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The differences between practical 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 practical nurse and a nurse extern. Additionally, a practical nurse has an average salary of $75,363, which is higher than the $37,156 average annual salary of a nurse extern.
The top three skills for a practical nurse include patients, APN and home health. The most important skills for a nurse extern are patients, vital signs, and CPR.
| Practical Nurse | Nurse Extern | |
| Yearly salary | $75,363 | $37,156 |
| Hourly rate | $36.23 | $17.86 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 511,602 | 569,180 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 30% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A practical nurse is responsible for providing the highest quality care services for the patients and assisting them with their needs and concerns. Practical nurses work within a health institution or private household to support the patients in their daily activities, monitor their conditions, administer medication, and inform the doctors of their health updates. They also coordinate with other medical professionals to develop nursing care plans and activities to suit the patients' lifestyle and keep their active wellbeing.
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.
Practical nurses and nurse externs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Practical Nurse | Nurse Extern | |
| Average salary | $75,363 | $37,156 |
| Salary range | Between $47,000 And $120,000 | Between $29,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Lancaster, CA | Huntington Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | University Hospitals | Menorah Medical Center |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a practical nurse and a nurse extern in terms of educational background:
| Practical Nurse | Nurse Extern | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 30% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | Emory University | Emory University |
Here are the differences between practical nurses' and nurse externs' demographics:
| Practical Nurse | Nurse Extern | |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 14.3% Female, 85.7% | Male, 14.3% Female, 85.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 6.3% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | 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% |