Licensed Practical Nurses

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) are autonomous practitioners who provide nursing services to clients across the lifespan for individuals, families, and groups in all settings where healthcare is being delivered. LPNs provide these services as integral members of the multidisciplinary team under the direction and in collaboration with a registered nurse, or duly qualified medical practitioner, or pharmacist. Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) observe, assess, monitor, and document patient symptoms, reactions, and progress. They also administer medication, carry out medical procedures, and perform educational duties like informing about nutrition, medication management, disease prevention, and health promotion across communities and groups in New Brunswick. In this province, we’re proud to say licensed practical nurses play a significant role in frontline healthcare delivery.

There are multiple opportunities for licensed practical nurses in New Brunswick, with many avenues to learn and grow in clinical practice and leadership roles throughout our rural and urban healthcare regions. It’s also a perfect career for individuals who don’t want to spend multiple years in study, but rather want to start working with patients and making a difference sooner. It’s a great career choice for caring, compassionate individuals with a professional attitude and desire to help people.

Personal Characteristics and skills

  • Fine dexterity skills required to perform nursing procedures
  • Caring, compassionate, and professional attitude
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills
  • Critical thinking, critical inquiry, and clinical judgement for decision-making
  • Demonstrate professional judgement
  • Ability to work collaboratively with others on the healthcare team
  • Commitment to life-long learning
  • Demonstrate formal and informal leadership in practice
  • Reliability and dependability

Licensed practical nurses in New Brunswick have a variety of important roles, including but not limited to:

  • Providing nursing services within their legislated scope of practice
  • Performing nursing interventions such as taking vital signs, performing point of care testing, and wound care
  • Performing blood specimen collection
  • Monitoring and evaluating lab results
  • Administering medications (oral, intramuscular, subcutaneous, intradermal, intravenous)
  • Providing pre- and post-operative care, including patient teaching, providing safety and health education

The workweek of a licensed practical nurses varies. In New Brunswick, licensed practical nurses work in a wide range of settings of varying complexity and work collaboratively with the healthcare team. Depending on where they are employed, licensed practical nurses may work shifts that include evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays.

Licensed practical nurses may work in a variety of settings, such as:

  • Hospitals
  • Nursing homes and adult residential facilities
  • Extended care facilities
  • Rehabilitation centres
  • Doctor’s offices
  • Community clinics

As for education and training, New Brunswick’s licensed practical nurses must be actively registered with the Association of New Brunswick Licensed Practical Nurses (ANBLPN) and successfully complete the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Exam (CPNRE).

Education programs offered in New Brunswick:

There is also student loan forgiveness available for family doctors and nurses.