It seems that LVN jobs are getting harder to find. Especially as a new LVN. I have no experience as an LVN but do have knowledge of the medical field. I started out as a medical assistant and I did that job well for over 5 yrs soon after I began to do medical billing which lasted about 8 yrs. I soon realized I wanted to go back to school and ended up going to nursing school.( I am starting to regret this decision) . I graduated in 09/ 09 but got my license in 02/2011. I went through personal issues but finally took and passed my NCLEX. I am having a hard time finding a job. I am hoping some one guides me or helps me out with some leads. Believe me, I have applied at doctors offices, convalescent homes, agencies with no help. All these places need at least 1 year experience.
An update on my job hunting...Well, I finally got hired at a home health agency, but found out I wont be getting paid for my training!!! GREAT!!!! I just started and already bad news... what to do? should I stay or should I go..?
Im afraid if I leave I wont find another job but if I stay.... Will this company take advantage of my unexperience?
Specializes in school nursing, home health,geriactrics, Tele,ICU.
hi congrats on your job, it is unfortuante they wont pay you for training but hang in there to gain any experience that you can gain to add to your resume. as long as you are not putting your license at risk that would be my choice. I to am a california LVN and let me tell you the market is rough, and it took me awhile to find a job and that would be in home health also. but as a previous poster stated flu clinics will be around soon and they hire new grads all the time. hopefully more doors will open soon , but if you have too work in your other field do so because guess what it pays the bills. i actually still work my other field and nursing part time until more doors open because the other job is paying all my bills and benefiets. i would love to do nursing full time but i aint no fool either.
thanks for your reply. As I am writing this I have no idea what im doing tomorrow as I have not heard from anyone from the company. The nurse Im training with is great, but she has her patients and her schedule. We only saw two patients today and we were done by 11am. Drove home and started searching again. I know I should stick with it, I jut feel like im wasting time and not to mention gas!!! I have exhausted ALL my resources, Ive called and emailed everyone I know for a lead or a referral...Not sure what tomorrow will bring. Again, thanks alot for your advice. I might just might start looking for medical billing as for this field I am a pro.
hi my fellow new grad lvn ,i am also a new grad looking for a job its been 3 month now ,i think the best thing to do at this point is to volenter:(maybe from then i could move forward
It may sound silly but it has worked for me several times (not just nursing jobs). Get out the phone book and call EVERY doctors office, LTC, assisted living facilty, home health care place and hospital etc.. in it and ask if they are hiring for LVN's. Even if they say "not at this time" you now know they use LVN's. I then take that list and put in an application at every single one and redo the app every 3 months if it is someplace I want to get in at for a specific reason. EVERY nursing job I got doing that did NOT have an out anywhere yet. Good luck with your job hunt.
Dear yoonurse, I am in the San Diego area. I also had some trouble in late 2009/early 2010 finding ANYTHING that would even consider a new grad lvn.
There are several factors influencing our job market:
America went in the garbage can financially in 2009/10.
Older people who were set to retire suddenly could not retire here in America. (House payments, college funds, bills...)
In California, where the climate is mild all year, many people move here from either other parts of the country, or else from other countries. They are experienced over us lvns, and often educated over lvns as well.
CA sees an influx of nurses and healthcare professionals because of the elderly, who have spendable income and require care. SoCal especially, because we seem to be The World's Biggest Retiree Community.
Nursing schools are aplenty here, we have no problem with graduates.
So, try everything. Registry, Home Health/Home Care, whatever you find that might take an lvn.
Brush up on ALL skills. You have MA exp., great! Now get Medical Spanish, any office computer classes you might possibly need. Get IV and Vent certs. Be ready for Peds. Take an extra wound care course, SNFs/ VTACHs/LTACHs have plenty of wounds.
Little by little does the trick. You will have work experience and skills, and be ready to take on work in many settings, this will pay off down the road, if you stay in nursing, because the role of nursing, in turn, is changing dynamically in the face of Medicare and Govt. funding, as well as trying to bring costs of delivering care down, and technology is changing how care is given, too. I don't know where the ball will land when it stops, but it's still spinning. I'd like to make my way to Hospice, myself, but work in home care Peds.
I wish us all luck in our careers. And, hang in there, your care is very much needed, if you can step your way up the employment ladder.
yoonurse
10 Posts
Hello my fellow nurses!
An update on my job hunting...Well, I finally got hired at a home health agency, but found out I wont be getting paid for my training!!! GREAT!!!! I just started and already bad news... what to do? should I stay or should I go..?
Im afraid if I leave I wont find another job but if I stay.... Will this company take advantage of my unexperience?
Please advise...