Practical Nurse vs RN

A practical nurse typically provides assistance to doctors and registered nurses, while an RN (registered nurse) provides direct care to patients. A practical nurse is responsible for a range of hands-on patient care and administrative tasks. This includes monitoring a patient's health, such as vital signs and overall health condition. Changing bandages and inserting catheters. They also provide basic patient care, such as daily physical activities. A practical nurse is subordinate to doctors and registered nurses and will assist them in certain medical procedures.

How To Become A Practical Nurse: What It Is and Career Path

What is a practical nurse and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Lisa Rebeschi Ph.D.,

Kim Raines

Nurses are important members of healthcare facilities. Some patients would even prefer talking with, and generally being with, nurses instead of doctors. They are often deemed as friendly and understanding. What most people do not know is that there are different career paths available for nurses. One such path is towards being a practical nurse.

Practical nurses, as the name suggests, provide more practical or basic care for patients. They ensure that the patient is comfortable at all times. They are assigned to work with a doctor and/or a registered nurse. They may be assigned to handle laboratory results, take patients' vital signs, and administer treatment courses. Yes, this is one of those roles where you would feel like someone's life is in your hands.

If you have endless patience, you would definitely be a good fit for this role. Of course, you also need to have a stellar performance review in order to succeed.

What general advice would you give to a practical nurse?

Lisa Rebeschi Ph.D.

Associate Dean of the School of Nursing Professor of Nursing, Quinnipiac University

One of the suggestions for new graduates is the importance of self-care. We have long known of the demanding nature of the nursing practice. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has magnified the nursing role's critical importance and the unique contributions made by nursing professionals. As the healthcare environment is extremely complex and challenging, nurses must remember to advocate for themselves and prioritize self-care.

ScorePractical NurseUS Average

Salary

5.9

Avg. Salary $75,363

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

10.0

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.6

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.82%

Asian 6.28%

Black or African American 12.11%

Hispanic or Latino 15.84%

Unknown 4.52%

White 60.43%

Gender

female 85.69%

male 14.31%

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

Key steps to become a practical nurse

Explore practical nurse education requirements

Most common practical nurse degrees

Bachelor's

30.1 %

Master's

22.2 %

Associate

19.8 %

Start to develop specific practical nurse skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	27.29%
APN	7.32%
Home Health	5.83%
Acute Care	4.67%
Physical Examinations	3.81%

Complete relevant practical nurse training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New practical nurses 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 practical nurse based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real practical nurse resumes.

Obtain the necessary licensing

Becoming a licensed practical nurse usually require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed practical nurse in most of states. 43 states require practical nurses to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.

State	Education	Exam	License url
Alabama	Degree required	State exam required	Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
Alaska	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Nurse, Licensed Practical
Arkansas	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
California	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Licensed Vocational Nurse
Colorado	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Licensed Practical Nurse

Gain additional practical nurse certifications

Practical nurse certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific practical nurse certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for practical nurses include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Medical Assistant.

More About Certifications

Research practical nurse duties and responsibilities

Manage surgical recovery patients including vascular, ENT, GI urological and neurological cases, coronary bypass surgery patients.
Treat patients with dignity, respect, and compassion while maintaining there safety.
Maintain safety and quality standards of care while facilitating early discharge of mother and baby.
Maintain HIPPA and OSHA guidelines.

Prepare your practical nurse resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your practical nurse 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 practical nurse resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable practical nurse resume templates

Build a professional practical nurse 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 practical nurse resume.