Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) play a hands-on role in patient care in various facilities, including physician offices, hospitals, assisted living centers, and long-term care facilities. Furthermore, given the shortage of healthcare workers in recent years, LPNs are almost always in demand—as long as you know where to look.
If you’re actively trying to find LPN jobs, read on! We’ll help you review what job information you should consider, go over different types of LPN jobs, and discuss six ways to find LPN jobs near you.
I’m Trying to Find LPN Jobs: What Should I Consider?
When looking for LPN jobs, the first thing you want to do is look at different LPN job descriptions. While doing so, consider the following:
- Do you have the experience and certifications required? Many LPN jobs are entry-level, but some may require specific training, experience, or certifications.
- Is the pay competitive? Some job postings won’t list salary, but some do. Remember that the average LPN salary is $55,860 annually (or $26.86 hourly), but pay varies significantly based on experience, facility type, and location, among other factors.
- Is it the type of job you want? Are you looking for full-time or part-time LPN jobs? Or are you open to considering PRN LPN jobs or travel work? And would you rather work at a hospital or an outpatient facility? If you have a preference, prioritize that when searching.
- Is the facility a fit? Company culture matters a great deal, and while it can be hard to tell from a job posting, a few quick searches online can tell you a lot about the work experience for different healthcare organizations. Fortunately, fast research can help you find the right fit even before the interviews start.
6 Ways to Find LPN Jobs
Ready to find your next LPN job but aren’t sure where to start? Whether you’re looking for full-time LPN hospital jobs or PRN work at any facility, these six strategies will have you covered.
1. Check Out Staffing Apps & Agencies
When you’re actively looking for a job, you could be in one of the following situations:
- Looking to get back into the workforce after a brief break (including maternity leave)
- Wanting to switch up your position or employer
- Getting started in a new career
Either way, many nurses benefit from considering temporary nursing gigs through PRN nursing or even local travel LPN jobs. Both involve self-contracted work instead of traditional employment, and both typically come with much higher pay than typical staff jobs.
PRN work typically involves requesting to claim individual shifts through a nursing app like Nursa. You can request any shift you’re qualified to take through the mobile app or directly from your browser, effectively setting your ideal schedule.
Moreover, PRN work is a great way to find an outstanding long-term career fit. You can work in different facilities to see what you love (and do not love). Sometimes, this may even help you network with great teams so that you’re on their radar when a permanent staff job opens up.
2. Find “Career” Pages on Facility Websites
If you’re interested in a staff LPN job at a specific facility, you should head straight to their website career page. Search for LPN jobs and see what’s available.
Many large healthcare organizations list job openings on their career page, and they may even have “rolling” applications for certain positions to keep an eye out for great candidates.
When actively looking, list at least five healthcare organizations you’d like to work for and check their sites regularly. The early bird gets the worm, and a well-timed application can get you that interview.
3. Use Job Posting Sites
While career pages on individual facility websites should always be the first step when looking for traditional employment, you can also look at job posting sites.
Job board websites can turn up dozens (or hundreds, depending on your location) of LPN jobs within a set radius of your desired location with just a few clicks. You can filter by criteria like pay, benefits, or keywords.
And you never know—looking on job posting sites can cast a wide net, which sometimes means you may discover a position you hadn’t even considered. More diverse opportunities are never a bad thing when you’re considering new options.
4. Leverage Social Media
Social media can be a powerful job-finding tool for LPNs, especially if you’re like most healthcare professionals and have plenty of healthcare connections.
You can search on LinkedIn and even Facebook for mentions of employers looking to fill specific positions. You can also ask around, posting and asking if anyone knows of any great open positions or reaching out to connections directly to see if they have any leads.
Take advantage of your network, and leverage social media for all it’s worth. Just be careful—you don’t want to post that you’re desperate for a new job if current colleagues or managers can see your post and you’re not ready for them to know.
5. Reach Out to Past Colleagues
If you’re still in touch with former coworkers, supervisors, or teachers, don’t hesitate to reach out when looking for LPN jobs. There’s a great chance that either their facility may be hiring or they know someone who is.
A quick email, text, or phone call goes a long way. Ask how they are and if they’re still loving their job. If they have rave reviews about their employer (or at least don’t make it sound like an Edgar Allen Poe story full of horrors), ask if they know of any open positions they could refer you to.
In many cases, employers may have a referral system. If someone refers you, your resume may move to the top of the list, and they may even receive a “finder’s fee” if the facility hires you, so it’s a win-win for everyone.
6. Turn to Google
If the above strategies haven’t worked for you, don’t worry: We have another job-finding tactic to help you discover great opportunities.
Simply head to Google and start your search. You can’t go wrong with the basic “LPN jobs near me.” Additionally, if you happen to be looking for something specific, you can add it to the search phrase, like “Hospital LPN jobs near me.”
Sometimes, this query will turn up jobs you haven’t seen yet. Consequently, this can give you additional local job opportunities you might not have seen otherwise.
Final Thoughts
Job searching can be difficult, but the right strategies can make it easier. And while you’re waiting for the right job, remember that PRN LPN work can be a great way to test new waters, earn outstanding money, and make connections, all while keeping your schedule flexible.
Some nurses start LPN PRN work to get their foot in the door or to earn extra cash (because, hey, who doesn’t have student loans to get rid of?), and in many cases, they’ll stick around. The high pay, the control over your schedule, and the diversity in your day-to-day work are hard to pass up—which is why many LPNs don’t!
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