Georgia Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Job Outlook
Georgia LPN Job Outlook
LPN job opportunities will increase through 2016 as a direct result of the aging of the U.S. population and expansion of health care services across the nation. As current licensed practical nurses retire or move upward in their career as registered nurses, the need to replace those LPN professionals will create a large pool of jobs.
LPN jobs in hospitals are decreasing but other health care facilities compensate with increasing job openings for the licensed practical nurse. In the near future most job openings will be in long term care institutions, rehabilitation centers, and home health settings. There will be a definite shift of LPN job openings from the traditional hospital setting to home health care and skilled nursing facilities.
Due to a growing trend of complicated procedures being now performed in outpatient facilities instead of hospital settings, fewer patients are hospitalized after these procedures, causing LPN hospital jobs to decrease. However, these patients are returning to their homes or to long term care facilities and these environments are seeing an increase in the number of LPN job openings.
Home health care is another field of fast growing LPN job openings. An increase in the number of home health care agencies is expected due to the current demand of clients to receive health care in their home.
LPN home health care jobs in Georgia are rising because technology has become more portable and affordable, allowing treatments to be delivered at home. Home health care agencies are employing more licensed practical nurses to care for an aging population with various health problems in the comfort of their home.
Employment of Georgia licensed practical nurses in nursing care facilities is expected to grow about as fast as average. A growing number of aged and disabled individuals in need of 24 hours of nursing supervision will be residents of nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities. The LPN jobs at this type of facility will grow steadily but more so than registered nurses jobs.
An LPN is paid considerably less than an RN for the same basic set of skills and most nursing homes in Georgia are looking for skilled, cost-effective care. LPN job opportunities in Georgia for both new nursing graduates and experienced nurses are overall increasing.
As a licensed practical nurse you should look towards home health care agencies and long term care facilities are the fastest growing potential employers. The LPN with several years of experience and those with certifications in geriatric health are going to be in higher demand and have better hourly wages in all employment settings.
LPN jobs with good salaries and benefits are offered to many students before graduation from practical nursing programs. A new licensed practical nurse can expect to make between $12 and $18 per hour. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the salary range for an LPN in Georgia is between $25,340 to more than $48,510. LPN salaries depend on hours and shift worked, job setting, work experience, and employer location.