We surveyed 1,714 licensed practical nurses to better understand the work environment and required skills of a typical licensed practical nurse. Here are the results.

How much intelligence is required as a licensed practical nurse?

Low

High

Working as a licensed practical nurse typically doesn’t require the use of high levels of intelligence in daily tasks.

Can I learn to become a licensed practical nurse?

Intrinsic Talent

Acquired Talent

A career as a licensed practical nurse typically depends predominantly on qualities you can gain through experience, with a small aspect of skills you are born with.

Is it easy to get a job as a licensed practical nurse?

Easy

Hard

It’s typically difficult to find a job as a licensed practical nurse. If you’re curious about the numbers, check out the job market for licensed practical nurses.

Info

Do licensed practical nurses work full-time or part-time?

85% of licensed practical nurses work in full-time roles while 15% work part-time.

Is being a licensed practical nurse stressful?

Low

High

Stress is very commonplace for licensed practical nurses, contributing negatively towards career satisfaction.

Is being organized important as a licensed practical nurse?

Low

High

Some level of organization is generally required to be a licensed practical nurse.

How competitive is the workplace for licensed practical nurses?

Low

High

Licensed practical nurses see mild competition in their workplace.

Does being a licensed practical nurse require frequent time pressure to complete tasks?

Low

High

Licensed practical nurses will have to sometimes face time pressure on the job.

Are licensed practical nurses allowed to express themselves creatively?

Low

High

Licensed practical nurses rarely get a chance to express themselves creatively.

Do licensed practical nurses have control over the direction of their work?

Low

High

Licensed practical nurses tend to have a set and inflexible work schedule that they are unable to deviate from too much.

Is being a licensed practical nurse physically demanding?

Low

High

Being a licensed practical nurse requires significant physical work, and is not a career for those unable to perform continuous and/or strenuous physical activity.

Are licensed practical nurses exposed to a wide variety of work?

Low

High

While sometimes repetitive, licensed practical nurses tend to have opportunities for variety in their work.

Does being a licensed practical nurse require attention to detail?

Low

High

As in many careers, attention to detail is quite helpful for licensed practical nurses.

Does being a good licensed practical nurse require compassion and empathy?

Low

High

Strong compassion and empathy are critical to success as a licensed practical nurse.