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The differences between licensed practical nurses staff nurses and nurse externs 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 staff nurse and a nurse extern. Additionally, a licensed practical nurse staff nurse has an average salary of $52,403, which is higher than the $37,156 average annual salary of a nurse extern.
The top three skills for a licensed practical nurse staff nurse include patients, vital signs and CPR. The most important skills for a nurse extern are patients, vital signs, and CPR.
| Licensed Practical Nurse Staff Nurse | Nurse Extern | |
| Yearly salary | $52,403 | $37,156 |
| Hourly rate | $25.19 | $17.86 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 617,172 | 569,180 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Diploma, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A licensed practical nurse is responsible for assisting patients with quality care under the supervision of a direct physician and registered nurse. Licensed practical nurses provide help on collecting samples and performing medical procedures such as taking patients' temperatures and vital signs. Staff nurses monitor a patient's condition, assist on medications and feeding, and report to the patient's physician. Licensed practical nurses also respond to patients' inquiries, as well as updating the patient's family on any changes to the patient's condition.
The job of a nurse extern is to assist the mentor nurse in their nursing duties. They help the mentor nurse in various medical procedures such as administering medications or starting intravenous therapies. They provide or help with personal patient care, including changing bed linens, oral hygiene, and bathing. Nurse externships typically have different requirements that include having finished nursing school, completing a clinical nursing course before the training, and being registered in a nursing program.
Licensed practical nurses staff nurses and nurse externs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Licensed Practical Nurse Staff Nurse | Nurse Extern | |
| Average salary | $52,403 | $37,156 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $73,000 | Between $29,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Huntington Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Life Care Centers of America | Menorah Medical Center |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a licensed practical nurse staff nurse and a nurse extern in terms of educational background:
| Licensed Practical Nurse Staff Nurse | Nurse Extern | |
| Most common degree | Diploma, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | Emory University | Emory University |
Here are the differences between licensed practical nurses staff nurses' and nurse externs' demographics:
| Licensed Practical Nurse Staff Nurse | Nurse Extern | |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 9.8% Female, 90.2% | Male, 14.3% Female, 85.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 7.2% White, 62.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 9.9% White, 64.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 9% |