Practical Nursing is one of the most fulfilling and in-demand jobs in British Columbia. If you’re interested in pursuing a nursing career, you can learn step-by-step how to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) by reading this blog post. Get an in-depth look at everything you need to know about Licensed Practical Nurse job responsibilities, the steps you need to take to become an LPN, and the practical nursing salary and job prospects you can expect when entering the field.
Keep reading to learn more or click the links below to jump to specific sections!
Licensed Practical Nurse Job Responsibilities
How to Become a Licensed Practical Nurse
Practical Nursing Salary and Job Prospects
Launch Your Practical Nursing Career with Sprott Shaw College
Have questions or ready to take the next step? Whether there’s more you want to know or you’re ready to enroll, our advisors are here to help! Click the button below to complete a contact form, and an advisor will get back to you soon.
Licensed Practical Nurse Job Responsibilities
Licensed Practical Nurses are an essential part of the healthcare team, working in various settings such as hospitals, long-term care facilities, acute care centres, private homes, and more.
Licensed Practical Nurse job responsibilities include checking in on patients to make sure they’re comfortable and their vitals are normal. They check patients’ temperatures, measure their blood pressure, administer medication, and document all treatments and updates.
Other Licensed Practical Nurse job responsibilities include monitoring fluid intake and output, collecting specimen samples, caring for wounds, maintaining medical apparatuses, and more. What LPNs do during their shift depends on their patients’ needs, as long as it adheres to the practice standards defined by the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM).
To learn more about Licensed Practical Nurse job responsibilities, check out our blog post: What do LPNs do?: A Day in the Life of a Licensed Practical Nurse.
How to Become a Licensed Practical Nurse
The first step you must take to become a Licensed Practical Nurse is to earn a diploma from a practical nursing program at a college, which typically ranges from 17 to 20 months long. People with prior healthcare experience (such as Health Care Assistants or Care Aides) can enroll in an accelerated bridging program that builds upon their knowledge and takes less time to complete.
Sprott Shaw College is one of the largest providers of Practical Nursing training in British Columbia. Our 17-month Practical Nursing program and 14-month Practical Nursing Access bridging program are designed to provide students with the perfect balance of classroom and hands-on learning.
During their weeks in the classroom, our students learn in small classes where instructors can ensure that each student gets the attention and support that they deserve. Here they learn about medical terminology, human anatomy, pharmacology, and much more from instructors, who are experienced nurses.
Our fully equipped healthcare labs contain all the equipment and supplies that students need to familiarize themselves with, such as hospital beds and lifts. Before they can treat real patients, our students hone their skills with practice mannequins that can imitate real symptoms, allowing them to get comfortable with performing assessments and patient care.
Some of the most valuable learning takes place in the field. Our Practical Nursing programs include clinical experience at the end of each level and a 7-week preceptorship. These opportunities allows students to gain real-world experience in a variety of settings before they even graduate.
Upon earning their diploma, graduates must register for and successfully pass a regulatory exam (Rex-PN) before they can begin working. All Practical Nurses in British Columbia and Ontario take the Rex-PN, which was developed by the BCCNM, the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO), and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). The Rex-PN is administered through computers at an off-campus site, where prospective LPNs have four hours to complete the exam.
After a few days, exam writers receive an email with their results. If they passed, they are invited to apply for practicing registration through the BCCNM. This final step is what makes a Practical Nurse a Licensed Practical Nurse and allows them to work in BC.
Practical Nursing Salary and Job Prospects
The average practical nursing salary in BC is about $64,000 a year, according to WorkBC. They also report that hourly wages range from $29 to $42, or $34.57 on average.
WorkBC projects that there will be over 5,000 job openings for Licensed Practical Nurses from 2025 to 2035, making it one of the most in-demand careers in British Columbia. WorkBC classifies practical nursing as a high-opportunity occupation, meaning that it offers good job prospects, high demand, competitive wages, and strong potential for a long-term career.
Launch your Practical Nursing Career with Sprott Shaw College
From Vancouver Island, Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, to the Okanagan, our campuses across the province are ready to provide you with hands-on education wherever you are.
Sprott Shaw College’s Practical Nursing programs equip students with the knowledge, skills, and real-world experience they need to confidently enter the healthcare field. Not only that, but our program includes preparation for the REx-PN built into the curriculum.
In 2025, the REx-PN had a pass rate of 80% for first-time writers across British Columbia and Ontario. We’re proud to share that our Practical Nursing graduates in 2025 achieved a 94.5% pass rate! We’re immensely proud of our students for putting in the hard work to achieve these results, and we’re grateful to our Practical Nursing instructors for teaching the skills students need to thrive in their education and in their careers.
Ready to launch your career? Our Admissions Advisors can answer any questions you may have about our Practical Nursing programs, admissions requirements, and funding options. They can also guide you through the enrollment process when you’re ready. Click the button below to fill in a contact form, and an advisor will get back to you soon!