Are you thinking about working as a healthcare professional? If so, becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) can be a rewarding career! Many healthcare careers require years of schooling, but you can earn your LPN license in about a year. Licensed practical nurses work in all kinds of settings: hospitals, doctors’ offices, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, rehabilitation clinics and even private homes. LPNs are also known as vocational nurses in some regions.

Let’s find out more about how an LPN career could be the perfect fit for you!

What Does a Licensed Practical Nurse Do?

Licensed practical nurses provide important medical care to patients. LPNs can give more advanced care than a certified nurse’s aide (CNA), including giving medication. LPNs work under the supervision of registered nurses (RNs) and doctors.

Here are some of the primary tasks you might do as an LPN:

• Give medication and vaccines, including injections, pills and IVs
• Treat open wounds
• Insert and remove catheters
• Draw blood and collect specimens (urine and stool samples) and prepare them for lab testing
• Give oxygen therapy and other respiratory treatments
• Monitor patients and check their vital signs (blood pressure, temperature, pulse, and respiratory rate)
• Update patient medical charts, keeping track of medication and other aspects of their care
• Record patients’ medical history
• Teach families how to care for patients at home

LPN Career Outlook

One of the best things about a licensed practical nurse career is that it tends to have steady job growth! LPN salaries are also strong. According to research from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national annual LPN salary averages $62,340 (as of May 2024). (The hourly average works out to $29.97.)

Keep in mind this doesn’t mean every LPN earns $62,340 per year or $29.97 per hour; some earn more, and some earn less. The same research shows that LPN annual salaries range from $49,740 to $83,4400 or $23.31 to $40.12 per hour. LPNs with more years of work experience or additional training tend to earn more than LPNs just starting out.

Here are some factors that are expected to drive job growth for LPNs:

• As baby boomers age (those born between 1946 and 1964), more people will need medical care in the coming years.
• Many LPNs work in nursing homes and residential care facilities, which will see an increase in patients as more of the population ages.
• An increase in chronic medical conditions such as obesity and diabetes also creates job demand for LPNs.

The nationwide job outlook for LPNs is expected to grow at about 3% from 2024 to 2034, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

LPN Career Outlook in Michigan

The good news for licensed practical nurses in Michigan is that the need for LPNs is expected to grow a little faster than the national average. According to O*NET Online, the projected growth rate for LPNs in Michigan is 4% from 2024 through 2034.

The average LPN salary in Michigan is also a little higher than the national average, at $65,460, according to O*NET Online. Again, this is an average salary, so some LPNs earn more or less. In Michigan, annual LPN salaries range from $56,160 to $77,780 or $27.00 to $37.79 per hour. Research shows that wages tend to be higher in bigger cities like Detroit and Lansing and lower in the Upper Peninsula. Experience, extra training, workplace setting, and employer are also factors that can impact wages.

Pros and Cons of a Career as an LPN

As with almost any career, a career as a licensed practical nurse has some ups and downs. Fortunately, the pros tend to outweigh the cons! Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons of an LPN career:

Pros of an LPN Career:

• No need for years of school: You can complete most LPN training programs in about a year, which means you can start working and earning money much sooner than many other careers (as soon as you become licensed)!
• Steady job growth: Jobs in healthcare tend to be in demand, especially as the population ages and needs more medical care.
• A stepping stone to more advanced medical careers: Many LPNs continue their education and become registered nurses or other healthcare professionals, earning higher pay.
• Flexibility in work settings: LPNs are needed in a wide range of medical settings, so you have some flexibility where you can work. You’re not limited to only working in a hospital or nursing home.
• Opportunities to bond with patients: LPNs often spend more time with their patients than doctors, so many build emotional connections.

Cons of an LPN Career:

• Physically demanding: You’ll spend long hours on your feet, plus you’ll need to lift patients and lean over frequently to give care.
• Less authority and independence: LPNs must work under an RN or doctor’s supervision, so you won’t have as much autonomy to make decisions.
• Burnout risk: Sometimes LPNs are expected to work long hours in understaffed settings, leading to stress and burnout.

How to Get Started in a Licensed Practical Nurse Career

You don’t have to have prior medical experience to become an LPN (but it helps if you do). It takes a little time and effort before you can start your dream career working as an LPN!

Step 1: Complete an Approved LPN Program:

First, you’ll want to find a state-approved LPN program. Look for one where you learn skills and knowledge in a classroom setting and get hands-on experience in a clinical setting. You’ll also want your program to prepare you to pass a licensing exam. (All states require LPNs to pass an exam before they can work legally.)

Dorsey College offers a comprehensive LPN program that gives you opportunities to learn in on-campus labs and in real-world clinical settings. Dorsey College’s program typically takes about a year to complete. It covers material that is designed to prepare you to take the NCLEX exam. Dorsey College also provides career assistance to help you find a job (job placements are not guaranteed).

Step 2: Pass the NCLEX-PN Exam:

Once you successfully complete your LPN training program, you’ll be eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN) exam. You’ll need to pass this exam to be legally licensed to work as an LPN. Most students take the exam about a month or two after they graduate from their LPN training program, but you should take the exam when you feel most prepared, even if it means waiting a bit longer.

Step 3: Gain Experience and Explore Specializations:

Once you’ve received your LPN license, you’re ready to work! According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 37% of LPNs work in nursing homes and residential care facilities. Other LPNs work in hospitals, home healthcare, doctors’ offices and government-owned facilities like VA hospitals and prisons.

Some LPNs may decide to specialize in an area, which typically means they need additional training. A few of the most popular specialties include:

• Dialysis (treatment for chronic kidney failure)
• Behavioral and psychiatric health (mental health settings)
• Correctional (prison settings)
• Ambulatory/outpatient clinics
• Long-term acute care (caring for patients with serious medical conditions)
• Emergency/urgent care
• Home health and hospice (caring for patients in their homes or providing end-of-life care)
• Pediatric (caring for children)

Is an LPN Career Right for You?

If you’re wondering if an LPN career is right for you, ask yourself the following questions:

• Am I okay committing to an average of 12 months of training?
• Do I enjoy helping people, even when they are scared or in pain?
• Am I interested in learning about medical conditions and treatments?
• Am I comfortable touching people, dealing with bodily fluids and seeing open wounds?
• Am I OK being on my feet most of the day, moving around instead of sitting in one place?
• Am I interested in gaining more training at some point and moving into a more advanced healthcare role with higher pay?

If you answered “yes” or “I’m willing to try” to most or all these questions, then an LPN career might be an excellent fit for you! Take the first step toward a licensed practical nurse career by requesting information from Dorsey College today!

Dorsey College has determined that its Practical Nurse program curriculum is sufficient to fulfill educational requirements for licensure in the State of Michigan only. No educational determinations have been made for any other state, district, or US territory in regards to nursing licensure requirements.