Licensed Practical Nurse Jobs in Memphis, TN
Licensed practical nurses in Memphis earn a median of about $28 an hour, and the practical nursing program at TCAT Memphis on Alabama Avenue is one of the fastest routes into licensed nursing in the city. Here are the current openings, then who is hiring and how to get licensed.
Current licensed practical nurse Openings in Memphis, TN
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Licensed Practical Nurse Work in Memphis
About 3,000 LPNs work in the Memphis metro, and the jobs are spread more widely than RN work. Hospitals still hire them, from Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis on Park Avenue to Regional One Health's subacute and skilled nursing unit in the Medical District, but much of the demand sits in physician clinics and outpatient practices in East Memphis, Germantown and Collierville, where LPNs room patients, give injections and handle the phones with doctors.
The Mississippi line matters here too. Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto in Southaven posts LPN roles alongside Baptist's Memphis and Germantown clinics, and Methodist Le Bonheur's hospitals require a Tennessee or Mississippi LPN license depending on the site, so an LPN living in Whitehaven or Hickory Hill can work either side of the state line with the right license.
Top Memphis Employers Hiring Licensed Practical Nurses
These Memphis employers had LPN openings or LPN recruiting on their own career sites this month:
- Baptist Memorial Health Care - posts LPN roles at Baptist Medical Group clinics in Memphis and Germantown and at Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto in Southaven.
- Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis - the East Memphis hospital hires LPNs for specialty services such as orthopedics and wound and ostomy care.
- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital - hires experienced LPNs for its outpatient clinics, with posted pay of about $21 to $35.50 an hour.
- Regional One Health - recruits LPNs and RNs for its hospital-based subacute and skilled nursing unit on 12-hour shifts.
- Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare - recruits LPNs across its Memphis, Germantown and Olive Branch hospitals and clinics.
Licensed Practical Nurse Salaries in Memphis
- Entry level: about $20 to $24 an hour for newly licensed LPNs.
- Experienced: roughly $24 to $31 an hour for LPNs with a few years in clinics, hospitals or long-term care.
- Senior: about $31 to $35 an hour for senior LPNs in specialty and hospital-based roles.
These are estimates drawn from federal wage data for the Memphis metro and pay posted by local employers. Hospital and specialty roles generally pay more than physician offices, and evening, night and weekend shifts add to base pay. Many employers ask for one or two years of experience for their higher-paying LPN roles.
How to Become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Memphis
You need to finish an approved practical nursing program, pass the NCLEX-PN and get licensed by the Tennessee Board of Nursing. In Memphis, Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Memphis at 550 Alabama Avenue runs a fully approved practical nursing program. Employers also require Basic Life Support certification, and LPNs who want to keep going can enter the LPN Mobility Track at Southwest Tennessee Community College's Union Avenue Campus to become registered nurses.
What the Job Involves
LPNs work under the direction of registered nurses and physicians. Daily tasks include taking vital signs, giving oral and injected medications, changing dressings and caring for wounds, collecting specimens, rooming patients and taking histories in clinics, documenting care in the electronic health record, and reporting changes in a patient's condition to the RN or provider.
Skills Employers Look For
- Active Tennessee or multistate LPN license and BLS certification
- Medication administration and injections
- Wound care and dressing changes
- Electronic health record documentation
- Clear communication with patients, RNs and physicians
- Dependability on early, evening or weekend shifts
Career Path and Advancement
Many Memphis LPNs start in a physician clinic or long-term care unit, then move into hospital-based and specialty roles that pay more. The biggest step up is becoming a registered nurse: Southwest Tennessee Community College's LPN Mobility Track is built for working LPNs, and an RN license opens the higher pay and specialty units at Methodist, Baptist, Regional One and St. Jude.
Related Careers in Memphis
If practical nursing interests you, these related Memphis guides are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do LPNs make in Memphis?
Federal wage data puts the Memphis median near $28 an hour, or about $59,000 a year. Newly licensed LPNs usually start in the low $20s, and experienced LPNs in hospital or specialty roles can earn $31 to $35 an hour.
Who licenses LPNs in Tennessee?
The Tennessee Board of Nursing licenses practical nurses after you finish an approved program and pass the NCLEX-PN. Tennessee uses the title Licensed Practical Nurse, and it is part of the Nurse Licensure Compact.
Where can I go to LPN school in Memphis?
Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Memphis on Alabama Avenue runs a practical nursing program with full approval from the Tennessee Board of Nursing. Check the state's current list of approved programs before enrolling anywhere else.
Can an LPN work in Southaven or Olive Branch?
Yes, but you need a license valid in Mississippi. Baptist and Methodist both run hospitals in DeSoto County, and Methodist notes that its LPNs need a Tennessee or Mississippi license depending on the location.
Can I become an RN after working as an LPN in Memphis?
Yes. Southwest Tennessee Community College offers a Nursing LPN Mobility Track that leads to the associate degree in nursing, so working LPNs can move into registered nursing without starting over.
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