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What is a licensed practical nurse/supervisor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Kayla Jackson RN BSN
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A licensed practical nurse, or LPN, performs the duty of administering basic nursing care. She checks patients' blood pressure, changes dressings, or inserts a catheter, among other things. In most cases, LPN is recognized in Texas and California as a licensed vocational nurse or LVN. They must operate under the supervision of a physician or registered nurse. While an LPN cannot be a nurse manager legally, she is still allowed to supervise under some situations. For example, LPN may supervise nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and nurse aides.

To work as a licensed practical nurse, you'll need a high school diploma or GED. You also need to have completed an approved LPN program. A year of coursework and practical experience at a hospital, vocational-technical school, or community college is typical for LPN programs. Some skills you need include post-surgical patient care, patient monitoring, organizational and teamwork skills. LPNs earn about $50,090 per year.

What general advice would you give to a licensed practical nurse/supervisor?

Kayla Jackson RN BSN

BSN Success Coach, Troy University

Salary potential varies depending on location, specialty and experience but a few ways to maximize your salary potential are: Consider pursuing further education which can include certifications in your field or area of expertise, an advanced degree, or specialized training. Gain experience. Seek out unique opportunities for professional growth so you can build an exceptional resume. This can position you for higher paying roles. Negotiate strategically-just as we advocate for our patients, we must be an advocate for ourselves. Do your research and know the standards where you are located, but also highlight the skill set you are bringing to the table and articulate how valuable you will be to their organization. Explore different employment settings. Nurses have so many opportunities in different fields, so explore what is out there and base your decision on who offers the best salary and benefits.
ScoreLicensed Practical Nurse/SupervisorUS Average
Salary
4.1

Avg. Salary $53,008

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
10.0

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.2
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.91%

Asian 7.13%

Black or African American 10.89%

Hispanic or Latino 11.77%

Unknown 4.63%

White 64.66%

Gender

female 90.21%

male 9.79%

Age - 46
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46
Stress level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
7.0

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
8.9

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Licensed practical nurse/supervisor career paths

Key steps to become a licensed practical nurse/supervisor

  1. Explore licensed practical nurse/supervisor education requirements

    Most common licensed practical nurse/supervisor degrees

    Diploma

    37.2 %

    Associate

    31.3 %

    Bachelor's

    12.6 %
  2. Start to develop specific licensed practical nurse/supervisor skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Patients16.32%
    Resident Care12.37%
    CPR7.43%
    Medication Administration5.01%
    Quality Care3.53%
  3. Complete relevant licensed practical nurse/supervisor training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New licensed practical nurse/supervisors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a licensed practical nurse/supervisor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real licensed practical nurse/supervisor resumes.
  4. Obtain the necessary licensing

    Becoming a licensed licensed practical nurse/supervisor usually require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed licensed practical nurse/supervisor in most of states. 43 states require licensed practical nurse/supervisors to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.
    StateEducationExamLicense url
    AlabamaDegree requiredState exam requiredLicensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
    AlaskaDegree requiredThird-party exam requiredNurse, Licensed Practical
    ArkansasDegree requiredThird-party exam requiredLicensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
    CaliforniaDegree requiredThird-party exam requiredLicensed Vocational Nurse
    ColoradoDegree requiredThird-party exam requiredLicensed Practical Nurse
  5. Research licensed practical nurse/supervisor duties and responsibilities

    • Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
    • Review physical needs, monitor patients' physical condition, administer order medications and treatments according to assign medical care standards.
    • Follow rehabilitation and treatment plans to accelerate patient recovery; minimize pain, infections and complications to optimize patients' outcomes.
    • Provide behavioral/emotional support and supervision for rehabilitation patients.
  6. Prepare your licensed practical nurse/supervisor resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your licensed practical nurse/supervisor resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a licensed practical nurse/supervisor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable licensed practical nurse/supervisor resume templates

    Build a professional licensed practical nurse/supervisor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your licensed practical nurse/supervisor resume.
    Licensed Practical Nurse/Supervisor Resume
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    Licensed Practical Nurse/Supervisor Resume
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    Licensed Practical Nurse/Supervisor Resume
    Licensed Practical Nurse/Supervisor Resume
    Licensed Practical Nurse/Supervisor Resume
    Licensed Practical Nurse/Supervisor Resume
    Licensed Practical Nurse/Supervisor Resume
    Licensed Practical Nurse/Supervisor Resume
  7. Apply for licensed practical nurse/supervisor jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a licensed practical nurse/supervisor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first licensed practical nurse/supervisor job

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Average licensed practical nurse/supervisor salary

The average licensed practical nurse/supervisor salary in the United States is $53,008 per year or $25 per hour. Licensed practical nurse/supervisor salaries range between $37,000 and $74,000 per year.

Average licensed practical nurse/supervisor salary
$53,008 Yearly
$25.48 hourly

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Licensed practical nurse/supervisor reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2022
Pros

How employers and our patients or clients appreciate what we do for them

Cons

What is there not to like? It's such a rewarding job!


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A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020
Cons

the pay is not good not enough for the lifestyle I would like to live


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A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2019
Cons

Far to many things to mention but to be on your feet for 12 hours plus a stressful environment the job should be double in salary especially they save lives just like a policeman or fireman ! I could go on and I am a mother of a nurse !!


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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