Licensed practical nurses (LPNs), called licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) in Texas and California, are the second-largest health care occupation requiring postsecondary education. More LPNs work in long-term care than in any other sector, and demand for these workers in the long-term care sector is expected to rise over the next several decades. In Profile of the Licensed Practical Nurse/Licensed Vocational Nurse Workforce, 2008 and 2013, UCSF authors Janet M. Coffman, MPP, PhD, Krista Chan, BA, and Timothy Bates, MPP present the latest national data on LPN employment patterns, and describe trends in employment sites for LPNs as well as changes in the demographic characteristics of these workers. The authors found that the number of LPNs employed by hospitals has decreased significantly while the number employed in long-term care settings has increased. Within the long-term care sector, LPN employment has grown most substantially in home healthcare settings. The authors also report important differences in LPN employment patterns across the U.S. and between metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas.
The authors suggest that growth in demand for LPNs in long-term care settings relative to hospitals has important implications for LPN education, as those who work in long-term care settings have less direct supervision than their counterparts in hospitals. Because LPNs must exercise more independent judgment for patient care, LPN education programs need to ensure that students obtain sufficient clinical training and develop the critical thinking and communications skills necessary to practice effectively in long-term care settings.