Though the line has been blurred in many hospitals and medical facilities, the major difference between an RN (registered nurse) and LPN (licensed practical nurse) is that the LPN performs job tasks under the supervision of an RN. LPNs are authorized to assess patient conditions and help implement a plan of care, but for the most part, they are directed by decisions of physicians and RNs.
Considered generalists who provide basic bedside care, the LPN has taken on more responsibility in many states of the U.S. and Canada. For example, they can administer prescription medicines and start I.V.s (intravenous fluids) for patients. It has become an issue that is sensitive for both RNs and LPNs. At best the issue is seen as a power issue: RNs are required to receive longer training, but LPNs, in many cases, perform the same tasks for less pay.
As hospitals in recent times have begun to ramp up RN staff, there has been some question about whether the LPN profession would remain relevant. There are many factors that make it clear that the LPN is not a fading career trend. In many U.S. states, the use of LPNs depends on the location of the facility, the area of practice and whether or not LPNs can be used by an employer to cut costs. The guidelines determining what LPNs are permitted and forbidden to do are not consistent from state to state, so there is a tendency to use LPNs more (or not use them enough) in many medical environments.
In many work scenarios, the LPN becomes the backbone of nursing care since they manage the building and patient care when there is no RN schedule for duty. This is nothing new for the profession. The LPN first emerged as a career during the 1940s when many RNs served in the U.S. military during World War II. Their absence created a shortage of nurses in facilities across the country. Training LPNs was the only way to get trusted, accountable caregivers in a relatively short period of time.
The current demand for LPNs has also increased because of a growing senior population with more long-term needs. The Centers for Disease Control have placed the average lifespan at 77.8 based on the latest information gathered in 2008. This is a slight increase from 2007 when the number was 77.9 but this means the outlook for LPNs is great. Because people are living longer, LPNs will be needed more. According to Department of Labor statistics, the number of LPNs is expected to grow by 21 percent through the year 2018.
One other factor that seems to be influencing the need for LPNs is the retirement of RNs. The average age of RNs is currently 46, so more nurses are entering retirement years. Many who retire or move into teaching positions at universities and colleges in later years are creating a work gap that can be filled by LPNs.
The difference in length of required education between an RN and LPN can be noted immediately with the difference between an RN and LPN salary. While the average salary for an RN is estimated at about $67,720, a licensed practical nurse salary is $40,380. These numbers vary according to the part of the country where a nurse works, the size of the facility and the type of facility. The state where LPNs earn the most is Connecticut, where the average hourly salary is $25.28. According to research conducted by NursingLink, other states where the salary for an LPN is considered good pay are: Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington D.C., Delaware, Rhode Island, California, Nevada and Alaska. The salary ranges for these states is between $20.33 and $22.72 per hour.
There are also some places LPNs should not place at the top of their desired work lists, if salary is a concern. West Virginia tops NursingLink’s list at $14.15 per hour. This is the lowest salary offered to LPNs in the country. Other places that pay in the low salary range include: Mississippi, Alabama, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Montana, Louisiana, Missouri and North Dakota.
NursingLink figures also underscore the need for more LPNs. The career site projects more than 309,000 LPNs needed for patient care by the year 2016. Florida, California, Pennsylvania and Ohio currently have the most job openings – with Florida posting the most need: 2,400 LPNs. Alaska posts the lowest annual job openings: 20 LPNs. Many LPNs (28 percent) work in nursing facilities. Twenty-five percent of LPNs work in hospitals, while 12 percent work in offices. The majority (35 percent), though, work for other kinds of employers like nursing homes, schools and colleges, hospices, in home care, for government agencies or in outpatient care.
Much like the RN profession, the LPN is a critical member of the medical team when a patient needs care. Not only must the LPN be a critical thinker who is versed in medical procedures and caretaking, but also the LPN must be very skilled at managing relationships with people. LPNs are on the front lines to communicate with patients and their families on a daily basis and must be sound decision-makers and compassionate. There should be no doubt that this career has a strong outlook for those who are committed to medicine and caretaking. The LPN is required to be humble enough to take instruction from others in the field and proud enough to know that the riches of the profession are stored somewhere in the heart.