The Top 5 Practical Nursing Job Locations

Practical nurses have the privilege of caring for the sick and elderly in a wide range of locations, performing an equally diverse (yet very important) range of duties. Typically PN’s can earn their certification and begin working in the field in as little as one year. That means, if you’re a brand new nursing student keeping an eye out for potential job opportunities upon graduation, the time to start making some decisions is now! Before you know it, you’ll graduate from school and be ready to begin your exciting new career as a nurse.

Many people have the false understanding that practical nurses can only work in nursing homes. While working in a nursing home is a tremendously rewarding and fulfilling occupation, practical nurses certainly have other options available to them. Here is a list of the top five job locations for practical nurses.

1. Nursing Care Facilities- These facilities care for patients of all ages, requiring residential care for a number of reasons. Many of these locations include residential group homes for individuals with physical or developmental disabilities, hospice services, and rehabilitation centers. On average, Practical nurses can expect to earn a median salary around $44,000 per year working within these types of locations. Presently, around 30 percent of practical nurses are employed in nursing care facilities. According to NurseJournal.com, practical nursing can expect to see an increase in job growth opportunities approaching 12 percent by 2020.
   
   
2. Medical and Surgical Hospitals- As the location names suggest, these locations include emergency rooms, in-patient and out-patient surgical centers, maternity hospitals and other related facilities. The median income for practical nurses in these hospital settings hovers around $39,000 annually, and currently, around 15 percent of practical nurses work here. Job opportunities are estimated to increase by around eight percent over the next five years.
   
   
3. Community Care Facilities- Both public and private, community care facilities are the locations commonly associated with practical nursing job opportunities. These locations include nursing homes, retirement communities, and assisted living centers: all of which generally serve the elderly. Nurses opting to work in these facilities may earn around $43,000 each year. As the Baby Boomer generation continues to live longer and longer, the job demand for nurses in these locations should increase by nearly 50 percent by 2020. 
   
   
4. Home Health Care Services- Also among the highest paid locations for practical nurses to work are those places fitting in the Home Health category.  They include private home health care agencies, some mental health social service agencies, and other divisions of larger health care agencies. Because more and more individuals are choosing to age-in-place (remain in their homes longer) for greater independence throughout their senior years, there is a growing need for nurses to help assist in these environments. Typically, a practical nurse can expect to make an average of around $43,000 each year in field of work, and future nurses could see potential job growth opportunities increase by an astounding 72 percent over the next five years.
   
   
5. Physicians Offices- Doctor’s offices comprise the final sector of leading job opportunities for practical nurses.  There are vast arrays of public and private sector physicians’ offices from nearly every medical specialty that hire practical nurses for their staff. Currently, around 12 percent of practical nurses are employed in physicians’ offices, and future job opportunities are expected to rise by more than 30 percent over the next five years.

Of course, as with any career choice, statistics like these will vary slightly depending on state, city, area population, and job demand. But, regardless of those variances, future practical nurses can rest assured that there will be an increased need to fill open nursing positions as the years go on.

Are you interested in an exciting, challenging, and life-changing career in nursing? Athena Career Academy can help put you on the path toward becoming a practical nurse in as little as one year. Contact us now at 419-329-4075 to learn how.

Athena Career Academy is located at:
5203 Airport Highway
Toledo, Ohio 43615
Hours: Monday - Friday 7:30AM to 4:30PM
Phone: (419) 329-4075