Do new grads find jobs as LVN?

june2009 · Apr 5, 2008

I guess it depends where you are. When I graduated LPN school I had absolutely no problem finding a job. In long term care and long term acute care. I'm near Pittsburgh, PA. In this area, if you havn't been working in a hosp. as an LPN for at least 10 years, you never will. LPNs are not hired in acute care in my area anymore. The only ones who are in a hospital are LPNs who have been working at a hospital for about 10+ years. I thin there are some states who have LPNs everywhere, even in the units. I had work even before I took my boards. I worked as a GPN for a year! I hope this helped.

Jules A, MSN · Apr 6, 2008

Have you considered working as a CNA or Tech while you are in school? My friends that did had jobs lined up for as soon as they passed NCLEX. I was licensed within a month of graduating.

Fiona59 · Apr 6, 2008

Depends on where you live and what you are looking for.

In my province, there is a new grad initiative programme which gives full time work for a year to a preset number of students. Right now we are so short of nurses of any level, many have been told to apply for jobs on the units where they have done their final placements.

jacquelinecourage · Apr 7, 2008

Yes, I have the same question... I am a newly grad LVN and I am searching for a job in CA (sacramento and bay area). There are many available in SNF and home health care, but I'd like to get into hospital setting (ICU, Medsurge) and i've been searching if there are any openings. Seems discouraging.... i plan on taking the Rn bridge, but i'd really love to work in a hospital. any suggestions? :nurse:

Nacki, MSN, NP · Apr 11, 2008

When I became a LPN it took me 3 mths to find employment. This was in Oklahoma City, I thought I was a nurse in high demand....boy was I wrong! Before I even graduated RN school I had at least 8 jobs to CHOOSE from.

midcom · Apr 11, 2008

I think it all depends on where you live & what kind of nursing you are interested in. I graduated in Sept, took NCLEX in Nov & finally found a job in January. However, if I had wanted to work in LTC I probably would have been hired the day after graduation in several of the facilities nearby. I wanted to work in a clinic & around here it is very hard to get hired without experience. That's why it took me 2 months. I finally rewrote my resume to include a dental assisting job that I had many years ago, that my instructor suggested I not include as it would indicate my age. Although not nursing it showed that I did have experience in a clinic setting.

Oh, my classmates who want to work in hospitals are also having trouble getting hired. Everyone seems to want experience. The former CNAs are having less trouble.

Dixie

fascinoma · Apr 15, 2008

Yes, I have the same question... I am a newly grad LVN and I am searching for a job in CA (sacramento and bay area). There are many available in SNF and home health care, but I'd like to get into hospital setting (ICU, Medsurge) and i've been searching if there are any openings. Seems discouraging.... i plan on taking the Rn bridge, but i'd really love to work in a hospital. any suggestions?

Doesn't bother me so much... can work in SNF/HH until I get my RN... that's fine with me. Actually I really love doing home health. I'd rather do it as an LVN than what I'm presently doing.

I'm a licensed EMT-B and work as a home health aide at the moment, don't see much point to going for CNA unless my program requires it, since my present jobs are ideal for a student (they give me lots of downtime *on the job* which means paid study time). I'm looking into finishing up my EVOC though so I can work as an EMT-B if I can get hired just for weekend shifts.

LeapfromLVNtoBSN · Sep 30, 2010

I'm looking for work in Riverside and San Diego Counties of CA.......New grad LVN's have a VERY hard time getting a job. I graduated with honors, had 0 absences, having "glowing" references from clinicals and.........NOTHING!

I want to work in acute care, but that will not happen for quite a while. Even the SNF's in these areas are requiring 1 years experience, cuz they know they can! There's a flood of new grads, thanks to the government spouting "nursing shortage, nursing shortage". With the economy as bad as it is here, the experienced LVN's are coming back into the job hunting force d/t either being laid off, hours cut, or spouse got laid off in some other industry.

It's pretty easy to do, for all us California new grads (RN and LVN) email Obama (says he takes questions, comments and concerns) at http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact and get him to act on this!

Personally, I commented on how they spouted out, everyone went to school and now we can't get a job. He is needing to enact a federal tax credit to all facilities that hire new grad LVNs and RN's and retain them for 6 mos.

Federal government somewhat created this problem, now they need to help!

Just my opinion....... :idea: Flood the whitehouse with our frustration!

waves327 · Jul 14, 2011

if you don't mind working for a snf or memory care unit, the veterans home of california in west los angeles is looking for new grad lvns for their new facility. i think they expect some new grads who want to work in acute care, will come and work for a year, to get their year experience, and then leave. it is hard to find lvns here, so i think it is understood that is just what happens to get good nurses, even if it is just for a year. i know there will be a new grad program starting this fall. the pay is good though, like $21-$26/hr with full benefits. you can call our hr rep or you can just go to the website and fill out an application

lcswifey · Aug 15, 2011

if you don't mind working for a snf or memory care unit, the veterans home of california in west los angeles is looking for new grad lvns for their new facility. i think they expect some new grads who want to work in acute care, will come and work for a year, to get their year experience, and then leave. it is hard to find lvns here, so i think it is understood that is just what happens to get good nurses, even if it is just for a year. i know there will be a new grad program starting this fall. the pay is good though, like $21-$26/hr with full benefits. you can call our hr rep or you can just go to the website and fill out an application

r they still hiring im trying to actually get with the va..i went on the website and there isnt any open positions for the wla its jus for long beach!

Lifeofanurse · Oct 22, 2011

I'm a new grad LVN. Passed my boards last month...been job hunting for a couple weeks...I did look before taking my boards but employers wouldn't even talk to me.

LVN new grad positions are few and far between. I've been pressured to take something that I knew I couldn't handle as a new grad...and decided I'd rather not hate where I work and worry about my patients safety daily.

I'm currently looking for a job that works for me.

I'm not going to take the first job offered ...unless i'm a good fit. No I don't mean it has to be perfect...perfect shift, perfect location etc... it just can't be so UNperfect that I can't make it work.

I would love to find a job that IS perfect...but I'm not holding my breath.

Workable would be good though. :)