by Shabinka

I thought I would start a thread to check in with LVN students and current LVN people in Southern California. I'm in Glendale and tomorrow is my second day of school. I have a quiz on Foundations that should be pretty easy.

So I know it's super early on but I already have anxiety about memorizing all of the medications and diseases for the NCLEX (and class in general).

Did anyone not have a hard time in LVN school?

Also, I read on another post that there is a large wait time between taking the boards and receiving your license in California. Has this been everyone's experience?

How is the job hunt going for the So Cal residents? Have people been able to find jobs and are you enjoying yourself?

Re: Southern California Thread

hi, im a newgrad, newly licensed, and jobless LVN. im getting hopeless.

nursing school for me was not so hard. it was ok, you just need to put effort in it. and i did put a lot of effort so it wasn't so hard for me. the nclex, i believe was really hard cuz its totally different from the tests in school. its like if youre in school and you bomb a test, you can always try to bump up your grade with your other tests. but with nclex, its just it, so there's wayyy more pressure involved.

i passed it on the first try and i was really happy thinking, finally, i can get a job. hah! i dont know when i will ever get a job, all ltc's that i've been are not hiring right now or they want someone with experience. it sucks big time. its like i did what i had to do in lvn school and paid a huge amount of money for that thinking when i finish it wouldnt be hard to find a job. was i ever wrong. so yea, i am not enjoying myself being a bum. it sucks.

Re: Southern California Thread

I don't know where you are located in Southern California but Belmont Village is opening a new facility in Westwood and is hiring LVNs. I think there was actually a job fair for it. Good luck with your search .

Today class is so boring . We are learning hand washing techniques (though important).

Re: Southern California Thread

Have you checked out our California Nurses forum? www.Allnurses.com/forums/f137/

I was born and raised in Oxnard, and completed the LVN program at Casa Loma College in Van Nuys in 2005. I moved out of state about 6 weeks after graduation because the LVN job opportunities were more abundant elsewhere.

Re: Southern California Thread

Hello, I too am a new grad LVN, living in Lancaster, CA. I graduated in Aug 2008, took my NCLEX in Nov. passed the first time and received my licensed in Dec. 2008. It took about 2 1/2 weeks to receive my letter. After you receive your congrats letter you will need to send the board a check for $120.00 to receive your license, so don't start checking the boards website, because they do not post your license info until they receive your money.

I am also jobless . I have applied for everything and anything that comes up within a 60 to 70 mile radius from my home. I'm finding that it's hard to even get someone to respond back to you to say they received you application or resume, let alone an interview. It is very discouraging to know that you worked so hard for something that you really want to do and you now can't apply your skills. I'm fearful that the longer I'm away from the medical field I will lose what I have learned. (old saying: use it or lose it) I have already started considering going back to get my RN license. Every facility from LTC, Home Health, Medical offices want at least one year of post graduate experience. Problem is, how do you get experience if they won't give you a chance? Hospitals are the same way, and I'm finding that they are even doing away with LVN's to become all RN facilities.

As far as the NCLEX test don't start stressing yet , get through school first. What I found with the NCLEX exam is yes! it's nothing like your school exams. My test seemed to be based on prioritizing my time and patients (i.e. You have 4 pts. with a variety of illness which one will you tend to first? same thing with meds. who will you see first your diabetic pt. with a reading of 165 or your pt with a BP of 150/90?) Also had a few med questions. You can-not memorize all meds, just get familiar with your more common ones.

Go luck to you, I'm sure you will be fine. Keep your head up.

Re: Southern California Thread

Hello Everyone!

I'm a recent San Diego LVN graduate. Took my NCLEX-PN April 6th and I'm still waiting for my results from the BVNPT. They are taking longer than usual to process NCLEX results due to budget cuts and a whole lot of LVN's graduating in California.

