Bladdaow!

In 2006 the Bureau of Labor Statistics examined the LPN jobs market and concluded that this section of the jobs market was growing at above average rates of growth and forecast that this situation would continue to occur for at least the next decade.  Now, 2006 was some time ago now and a lot has happened to the economy and the healthcare system since that time.  However, all the evidence points to this trend for strong LPN jobs growth continuing for some time to come.

The most significant reason for this is that LPN’s are increasingly being used to relieve the burden from Registered Nurses (RN’s).  The central idea is that some of the day to day nursing activities performed by RN’s can, with sufficient and adequate supervision be undertaken instead by a qualified LPN.  These activities might include lifting and handling, taking of medical histories, physical checks, assisting patients with personal care and hygiene amongst others.  This in turn allows the RN’s to concentrate their activities onto areas where they can provide nursing care more suitable to their particular skills and experience.  In practice of course this means that a typical healthcare provider does not need as many RN’s as has previously been the case and as a consequence it relieves the pressure to recruit what is fast becoming an increasingly scarce resource.

The end result is that all parties win of course.  The basic principal of optimising the cost of the teams whilst at the same time as not compromising the care outcomes has meant that LPN jobs have resolved a significant issue for the care providers.  Without LPNs the care providers would have escalating cost issues which would otherwise evolve into poorer outcomes for the patients.  The LPNs get good employment prospects and the RN’s get to perform day to day duties that are more relevant to their particular skill sets.