How to hire a licensed practical nurse staff nurse

How to hire a licensed practical nurse staff nurse, step by step

Here's a step-by-step licensed practical nurse staff nurse hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a licensed practical nurse staff nurse job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new licensed practical nurse staff nurse
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a licensed practical nurse staff nurse do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a licensed practical nurse staff nurse, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A licensed practical nurse staff nurse's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, licensed practical nurses staff nurses from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of licensed practical nurses staff nurses.

   Type of Licensed Practical Nurse Staff Nurse	Description	Hourly rate
   Licensed Practical Nurse Staff Nurse	Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) provide basic nursing care. They work under the direction of registered nurses and doctors.	$17-35
   Nurse	Nurses are medical professionals assigned to a specific department in the hospital and provide their trusted department services. Nurses are in charge of taking patients' medical histories, getting vital signs, preparing patients for checkups or procedures, explaining upcoming practices, answering any questions, and communicating any concerns to the assigned doctor... Show more	$18-41
   Nurse Technician	Nurse technicians, also known as nursing aides, assistants, or attendants, usually work in clinics, hospitals, and nursing homes. Primarily, they help a registered nurse by providing essential mobility, care, and support to patients... Show more	$12-19

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Vital Signs
   • CPR
   • Resident Care
   • Triage
   • Quality Care
   • Medication Administration
   • Wound Care
   • Compassion
   • Infection Control
   • Test Results
   • Medical History
   • Informed Consent
   • Physician Orders

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
   • Perform a number of medical procedures, including temperature, pulse and blood pressure readings, TB testing and EKG's.
   • Time management, and compassion for patients and their families
   • Assist with treatment of emergency and priority patients, including the use of CPR, if necessary.
   • Demonstrate ability to work as a team player and provide excellent care and compassion to residents.
   • Assist patients with ADL's as needed, teach patients how to control their pain with and without medication.

   More licensed practical nurse staff nurse duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the licensed practical nurse staff nurse job description is a good way to get more applicants. A licensed practical nurse staff nurse salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a licensed practical nurse staff nurse in Iowa may be lower than in Hawaii, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level licensed practical nurse staff nurse. Additionally, a licensed practical nurse staff nurse with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average licensed practical nurse staff nurse salary

   $52,403yearly

   $25.19 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level licensed practical nurse staff nurse salary

   $37,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average licensed practical nurse staff nurse salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$55,815	$27
   2	New Jersey	$55,585	$27
   3	Maryland	$53,386	$26
   4	Virginia	$51,399	$25
   5	Texas	$51,170	$25
   6	Washington	$51,065	$25
   7	Florida	$49,839	$24
   8	Illinois	$49,582	$24
   9	North Carolina	$49,522	$24
   10	Indiana	$49,137	$24
   11	Minnesota	$49,103	$24
   12	Colorado	$49,079	$24
   13	South Carolina	$48,975	$24
   14	Georgia	$48,748	$23
   15	Alabama	$48,684	$23
   16	Iowa	$48,406	$23

   Average licensed practical nurse staff nurse salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Life Care Centers of America	$60,104	$28.90	478
   2	Ethica Health & Retirement Communities	$58,117	$27.94	35
   3	Hancock Wellness	$57,344	$27.57	22
   4	Legacy Health	$56,372	$27.10	46
   5	Trilogy Health Services	$56,279	$27.06	291
   6	Southland Health Services, Inc.	$54,529	$26.22	1
   7	The Brooklyn Hospital Center	$54,315	$26.11	2
   8	Anthem Memory Care	$53,874	$25.90
   9	Mission Health Communities	$53,461	$25.70
   10	NTG	$53,460	$25.70
   11	Integrity Locums	$53,407	$25.68	1
   12	Life Care Solutions	$53,313	$25.63	163
   13	Rehab	$53,283	$25.62	34
   14	Preferred Care Inc	$53,250	$25.60	2
   15	Sanford-Good Samaritan Community Health	$53,250	$25.60
   16	Fresenius Medical Care Windsor, LLC	$53,250	$25.60	1,961
   17	Crestwood	$53,142	$25.55	1
   18	JEA Senior Living	$52,866	$25.42	52
   19	Marklund	$52,640	$25.31
   20	Arcadia Services, Inc	$52,581	$25.28

