32101 – Licensed practical nurses
TEER 2Occupations usually requiring a college diploma or apprenticeship of 2 years or more, or supervisory occupations
Lead statement
Licensed practical nurses provide nursing care usually under the direction of medical practitioners, registered nurses or other health team members.
Main duties
- Provide nursing services, within defined scope of practice, to patients based on patient assessment and care planning procedures
- Perform nursing interventions such as taking vital signs, applying aseptic techniques including sterile dressing, ensuring infection control, monitoring nutritional intake and conducting specimen collection
- Administer medication and observe and document therapeutic effects
- Provide pre-operative and post-operative personal and comfort care
- Monitor established respiratory therapy and intravenous therapy
- Monitor patients' progress, evaluate and document effectiveness of nursing interventions and collaborate with appropriate members of health care team
- Provide safety and health education to individuals and their families.
- Prepare patients for surgery by washing, shaving and sterilizing the patients' operative areas
- Assist in surgery by laying out instruments, setting up equipment, assisting surgical teams with gowns and gloves and passing instruments to surgeons
- Monitor patients' status during surgery, such as intake, output and loss of blood, and communicate and document any changes
- Clean and sterilize the operating room and instruments.
Employment requirements
- Completion of a vocational, college or other approved program for licensed practical nurses is required.
- Registration with a regulatory body is required in all provinces and territories.
- Completion of a registration examination is required in all provinces and territories.
- Operating room technicians require additional academic training in operating room techniques.
Example job titles
certified nursing assistant (CNA) · licensed nursing assistant · licensed practical nurse (L.P.N.) · registered practical nurse (R.P.N.) · registered nursing assistant (R.N.A.) · operating room technician · surgical nursing assistant
Wages (per hour)
| Province / territory | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $25.00 | $31.32 | $38.00 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $26.44 | $29.58 | $32.08 |
| Nova Scotia | $28.00 | $30.42 | $35.11 |
| New Brunswick | $27.00 | $31.50 | $35.00 |
| Quebec | $24.21 | $30.00 | $33.00 |
| Ontario | $25.32 | $31.00 | $37.94 |
| Manitoba | $25.00 | $33.57 | $38.57 |
| Saskatchewan | $33.00 | $38.09 | $42.00 |
| Alberta | $25.80 | $32.00 | $36.00 |
| British Columbia | $29.00 | $34.57 | $42.00 |
Source: Job Bank wages, 2025 release (ESDC). Low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles.
Occupation details: ESDC OaSIS 2025, based on NOC 2021.