Opportunities for LPNs in Hospitals

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Jul 5, 2008

It's definitely individual to each province, and probably even to each health region. In fact, I think it might even be facility-determined. I work in a university hospital that encompasses a children's hospital (within the same building) and the requirements for many positions in the place depend on whether the position is based in the university or the children's. For example, most instructor positions at the universtiy hospital will say in the posting "degree preferred, combination of education and experience may be considered" while instructor positions under the children's hospital all read "degree required". I know some hospitals here emply LPNs in all the acute care areas and some only in the chronic care areas. Try doing a search of job postings at hospitals in the area you'd like settle in and see what's there.

Fiona59 · Jul 5, 2008

I'd heard that SK was pretty LPN friendly. I know they do the post diploma OR tech tag at one of their technical schools.

AB is pro LPN in acute care. My unit is pretty much staffed 50-50 RN/LPN. Calgary has PNs in the ICU. Capital Health has LPNs in the ER in several Edmonton area hospitals. The Stollery hires LPNs but from what I hear it really depends on the unit how much an LPN will enjoy working there. But that can be said about any facility and how the staff interacts.

BC is very much a region to region basis. It even depends on the Director of Nursing. I know of one health authority that bragged about how it supported LPNs but the reality depended on which hospital you worked in. One I worked in utilized LPNs as glorified NAs but when a new Director (who was from AB) was hired the changes came fast and hard in the role of the LPN.

Like Jan said you really have to figure out where you want to work and look at the postings on line.