is it really that hard to find a job as a LVN?

T-Bird78 · Dec 18, 2012

It's not easy but it is possible. I've only worked in offices and I enjoy being home on weekends and evenings. LPNs also work in urgent care and occupational medicine and some smaller hospitals use LPNs on med-surg or in the ER as techs.

klb061409 · Dec 18, 2012

No its not. I work in a small med surg hospital and got hired before i graduated. Its all about where you live and how much you put yourself out there, i had applied for multiple jobs( none of them nursing homes) before graduation. I live in West Texas (lubbock area).

BrandonLPN, LPN · Dec 18, 2012

Anyone who hates LTC should think long and hard before pursuing a LPN license.

klb061409 · Dec 18, 2012

Anyone who hates LTC should think long and hard before pursuing a LPN license.

Im curious as to why you think this? since the poster put LVN they are located in Texas or California. Here in texas there are lots of opportunities the are not LTC for LVNs. I personally do not like LTC but ive been able to avoid it by working at a smaller hospital but even the large hospitals in the area hire LVNs for med surg, and any other floors ( ER, L&D, OR and ICUs excluded)

BrandonLPN, LPN · Dec 18, 2012

Im curious as to why you think this? since the poster put LVN they are located in Texas or California. Here in texas there are lots of opportunities the are not LTC for LVNs. I personally do not like LTC but ive been able to avoid it byworking at a smaller hospital but even the large hospitals in the area hire LVNs for med surg, and any other floors ( ER, L&D, OR and ICUs excluded)

But are they working as LVNs or as techs? Where I live, hospitals will hire LPNs, but will place them in tech positions. A LPN whose job title is "tech" or "patient care associate" is wasting their license. They could have gotten that job without any school at all.

On the other hand, if your talking about actual RN/LPN team nursing, then that's great. Sadly, team nursing vanished long ago where I live. And a LPN could never take a pt assignment on his own where I live either.

klb061409 · Dec 18, 2012

Its RN/LVN team nursing. They are using their license as an LVN, not a tech or patient care associate. Texas is one of the only states where an LVN can do almost as much as an RN. I say almost because we cannot spike the blood bag but can monitor the administration of blood, can assist in the ER but cannot do initial assessments. I have my own patient assignments and most places here have found its more cost effective to hire LVNs with a RN charge nurse. It has vanished elsewhere my mother lives in NC, is an LPN and can only do LTC or clinic jobs because hospitals don't hire LPNs there).

prettymica, ASN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN, APRN, NP · Dec 20, 2012

It depends on your location. I have worked in LTC, Hospice and home health. I have friends that work in clinics, psych, and urgent care and . I am in the process of bridging LPN_RN for more opportunites. I want to work in the hospital and here in the city, LPN's are not allowed. I do have friends that work as LPNs in a hospital but it is in smaller towns.

Medsport, LPN · Dec 21, 2012

I agree that a lot of it has to do with your location and who you know. In my area nursing homes or assisted living seem to make up 95% of where you can find a job. It is possible to get into some hospitals, but they usually aren't full time and you usually have to know someone to give a good word to get you in.

GGirll22 · Dec 28, 2012

I work in long term care now, and I do get attached to the residents. I'd like to do something different. When I was a CNA I worked in acute care.

Glenna, LPN · Dec 31, 2012

I live in Oregon and I just got hired on at a clinic with the veterans affairs (VA). I feel so fortunate to be hired on with the VA because there are so many opportunities for LPN's. My dad is a veteran and was having surgery at the VA hospital a couple of weeks ago and I noticed that they had LPN's in the ED along with on the med/surg wards. In the civilian hospitals in my area do not use Lpn's anymore. If possible try and get hired on with the VA. They have good benifits and they will help pay for student loans after awhile.