Lpn who cant find a job other than LTC

pedinurse05 · Nov 18, 2005

Hello fellow Lpns.I have been a Lpn here in Ct For six years and currentley at home with my small children(4) due to not bieng able to find work. There are some LTC positions open but i am so burned out with working at Facilitys with 40+ pts and being the only nurse on the floor i dare not work under these conditions any longer. The only other jobs open are agencey staffing LTC and you never no what you are going to walk into. I have sent resumes to diffrent areas in nursing but they prefer RN, any other LPN finding this problem?

I am so sorry to hear this! LPN's are so valuable and their scope of practice allows them to do many things in hospital settings. Unfortunately, it seems that LPN's in many parts of the country are finding it hard to obtain hospital jobs and clinic jobs are often taken over by MA's. Have you tried homecare? I did that for several years and really enjoyed it. I cared for medically fragile children in the homecare setting. The homecare agency offered several classes on vents and trachs. It was such a great learning experience. It really taught me how to work independently and critically think. Now I am using that experience as an RN at a children's hospital.

Good luck,

missy

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Nov 18, 2005

You said you have six years of work experience as an LPN. If so, this means you could be an instructor at a local vocational school or community college. In my area the want ads are always calling for LVNs with a minimum of 3 years of experience to teach MAs, CNAs, and LVNs at local vocational schools.

Also, the penitentiaries always hire LVNs and pay them quite well.

Nurse-Tee · Nov 19, 2005

thank you for the replys, I am looking into homecare at this moment but it is very competitive.Private duty seems like a good way to go, Just taking care of one pt at a time.

jab3da · Nov 20, 2005

i'm afraid of running into the same problem when i finish school. i want to find a weekend option at a hospital so i can continue school, but i don't see that happening.

BigB · Nov 20, 2005

This seems to be a sign of the times. The acute hospitals don't hire LVNs anymore in his area. My consern is what if the LTC / nursing homes start to phase out the lvn's too? Could you imagine nursing homes staffed with all RN's. The lvn's would have nowhere to go!!

Nurse-Tee · Nov 20, 2005

I honestley think that is going to happen, I tried DRs office but here they mostly look for MAs. What do you do if LTC is not for you????

KrisRNwannabe · Nov 20, 2005

I just graduated and I am working in a hospital but I also had to take a 7 dollar per hour pay cut over what I would have made in a LTC. But, i looked at this way... I have no interest in working as a LPN for longer than i have too and i couldn't see myself just passing meds all day. in my area there are three very large hospitals and only one hires LPNs. I start back to get my RN in January so in one year I will be a RN!

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Nov 21, 2005

I honestley think that is going to happen, I tried DRs office but here they mostly look for MAs. What do you do if LTC is not for you????

Doctors' offices prefer to hire MAs because they can be paid much lower salaries than LPNs/LVNs. I know of a clinic near my former school that paid MAs $11 per hour and LVNs $15 per hour. The physician prefers to hire MAs because they're cheaper to hire.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Nov 21, 2005

This seems to be a sign of the times. The acute hospitals don't hire LVNs anymore in his area. My consern is what if the LTC / nursing homes start to phase out the lvn's too? Could you imagine nursing homes staffed with all RN's. The lvn's would have nowhere to go!!

Nursing homes would not spend the money to staff their facilities with all RNs when nursing assistants and LPNs/LVNs will suffice for much less pay. Also, most RNs would not deal with an assignment of taking care of 30 to 50 patients when they could take care of 6 to 8 patients at a hospital or 1 to 2 patients in critical care.

I don't think nursing homes and LTC facilities will completely phase out LPNs/LVNs.

mynameizjim · Nov 21, 2005

Yes I believe so, I dont think Nurses in LTC would run out very soon.As it says at Bureau of labor and statistics.ltc would be the number one job for Lvn's and will open more opportunities for them.

LadyMarine · Nov 21, 2005

Hi,

I too live in Connecticut. I have been an LPN since June. I accepted a job at the nursing home I worked for 4 years as a CNA. I hate long term care. I went job hunting and every place I applied they offered me a job. I held out for the one I really wanted. I work in an ER in minor care in a hospital in Meriden. I love it. They aren't hiring right now but they might soon. This is a pilot program and they only hired 2 LPN's to work 3-11:30. I am not sure if they are going to hire for other shifts. Don't give up. There are other hospitals in the area that are doing the same and some hire in the clinics in the hospitals too. Good luck, Nancy