4. Writing a licensed practical nurse staff nurse job description

   A licensed practical nurse staff nurse job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a licensed practical nurse staff nurse job description:

   Licensed practical nurse staff nurse job description example

   This job provides direct care (including IV therapy) of assigned patients within the framework of the Licensed Practical Nurse Act under the direction of a Registered Nurse. The LPN directs and assists ancillary nursing staff with assigned duties and interacts with the multidisciplinary team and other personnel. The LPN demonstrates professional responsibilities and is responsible for own practice and assists other members of the healthcare team in providing the highest quality personalized patient care.
   
   To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties.
   
   This job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at the company's discretion.
   Education Required - High School diploma or equivalent
   Work Experience
   Required - Experience working with and maintaining confidential information and working in a fast-paced environment with minimal supervision.
   Certifications Required - Current LPN License in the state of practice Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification from the American Heart Association Preferred - IV Therapy Credentials Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs) Excellent organizational skills Good time management skills and self directed Demonstrates Good Judgement Good interpersonal skills Delegation skills
   Job Duties Effectively uses the Nursing Process in the delivery of patient care through data gathering, planning and evaluation. Provides care based on physical, psycho/social, educational, safety and related criteria, appropriate to the ages of patients served. Communicates effectively and professionally with all patients, guests, family members and co-workers to ensure a quality patient experience. Adapts to rapid change in a positive manner throughout the day as needs of the unit / department change. Manages personal professional development and maintains required clinical knowledge, technical skills, training and credentials. Other related duties as required. The above statements describe the general nature and level of work only. They are not an exhaustive list of all required responsibilities, duties, and skills. Other duties may be added, or this description amended at any time. Remains knowledgeable on current federal, state and local laws, accreditation standards or regulatory agency requirements that apply to the assigned area of responsibility and ensures compliance with all such laws, regulations and standards.
   This employer maintains and complies with its Compliance & Privacy Program and Standards of Conduct, including the immediate reporting of any known or suspected unethical or questionable behaviors or conduct; patient/employee safety, patient privacy, and/or other compliance-related concerns.
   The employer is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status.
   Physical and Environmental Demands
   The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Heavy Work - Exerting 50 to 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 25 to 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or 10 to 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects. (Constantly: activity or condition exists 2/3 or more of the time) to move objects. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for Sedentary Work. Even though the weight lifted may be only a negligible amount, a job should be rated Light Work: (1) when it requires walking or standing to a significant degree; or (2) when it requires sitting most of the time but entails pushing and/or pulling of arm or leg controls; and/or (3) when the job requires working at a production rate pace entailing the constant pushing and/or pulling of materials even though the weight of those materials is negligible. NOTE: The constant stress and strain of maintaining a production rate pace, especially in an industrial setting, can be and is physically demanding of a worker even though the amount of force exerted is negligible. Duties performed routinely require exposure to blood, body fluid and tissue. The incumbent works in a patient care area; works in an area where patients enter; works directly with patients; and/or works with specimens that could contain communicable diseases. There may be an occupational risk for exposure to communicable diseases. Because the incumbent works within a healthcare setting, there may be occupational risk for exposure to hazardous medications or hazardous waste within the environment through receipt, transport, storage, preparation, dispensing, administration, cleaning and/or disposal of contaminated waste. The risk level of exposure may increase depending on the essential job duties of the role.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find licensed practical nurses staff nurses for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any licensed practical nurses staff nurses they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level licensed practical nurses staff nurses with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your licensed practical nurse staff nurse job on Zippia to find and recruit licensed practical nurse staff nurse candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting licensed practical nurses staff nurses requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new licensed practical nurse staff nurse

   Once you have selected a candidate for the licensed practical nurse staff nurse position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new licensed practical nurse staff nurse. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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