Land LPN Jobs in Lehi with Nursa
Licensed practical nurse jobs are hot in Lehi, Utah. Hospitals and healthcare facilities across Utah are turning to Nursa to source compassionate and competent nursing professionals to fill vacancies and shift call-offs. If you're a licensed practical nurse in Utah or have an interest in nursing and live in the Lehi area, then this guide is for you! We'll walk you through the details of what it is like to be a licensed practical nurse, how to become one, how much you can earn, and how to find LPN jobs near you. Read on for more.
What Is a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in Medical Terms?
A licensed practical nurse (LPN) is a nurse who provides direct care to patients in a healthcare setting. LPNs typically perform their tasks under the direction of a registered nurse (RN) or a licensed physician. According to Utah's Nurse Practice Act, practical nursing acts include the following:
- Contributing to the assessment of the health status of individuals and groups
- Participating in the development and modification of the strategy of care
- Implementing appropriate aspects of the strategy of care
- Maintaining safe and effective nursing care rendered to a patient directly or indirectly
- Participating in the evaluation of responses to interventions
Utah Supply and Demand of LPNs
Is there a demand for LPNs in Utah? You might have heard some people say that LPNs are being phased out of nursing, and while the nursing workforce landscape is absolutely evolving, LPNs remain an integral pillar of nursing care. According to the Utah Department of Workforce Services, the occupational outlook for LPNs is positive, primarily due to the high number of replacements that are projected due to retirements and the fact that many LPNs move on to become RNs.
For concrete data about the LPN workforce in Utah, we turned to the Utah Medical Education Council's report Supply of Nurses in Utah: The 2020 Survey of Utah's Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses; here are some key points about Utah's LPNs:
- Utah’s LPN gender distribution is 87.3% female and 12.3% male.
- The median age of LPNs is 51 years, but 28.4% of them are under 35 years.
- Utah LPNs working full-time reported a median annual income of $50,076.
- Utah LPNs working part-time reported a median annual income of $26,336.
- Hospitals and nursing homes combined employ over half (51%) of the Utah LPN workforce.
- As of May 2020, Utah had 2,716 actively licensed LPNs.
- 12.2% of LPNs in Utah have plans to retire within five years.
- Utah County is home to the second-largest group of Utah LPNs (22.8%).
- 76.4% of LPNs reported full-time employment (36-40+ hours per week).
- 19.3% of LPNs reported mentoring nursing students.
How to Become an LPN in Utah
Becoming an LPN in Utah is relatively straightforward and involves a shorter time commitment than a registered nursing program. State-approved LPN programs are typically 12 months long (if you attend full-time), and upon successful completion of the program, you earn your practical nursing certificate. If you need help choosing an approved LPN program, consider reviewing the Licensure Examination Results, which inform readers of the pass rates for each program.
Once you've earned your practical nursing certificate, your next step is to register for and pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN). Utah's Division of Occupational & Professional Licensing guides future nurses through the steps for passing the NCLEX and obtaining licensure here.
How Much Is the Average LPN Salary in Lehi?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average LPN salary in the Provo metropolitan area in 2022 was $52,590 for the year or $25.28 per hour, which is only slightly lower than the average LPN salary for the entire state ($55,790 year/$26.82 hour) or the national average which was $55,860 for the year and $26.86 per hour. If you're an LPN living in the Lehi area and you want to boost your nursing income, there are a couple of options available to you:
- Specialize: Yes, LPNs can specialize! There aren't as many specialty options available to LPNs as there are for RNs, but they are available, and specialization may garner you a higher wage. The National Association for Practical Nurse Education (NAPNES) offers certification courses for LPNs in IV Therapy, Long-Term Care, and Pharmacology. Be sure to check with Utah's Board of Nursing to verify approval for a specialty certification.
- Pick up PRN shifts: In response to the nursing shortage, hospitals and other healthcare facilities are turning to PRN staffing strategies to meet their staffing needs.
Can I Pick Up Per Diem Shifts as an LPN?
LPNs can absolutely pick up per diem shifts. In fact, picking up per diem or PRN shifts as an LPN in Lehi and the surrounding areas is an excellent way to maximize your nursing income. There are multiple benefits to working PRN shifts, and two of them factor in your bank account directly:
- PRN LPN shifts often offer a higher-than-usual hourly pay rate. Hospitals and other medical facilities need LPNs to cover shift gaps and vacancies to avoid service disruption or compromising patient care and nurse safety. As such, they frequently post PRN shifts at persuasive pay rates.
- You don't have to quit your other job to work PRN shifts. You can pick up PRN shifts as a second job or a side hustle (whichever name you use is fine; it's the result that counts).
How Can I Find LPN Jobs Near Me?
Picking up PRN LPN jobs near you is simple when you download Nursa. Nursa is the open marketplace for healthcare jobs that RNs, LPNs, and CNAs are using to find and land PRN jobs in their communities.
How LPNs in Lehi Can Use Nursa to Earn More
By using Nursa, LPNs in Lehi gain access to PRN jobs not only in Lehi but in the surrounding communities and cities as well. LPNs who are willing to drive over to American Fork, Orem, Pleasant Grove, or Provo gain access to a wider variety of work. Here's how Nursa works:
- Download Nursa for free.
- Register for an account.
- Create your professional profile.
- Verify your LPN license by following the prompts.
- Set up the Wallet function so you're ready to get paid for your shifts.
- Set your search filters and browse PRN LPN shifts near you.
- Apply for PRN shifts that fit your schedule and qualifications.
- Receive notifications for shifts you've landed.
- Follow the map in the app to your shift destination.
- Fill out the shift report in the app at the end of your shift.
Benefits of Working PRN LPN Jobs
The benefits of picking up PRN shifts extend beyond that of your bank account. For nurses who are looking for variety and new experiences, picking up PRN shifts in different towns and different workplace settings is a benefit. For LPNs who need the flexibility to work when they want so they can manage their other responsibilities (i.e., caring for family members, working another job, going to school), picking up PRN shifts allows them to work when it fits their schedule instead of rearranging everything else to accommodate work. For LPNs who want to retire but remain active, PRN shifts allow them to step back from the responsibilities of a full-time job but keep their skills sharp and work enough to keep their licenses active.
LPNs Living in Lehi
Utah may be widely known for the Great Salt Lake; however, Lehi residents are more likely to be found on warm days at Utah Lake, which sits just south of the Salt Lake City suburb. With a population of less than 100,000, this city offers all the amenities of a typical suburb: a short driving distance to the airport and the big city, shopping, lots of space, and excellent restaurants alongside the benefits people love of a smaller town, such as good public schools, parks, and access to nature.