The second comment might help explain why there are so few LVN jobs out there, not to mention that most hospital's are only hiring RN's these days. It eliminates the confusion of what "nurse" can do what. I guess it makes sense to only hire nurses who can do "everything" in the hospital, but it doesn't help us new LVN grads find work. I also read that because of the economy....a lot of retired nurses have joined the work force again....and let's face it.....they have the experience.

It is very frustrating to come this far.......and not be able to find a job. I'm just going to wait until I receive my results, then my licenses, and hit the ground running with a smile and positive attitude. Good things come to good people. I wish all of the LVN student's reading this.....best of luck in school, and all new Grad's......best of luck in your job search.

Teresa

Re: Southern California Thread

Does anyone know if Glendale Adventist GAMC will hire me as a nurse assistant if i am a LVN new grad? Will they let me then get a job as an LVN since i am already employed by them?
upon application they give you a 40 nclex question test to pass before they allow you to interview.
the questions are from a saunders nclex-pn published in the year 2000. they are 9 years old.
ive taken the test 2x and have not passed yet.
I am livid with anger and frustration to the point where i am considering applying for nurse assistant jobs, which will be for a much lower salary.
i want to work there. i did alot of my clinical there and i live in glendale.
home health is not where i want to be.
thanks for any answers

Re: Southern California Thread

dmcdaniels: do you usually walk in to turn in your application or you just email/fill up application online? i learned that it is better to walk in, ask them if they are hiring, it's either a yes or a no, but you can always ask if you can fill up an application. this is what i usually do and in 3 facilities, i would get an interview with the DON. Most of the time they would tell me they are not hiring right now, but they might be on a certain month so give them a call around that time, or they would say they are currently looking for an experienced nurse.

Like last thursday, I went to 4 LTC's and got 2 interviews. The second one told me they want someone who is experienced for the evening shift. I insisted that I can be trained easily and that I am an easy learner. When I told the DON that, she checked her schedule and gave me the weekend shift. She told me to come back the next day for medical check and fill out paperworks. When I came back, it was the staff developer that I talked to. He gave me a ppd and told me to call back on Monday for the result. I called yesterday and told him it was negative. He said he's going to talk to the DON and ask her when she wants me to start. I kept on calling him back yesterday and he kept on telling me to call back later cuz he hasn't talked to the DON yet until he told me she went home already. I called the DON today and they said she's off.

SOoooo now I don't know where I stand. Did I get the job or not??? I don't know if they are still giving me that position or they still want me to join their team or should I start doing walk ins again?? This is just confusing for me but I will call them again tomorrow because I really need a job.

dmmd: you can do a walk in and look for the administrator or DON or you can always talk to the people who work there, they will most likely lead you to the DON. I heard a classmate of mine did that in one of the subacute facilities that we had clinicals on. good luck!

Re: Southern California Thread

Hello Wannabenars, Thank you for your advise. I have done both, walked in, done online and direct mailing if out of my area and it was requested. So far no luck. I'm finding that the LTC facilities in my area are either not hiring right now, and if they are they want experience. I did apply in person for a position at a LTC facility that was hiring and requested experience, but didn't even get an interview. When I called a week later to check the status of my application I was told that they filled the position already. I was bummed I thought I had a chance there since I had done my clinical rotation at that facility and they gave our class great compliments on our work ethics.

I will continue to let my fingers do the walking on the internet and let my feet hit the pavement again. Wish me luck.

Re: Southern California Thread

I have also been having a hard time finding a job. I stay in Long Beach and I have looked everywhere it seems. I have had my license for almost a month now. I did get hired somewhere but then they called me and said the person i was replacing decided not to quit. I am currently working as a cna because it has been so hard but what took the cake is the facility that i am working at currently has an opening for lvn but the DON says i need to experienced but then i brought up the fact that she has hired inexperienced nurses and she said well that was then. I am so angry and by the way i have no write ups, zero complaints from residents and as far as i know i get alone well with the staff. I dont know im starting to think that i should have done medical assistant