Day in the life
A Day in the Life of a Licensed Practical Nurse
What licensed practical nurses actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
Take report from the night nurse on 20 long-term care residents and review new orders. From there, the day usually includes monitor patients and record vital signs and changes in condition, administer oral, topical and injectable medications as permitted by state law, and provide wound care, change dressings and care for catheters and ostomies. Nursing homes and hospitals need 24/7 coverage, so evening, night, weekend and holiday shifts are common. Physician offices usually keep daytime hours.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for a licensed practical nurse working full time.
- Take report from the night nurse on 20 long-term care residents and review new orders.
- Run the morning medication pass: verify each order, check vital signs before cardiac meds and document administration.
- Perform a wound dressing change, measure the wound and note signs of healing in the chart.
- Check blood sugars before lunch and give sliding-scale insulin as ordered.
- Notify the physician about a resident with a new fever and implement the new orders.
- Supervise CNAs, update care plans and talk with a family member about their mother’s progress.
- Count narcotics with the oncoming nurse and give a thorough handoff report.
Where licensed practical nurses work
LPNs work in nursing and residential care facilities, home health, physician offices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers and correctional facilities. The work involves long periods on your feet and frequent lifting and moving of patients.
Hours and schedule
Nursing homes and hospitals need 24/7 coverage, so evening, night, weekend and holiday shifts are common. Physician offices usually keep daytime hours.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Monitor patients and record vital signs and changes in condition
- Administer oral, topical and injectable medications as permitted by state law
- Provide wound care, change dressings and care for catheters and ostomies
- Collect specimens and perform routine tests such as blood glucose checks
- Update care plans and document care accurately
- Supervise CNAs in many long-term care settings
- Educate patients and families on basic care and medications
Tools you’ll use every day
- Medication carts and eMAR systems
- Glucometers
- Wound care supplies and measuring guides
- Vital-signs monitors
- Feeding pumps
- EHR systems such as PointClickCare or MatrixCare
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- Licensed nursing role in about a year
- Pay well above most entry-level healthcare roles
- Jobs in many settings across every state
- Bridge programs lead to RN
What’s hard
- Scope of practice is narrower than an RN’s
- Long-term care can mean heavy patient loads
- Shift work, weekends and holidays
- Physically and emotionally demanding
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I want real nursing responsibility without a four-year degree
- I can handle medications and math carefully
- I can lead and direct other caregivers
- I stay calm when a patient’s condition changes
- I’m willing to study hard for a licensing exam
- I’m OK with shift work, including weekends
Not sure? Take the free Licensed Practical Nurse fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Follow the rights of medication administration on every pass
- Practice safe patient handling and use lift equipment
- Follow standard and transmission-based precautions
- Stay within your state’s LPN scope of practice and ask when unsure