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What does a senior licensed practical nurse do?

Updated January 8, 2025
8 min read

As a senior licensed practical nurse, you have to develop plans of health care and medication and help in assisting all the paper records. When you are applying for this job, you need to make sure that you are responsible for managing the clinical and the staff members. You have to be extremely careful while assisting the doctors in an ICU. An associate degree is a certification required before going to an ICU. You also need to be skillful in handling medical equipment such as pipes and oxygen equipment and have documentation skills to complete the files to be sent to medicated programs, nursing homes, and other clinics.

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Senior licensed practical nurse responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real senior licensed practical nurse resumes:

  • Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
  • Educate clients concerning ADL'S.
  • Conduct comprehensive minimum data set (MDS) assessments.
  • Assist in transitioning all paper records to the new EMR.
  • Coordinate with the MDS team the overall plan of care of the clients to maximize reimbursement.
  • Serve as LPN caring for residents in need of physical, and occupational rehabilitation after surgery or hospital stays.
  • Monitor acute conditions in rehabilitation unit.
  • Provide emotional support to stress and depress patients and build positive relationships with patients and family members.
  • Develop and implement medication system, setting up method to organize and administer medications for patients to alleviate confusion and errors.
  • Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
  • Set up, operate and monitor equipment such as cardiac monitors, EKG, and defibrillators.
  • Administer conscious sedation during GI procedures and assist physicians.
  • Assist physicians with biopsies and polypectomies when GI technicians not available.
  • Work for large hematology/oncology practice administering chemotherapy.

Senior licensed practical nurse skills and personality traits

We calculated that 22% of Senior Licensed Practical Nurses are proficient in Resident Care, Medication Administration, and Patients. They’re also known for soft skills such as Interpersonal skills, Patience, and Speaking skills.

We break down the percentage of Senior Licensed Practical Nurses that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Resident Care, 22%

    Acted as patient advocate and implemented total resident care through a team nursing process covering 20-40 dementia residents per shift.

  • Medication Administration, 17%

    Performed all laboratory testing, Vaccine administration and Medication administration as ordered per MD.

  • Patients, 12%

    Developed and implemented medication system, setting up method to organize and administer medications for patients to alleviate confusion and errors.

  • Physician Orders, 11%

    Provided professional nursing care to residents of a skilled nursing facility, according to physician orders.

  • Quality Care, 7%

    Performed to ensure th highest degree of quality care is maintained at all times.

  • Home Health, 5%

    Assessed patients referred for home health services for eligibility utilizing Medicare, Medicaid, and/or private insurance standards.

Common skills that a senior licensed practical nurse uses to do their job include "resident care," "medication administration," and "patients." You can find details on the most important senior licensed practical nurse responsibilities below.

Interpersonal skills. The most essential soft skill for a senior licensed practical nurse to carry out their responsibilities is interpersonal skills. This skill is important for the role because "lpns and lvns must be able to build a rapport to interact with patients and other healthcare providers." Additionally, a senior licensed practical nurse resume shows how their duties depend on interpersonal skills: "provided good communication and interpersonal skills. "

Compassion. senior licensed practical nurse responsibilities often require "compassion." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "lpns and lvns must be empathetic and caring toward the people they serve." This resume example shows what senior licensed practical nurses do with compassion on a typical day: "delivered high-quality and compassionate treatment to patients. "

Detail oriented. A commonly-found skill in senior licensed practical nurse job descriptions, "detail oriented" is essential to what senior licensed practical nurses do. Senior licensed practical nurse responsibilities rely on this skill because "lpns and lvns need to pay attention to minutiae because they must ensure that patients get the correct care at the right time." You can also see how senior licensed practical nurse duties rely on detail oriented in this resume example: "authorized drug refills and provided detailed information to pharmacies via phone, fax and emr. "

Physical stamina. Another skill commonly found on senior licensed practical nurse job descriptions is "physical stamina." It can come up quite often in senior licensed practical nurse duties, since "lpns and lvns should be able to perform physical tasks, such as bending over patients for a long time." Here's an example from a resume of how this skill fits into day-to-day senior licensed practical nurse responsibilities: "make rounds to observe and evaluate the physical and emotional status of patients and take appropriate actions. "

All senior licensed practical nurse skills

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Senior Licensed Practical Nurse Resume
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Senior Licensed Practical Nurse Resume
Senior Licensed Practical Nurse Resume
Senior Licensed Practical Nurse Resume
Senior Licensed Practical Nurse Resume
Senior Licensed Practical Nurse Resume
Senior Licensed Practical Nurse Resume
Senior Licensed Practical Nurse Resume
Senior Licensed Practical Nurse Resume
Senior Licensed Practical Nurse Resume
Senior Licensed Practical Nurse Resume
Senior Licensed Practical Nurse Resume
Senior Licensed Practical Nurse Resume

Compare different senior licensed practical nurses

Senior licensed practical nurse vs. Nurse coordinator

A nurse coordinator is primarily in charge of overseeing all nurses and their activities in a hospital or clinic. Their responsibilities include managing and rotating schedules, assessing nurse performance, organizing nursing programs, and developing strategies to optimize procedures. They may also assist patients and answer inquiries, studying their conditions to develop specific care plans to suit their needs. Furthermore, as a nurse coordinator, it is essential to lead and encourage teams to reach goals, all while implementing the facility's policies and regulations.

