activities such as bathing, feeding, and performing procedures such as taking the patients' temperature and vital signs, collecting specimens, and updating their medical chart.
Licensed practical nurses and home care nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Licensed Practical Nurse | Home Care Nurse | |
| Average salary | $52,912 | $53,762 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $74,000 | Between $34,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Eugene, OR |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Oregon |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Overlake Medical Center & Clinics |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a licensed practical nurse and a home care nurse in terms of educational background:
| Licensed Practical Nurse | Home Care Nurse | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 33% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | Emory University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between licensed practical nurses' and home care nurses' demographics:
| Licensed Practical Nurse | Home Care Nurse | |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 11.3% Female, 88.7% | Male, 13.5% Female, 86.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 6.5% White, 59.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 9% |