How to become LVN

sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN · Apr 15, 2018

Yes, ask California Board of Nursing

Editorial Team / Admin · Apr 17, 2018

Moved to Nurse Registration.

Hopefully some of our members who are experienced in this area will help direct you.

Nurse1027 · Apr 17, 2018

Hopefully, thank you!

Nurse1027 · Apr 17, 2018

Is it BON or the Board of Vocational Nursing & Psychiatric Technicians?

nursedizney · Apr 17, 2018

I'm an LVN in California... our board is the BVNPT :)

Nurse1027 · Apr 19, 2018

Thanks for answering, so I'll apply on BVNPT?

Mr_Edwino · Apr 22, 2018

Take the classes and get your BSN. This is a competitive job market here.

Mishey2 · Apr 22, 2018

If you want to work as an LVN first, apply to sit for the CA NCLEX-PN on the CA BVNPT website and have your school send your school documents to CGFNS for evaluation and wait a few months or so for them to evaluate and process everything and approve you before you apply to sit for the NCLEX-PN.

Do any of the foreign BSN graduates turned U.S. LVN's you know of have jobs?

I have been hearing from others and noticing on job postings online that there are not that many available jobs for LVNs in CA (given the high competition as there are many LVN schools here in CA) but maybe it depends on the location.

I don't know what area of California you're in but in my area, LVN's are found mainly in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, psychiatric institutions/hospitals and in dialysis units.

When I worked as a CNA in a SNF (before I started my BSN program), there were only 2 LVN's working on a shift so not that many LVN's are hired. There were more CNA's in that facility than LVN's.

There are even fewer LVN's that work in the doctor's clinics/offices. I know of only one LVN in a hospital in a big city but she started in that hospital as a Certified Medical Assistant. Certified Medical Assistants pretty much dominate doctor's clinics/offices nowadays.

There are many LVNs that work in the 2 mental institutions/hospitals that I know of that are in Northern California but I don't know if they are temporary, permanent or contract/agency filled and if there is a current demand for LVNs or not.

I will agree with Mr. Edwino for you to take those classes to complete the deficiencies if the CA BRN found your curriculum to be deficient. The school you choose to complete those deficiencies will affect how long you have to wait to complete those classes. Many have waiting lists. The CA BRN will only allow 3 years to complete all classes/clinicals after you receive the deficiency letter and again, be very careful of which schools you choose.

With a BSN, you will be more competitive in the fierce CA job market that values the BSN degree and BSN experience. Many hospitals prefer to hire internally (students with clinical rotations in that specific hospital or those who worked as CNA's in those hospitals) and taking those classes to fulfill deficiencies may provide you references that will help you land a job.

Whichever you choose, the NCLEX-PN process can take anywhere from 4-8 months just for the document evaluation and processing from what I've been reading on certain Facebook sites.

For the BSN process, completing the process can take anywhere from a year after receiving the deficiency letter of up to 3 years for the BSN process (because again, 3 years is the limit) if you have to retake classes depending on the start of the classes at the schools and their waiting lists.

I even know of one person who is trying to do both the LVN and BSN processes. I can't imagine the amount of stress that he is going through but luckily he has family to financially support him.

osis · Apr 23, 2018

YES you can be an LVN here in CA. I'm a PH graduate too. It took me around 6 months to get my eligibilty to sit for NCLEX-PN then eventually passed the NCLEX. I suggest get your transcripts evaluated thru CGFNS first because that process takes a looooong time lol. Goodluck!