Career overview

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses

O*NET-SOC 29-2061.00

Median pay / yr$62,340

OutlookAverage

Care for ill, injured, or convalescing patients or persons with disabilities in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, private homes, group homes, and similar institutions. May work under the supervision of a registered nurse. Licensing required.

What it takes

The skills, knowledge, and credentials employers look for in Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses.

Skills employers look for

Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Knowledge areas

Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
PsychologyKnowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Medicine and DentistryKnowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.