Licensed Practical Nurse Jobs in Portland, OR
Licensed practical nurses in Portland earn about $29 to $43 an hour in local postings, working in skilled nursing, home health, county clinics, the Portland VA and some hospital units. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring and how to get an Oregon LPN license.
Current licensed practical nurse Openings in Portland, OR
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Licensed Practical Nurse Work in Portland
In Portland, most LPN work sits outside the big hospital towers. Skilled nursing and senior living operators such as Avamere hire LPNs as floor and charge nurses in neighborhoods like Bethany on the west side, home health agencies such as PeaceHealth in Vancouver hire LPNs for home visits, and Multnomah County employs Licensed Community Practical Nurses in its public health work. The Portland VA Medical Center on Marquam Hill posts LPN openings on the federal pay scale, and Legacy Meridian Park in Tualatin hires LPNs on its acute-care medical and surgical units.
Two local facts shape the job. Oregon's hospital staffing law limits how many patients nurses can carry, which puts a premium on RNs in hospitals and keeps much LPN hiring in long-term care, clinics and home health. And none of the metro's community colleges currently runs a practical nursing program, so the route into the license goes through private schools in Northeast Portland.
Top Portland Employers Hiring Licensed Practical Nurses
These Portland-area employers have posted LPN openings or list practical nurse jobs for their local sites:
- Legacy Health - hires LPNs for acute-care medical and surgical specialty units at Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center in Tualatin.
- VA Portland Health Care System - the Portland VA Medical Center on Marquam Hill posts LPN and practical nurse jobs at GS-3 through GS-7.
- Multnomah County - employs Licensed Community Practical Nurses, a represented county job with a published pay range that requires an Oregon practical nurse license.
- OHSU - lists LPN jobs in Portland, including clinic roles at the Center for Health & Healing on the South Waterfront.
- Avamere - the skilled nursing and senior living operator hires LPNs at Portland communities such as Avamere at Bethany.
- PeaceHealth - hires full-time and per diem home health LPNs based in Vancouver, just across the I-5 bridge.
Licensed Practical Nurse Salaries in Portland
- Entry level: about $29 to $32 an hour, the starting steps at Legacy, Kaiser and Multnomah County.
- Experienced: roughly $34 to $40 an hour with several years in long-term care, clinics or acute care.
- Senior / top of scale: $40 to $43 an hour at the top of hospital scales; VA Portland posts LPN pay up to about $94,000 a year at higher grades.
These are estimates from Portland employers' own postings. Pay moves with the setting (hospital and federal jobs pay more than most clinics), the union contract, shift and weekend differentials, and extra duties such as charge nurse or IV certification.
How to Become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Portland
You need to finish a practical nursing program approved by the Oregon State Board of Nursing, pass the NCLEX-PN, and apply for an Oregon LPN license with fingerprints. In the Portland metro, practical nursing is offered at Concorde Career College on NE Irving Street and Sumner College at Cascade Station near PDX, each in about 13 months. PCC, Mt. Hood and Clackamas community colleges teach RN degrees but not practical nursing; Mt. Hood gives LPNs advanced placement into its RN program. Oregon has not joined the Nurse Licensure Compact, so you need an Oregon license to work here.
What the Job Involves
LPNs give scheduled medications and injections, take vital signs, change dressings, collect specimens and report changes in a patient's condition to the RN or provider. In long-term care they often run a hall or work as charge nurse, supervising CNAs and charting each resident's care. Home health LPNs drive to patients' homes, and clinic LPNs room patients, give vaccines and handle phone follow-up.
Skills Employers Look For
- Active Oregon LPN license and current BLS
- Safe medication administration and accurate charting
- Wound care and basic assessment skills
- Calm communication with residents, families and the care team
- Ability to lead CNAs on a busy shift
- Reliable transportation for home health visits
Career Path and Advancement
Many Portland LPNs start in skilled nursing or home health, pick up charge nurse duties, and then move to clinic, county or VA roles with higher pay and benefits. The most common next step is the RN: Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham gives LPNs advanced placement into its RN program, and moving from LPN to RN puts you on Portland hospital scales that start around $47 an hour.
Related Careers in Portland
If practical nursing interests you, these related Portland guides are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I take a practical nursing program in Portland?
Concorde Career College on NE Irving Street and Sumner College at Cascade Station both offer Oregon State Board of Nursing approved practical nursing programs of about 13 months. The metro's community colleges do not currently offer practical nursing.
How much do LPNs make in Portland?
Portland postings show LPNs starting around $29 to $32 an hour and reaching about $43 at the top of hospital scales. Federal LPN jobs at the Portland VA pay roughly $60,000 to $94,000 a year depending on grade.
Is it LPN or LVN in Oregon?
Oregon uses the title Licensed Practical Nurse. The Oregon State Board of Nursing issues the license after you pass the NCLEX-PN and a fingerprint background check.
Do hospitals in Portland hire LPNs?
Some do. Legacy Meridian Park in Tualatin hires LPNs for acute-care units and the Portland VA posts LPN jobs, but most Portland LPN openings are in skilled nursing, home health, clinics and county health.
Can an LPN become an RN in Portland?
Yes. Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham gives licensed practical nurses advanced placement in its RN degree, so you can build on the license you already hold. The RN license comes from the same Oregon State Board of Nursing.
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