If we compare the average senior licensed practical nurse annual salary with that of a nurse coordinator, we find that nurse coordinators typically earn a $27,234 higher salary than senior licensed practical nurses make annually.While the two careers have a salary gap, they share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both senior licensed practical nurse and nurse coordinator positions are skilled in medication administration, patients, and physician orders.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between senior licensed practical nurses and nurse coordinator. For instance, senior licensed practical nurse responsibilities require skills such as "resident care," "emergency situations," "blood pressure," and "medical treatment." Whereas a nurse coordinator is skilled in "customer service," "data collection," "critical care," and "compassion." This is part of what separates the two careers.

Nurse coordinators earn the highest salaries when working in the health care industry, with an average yearly salary of $80,569. On the other hand, senior licensed practical nurses are paid more in the health care industry with an average salary of $49,437.On average, nurse coordinators reach higher levels of education than senior licensed practical nurses. Nurse coordinators are 9.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.4% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Senior licensed practical nurse vs. 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. Nurses should ensure that patients follow the medical advice given to them. They also assist patients in completing administrative requirements, such as filling out forms, validating details, and endorsing payments.

On average, nurses earn a $5,758 higher salary than senior licensed practical nurses a year.A few skills overlap for senior licensed practical nurses and nurses. Resumes from both professions show that the duties of each career rely on skills like "medication administration," "patients," and "physician orders. "

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that senior licensed practical nurse responsibilities requires skills like "resident care," "medical treatment," "nursing home," and "osha." But a nurse might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "bls," "acls," "discharge planning," and "triage."

On average, nurses earn a higher salary than senior licensed practical nurses. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, nurses earn the most pay in the government industry with an average salary of $63,263. Whereas senior licensed practical nurses have higher pay in the health care industry, with an average salary of $49,437.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Nurses tend to reach higher levels of education than senior licensed practical nurses. In fact, they're 5.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.4% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Senior licensed practical nurse vs. Progressive care nurse

Progressive care nurses are nursing professionals who are responsible for monitoring the condition of patients that are admitted to the hospital's progressive care unit (PCU). These nurses are required to observe the acutely ill patients for critical vital signs and detect any changes while initiating life-saving interventions when needed. They must interpret measurements from specialized medical equipment while performing diagnostic assessments on the changes in the measurements. Progressive care nurses must also update patient files and report any deteriorating conditions to healthcare specialists.

On average scale, progressive care nurses bring in higher salaries than senior licensed practical nurses. In fact, they earn a $19,962 higher salary per year.By looking over several senior licensed practical nurses and progressive care nurses resumes, we found that both roles require similar skills in their day-to-day duties, such as "medication administration," "patients," and "physician orders." But beyond that, the careers look very different.

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from senior licensed practical nurse resumes include skills like "resident care," "emergency situations," "medical treatment," and "nursing home," whereas a progressive care nurse is more likely to list skills in "bls," "progressive care," "acls," and "telemetry. "

Progressive care nurses earn the highest salary when working in the health care industry, where they receive an average salary of $62,826. Comparatively, senior licensed practical nurses have the highest earning potential in the health care industry, with an average salary of $49,437.progressive care nurses typically earn higher educational levels compared to senior licensed practical nurses. Specifically, they're 5.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Senior licensed practical nurse vs. Registered nurse charge nurse

A registered charge nurse is responsible for supervising nurses' workflow in a particular department or area, ensuring every patient gets the proper care that they need. A registered charge nurse has the discretion to direct tasks, arrange schedules, and monitor patients, such as in the aspects of admission and discharge. Furthermore, a registered charge nurse must maintain an active line of communication and coordination among nurses, physicians, and other personnel involved as the conditions in a hospital can be unpredictable.

Registered nurses charge nurses typically earn higher pay than senior licensed practical nurses. On average, registered nurses charge nurses earn a $19,536 higher salary per year.While their salaries may vary, senior licensed practical nurses and registered nurses charge nurses both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "resident care," "medication administration," and "patients. "While some skills are required in each professionacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities, there are some differences to note. "quality care," "home health," "blood pressure," and "medical treatment" are skills that commonly show up on senior licensed practical nurse resumes. On the other hand, registered nurses charge nurses use skills like bls, acls, quality patient care, and compassion on their resumes.The health care industry tends to pay the highest salaries for registered nurses charge nurses, with average annual pay of $68,929. Comparatively, the highest senior licensed practical nurse annual salary comes from the health care industry.In general, registered nurses charge nurses hold similar degree levels compared to senior licensed practical nurses. Registered nurses charge nurses are 3.3% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of senior licensed practical nurse

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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