Can't find a job! No job opportunities!

Sour Lemon · Feb 8, 2018

Idk if I'm doing something wrong. Got my license for LVN mid last year. I don't want to be in nursing home for many reasons. I called like 20 different places in my area, mostly clinics, none employ Lvns. Only place that employs lvns are NHs which I really don't want. I didn't go to nursing school to only have 1 option. This is a turn off, sometimes I regret going to nursing school because I CAN'T FIND A JOB AS AN LVN! I feel I learned a lot of different about different topics in nursing, so why do I only have 1 option. I hate this, this situation has made me feel extremely depressed. Why did I even go to school?
I never imagined I'd be in this situation. Freaken sucks! My life/career/education is just going to waste!

As an ASN prepared nurse, I have fewer options than a BSN prepared nurse. If it ever starts to bother me, I'll earn the extra letters. Until then, I work for the people who want to pay me.

_littlemissBSN, BSN, RN · Feb 8, 2018

I'm sorry that you have to be in that position, don't get discouraged though. There are still other places that employ LVNs besides nursing homes. Have you tried home health nursing? Corrective facilities? Psych? Rehab? If none of the aforementioned sounds fine to you, then the best option you can have is to go back to school and earn a BSN, because realistically speaking (which is also a bit unfortunate), you will really have fewer job options in the nursing field without a BSN degree.

Nursing does offer a lot of opportunities both for professional and personal growth. That, unfortunately, isn't given to you in a silver platter just because you have a degree or title. It's something that needs to be EARNED. It all ultimately depends on you to make your career worthwhile.

klone, MSN, RN · Feb 8, 2018

Did you not research the job opportunities for LVNs before deciding to go to school for LVN? Is there a reason why you aren't going back to get your RN?

Have you looked at clinics? Many of them will hire LVNs in lieu of MA.

sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN · Feb 8, 2018

Also rural areas, as. In rural SE Tex.....even our rural hospitals utilize LVNs

beekee · Feb 8, 2018

Technically, you CAN find a job, you just don't like the options available to you.

So, you can: (1) continue your education to become a RN with an ADN or BSN, depending on your area and goals; (2) nice to an area that has more opportunities for LVNs; (3) expand your job search in your current location to include the types of facilities suggested above, if you haven't already.

Good luck!

Crush · Feb 8, 2018

Technically, you CAN find a job, you just don't like the options available to you.
So, you can: (1) continue your education to become a RN with an ADN or BSN, depending on your area and goals; (2) nice to an area that has more opportunities for LVNs; (3) expand your job search in your current location to include the types of facilities suggested above, if you haven't already.
Good luck!

Also, military uses LPNs on med-surg and all kinds of other floors. Of course there are pros and cons to everything but just a thought to add to beekee's list. Also hospice sometimes will use LPNs but that can be limited and most will still want some kind of experience ( they do like their LPNs to have that LTC experience ).

lindseylpn · Feb 11, 2018

These are plenty of options other than a nursing home- assisted living, private duty, home health, hospice, corrections, psych, group homes, treatment facilities, insurance assessments, occupational health, flu clinics, school nursing, military hospitals/clinics, the VA, state run facilities, clinics and even some hospitals.

If there's over saturation or there are location issues, rural areas and states with a wide scope of practice employ plenty of LPNs. In my area LPNs are utilized in all areas of healthcare, including hospitals. You may have to increase your search radius.

Realistically, cold calling clinics to ask if they employ LPNs is not going to find you a job. Work on your resume, do a job search for facilities that have actual open positions and start putting in applications. Search for interview tips and frequently asked questions and practice your answers. Glassdoor and Indeed are good places to start, you can even find company reviews, salaries and interview questions on those sites as well as job postings.

Good Luck with your search, I hope you find something soon.

westieluv · Feb 11, 2018

I do phone triage for hospices/home health agencies all over the country and many of them employ LVNs, both in their inpatient units and out in the field.

Jory, MSN, APRN, CNM · Feb 11, 2018

Unfortunately this is a fact of the profession moving on. I know our hospital is completely phasing out LPNs. We are keeping the ones that already work here but new LPNs are not being hired.

Get your RN, it opens endless doors.

Cream and sugar LPN · Feb 28, 2018

Guys she wants to know what to do about now, I'm sure she'll need to find a job, regardless if she decides to go back for RN. Don't feel bad about having your LVN. As you've probably seen on this site there are a few that love to go on the LPN/LVN corner just to ask why you wasted your time and how you'll be phased out and when are you going back for RN. There are jobs out there. The key is to go where you will get the most clinical experience within our scope. Some of these members think LVN/LPN is a waste of time, many talk about our jobs being phased out. There are facilities that will never phase out our title and license and i promise you it's rewarding! Look for skilled nursing facilities- the ones that are attached to retirement homes. I don't know your state but in CT examples are Masonicare, Atria living, Benchmark senior living, google these places. Places like this pay the most, and they are pickier about who they admit and take pride in their facilities. Walk your resume into these places and ask to speak with the DNS or staff development/ infection control nurse as they often are the people that do the hiring and training. If they are not available leave them a message and say you dropped off your application and resume are impressed with their facility and would like the opportunity to see if you are a good fit. Avoid 9-10am because all department heads will be in morning report. Offer to stay if you can to meet someone. Call back if you dropped off. Dress to impress. It took me 6 months to find the right fit. My first nursing home paid me 29.50 with shift differential. I drove about 40 min to get there. You do what you got to do to get the experience. My current job is right around the corner from where I live and pays me 26.75. I love it. There's no need to work for peanuts as a clinic nurse. You won't learn anything there and if they are willing to take you OR an MA then that's not a job for you. Your a nurse and deserve respect for the skill set you were trained for. Get back out there.

Sour Lemon · Feb 28, 2018

Guys she wants to know what to do about now, I'm sure she'll need to find a job, regardless if she decides to go back for RN. Don't feel bad about having your LVN. As you've probably seen on this site there are a few that love to go on the LPN/LVN corner just to ask why you wasted your time and how you'll be phased out and when are you going back for RN. There are jobs out there. The key is to go where you will get the most clinical experience within our scope. Some of these members think LVN/LPN is a waste of time, many talk about our jobs being phased out. There are facilities that will never phase out our title and license and i promise you it's rewarding! Look for skilled nursing facilities- the ones that are attached to retirement homes. I don't know your state but in CT examples are Masonicare, Atria living, Benchmark senior living, google these places. Places like this pay the most, and they are pickier about who they admit and take pride in their facilities. Walk your resume into these places and ask to speak with the DNS or staff development/ infection control nurse as they often are the people that do the hiring and training. If they are not available leave them a message and say you dropped off your application and resume are impressed with their facility and would like the opportunity to see if you are a good fit. Avoid 9-10am because all department heads will be in morning report. Offer to stay if you can to meet someone. Call back if you dropped off. Dress to impress. It took me 6 months to find the right fit. My first nursing home paid me 29.50 with shift differential. I drove about 40 min to get there. You do what you got to do to get the experience. My current job is right around the corner from where I live and pays me 26.75. I love it. There's no need to work for peanuts as a clinic nurse. You won't learn anything there and if they are willing to take you OR an MA then that's not a job for you. Your a nurse and deserve respect for the skill set you were trained for. Get back out there.

The job(s) you're advising her to go after are exactly what she states she doessn't want. That's why people are advising her to continue her education.

Some areas are much worse for LPNs than others. The little hospital I work for had several "grandfathered" LPNs who'd been there 10-30 years, each. They laid them all off with only two weeks notice late last year in favor of an all RN staff.