LPN Student worried about LPN job market

drmorton2b · Sep 23, 2009

Looks like Blackstone Valley Technical High School is in the process of starting their own LPN program also.

http://www.valleytech.k12.ma.us/nursing/Nursing-PROGRAM.html

Probably a year or 2 away.

VM85 · Sep 24, 2009

Let me share my experience with you- I graduated in July- I began looking for jobs to see what was available in april as I am picky"per say"- i need a morning shift and I PREFER to work in a doctors office, but I am considering all types of facilities if the environment and job is a good fit. I passed my boards at the end of August- and honestly, I have put in over 100 applications online. I walked into one place that I had saw was hiring to fill out the application and guess what? I got a call back for an interview for the next day ten minutes after i walked out of the door. I didnt mention to you that I got NO call backs for the positions applied online- and alot of places dont have enough info to try calling them. I still havent heard back from that one interveiw, but will by the end of the week and i am praying i got it! They have the upper hand as they can interveiw more applicants since there are more applying now and days- so it seems to be taking loonger than it normally would, i think anyways. I dont mean to scare you but right nowit is hard to get a job around where i live( south of boston) if you are a new grad- but you do have somethin that alot of people dont have- a flexible schedule! Which can get you far lol. I have ayoung child in daycare who has to be picked up by 6(which I can work later than 6 but i have to get him by 7 from family so he isnt out all night- hes way to young to start that!LOL)....just keep your head up and worry about school. If you can try getting into a facility that hires LPN's working as a cna or a patient care tech(alot of hospitals will hire students for these jobs) so that way you have your foot in the door when you pass your boards and possibly can get a job! GOOD LUCK and i hope the economy changes soon, cuz i need a job!

mzj0nes · Oct 3, 2009

I will be starting a LPN program at MWCC and I was wondering the same thing! I have been trying to be a nurse since 2006 with all the waiting lists, especially at that time in NY there were many. Since I decided to move to Massachusetts I have been researching LPN jobs but no luck for new grads!!!! :sniff: However, I have a strong background and am very flexible. My main concern is that I want to make more money and right now my wages are decent but I still need a bump in salary. I don't want to become an LPN and stay in the same salary bracket:banghead:

So I guess I would like more information on how much LPNs get paid in Massachusetts and please give specifics because I don't want to waste my time!

Thornbird · Oct 6, 2009

There is still an excellent job market for LPN's in Worcester County. Like mot places, no hospital jobs usually available. LTC and sub-acute are still hiring. Yes, you do have to apply inperson usually. They don't want to waste their time either! Also many places have you subit credentials (license & CPR card) with application. I would say, if you're aren't TOO picky, 3 months tops to find a good job. Private doc offices, community health centers and Fallon hire LPN's fairly regularly. Starting pay lower in offices, sometimes $18-20 an hour. Other pay scales vary. For new grad, I would guess at least $22 an hour, probably closer to $25. Worcester County is a great place to be an LPN, the demand is high and there are a variety of opportunities. MA has a liberal scope of practice and there will be many learning opportunities for you as you move through your career. I have worked a good part of the last 25 years in the area. When I moved to the area was when hospitals first went "RN only" and the market was flooded with displaced LPN's, the economy was bad and jobs hard to find. I interviewed well and landed a job within 2 weeks at an excellent facility. You will do fine, as long as you get through school! Good Luck!

mzj0nes · Oct 7, 2009

There is still an excellent job market for LPN's in Worcester County. Like mot places, no hospital jobs usually available. LTC and sub-acute are still hiring. Yes, you do have to apply inperson usually. They don't want to waste their time either! Also many places have you subit credentials (license & CPR card) with application. I would say, if you're aren't TOO picky, 3 months tops to find a good job. Private doc offices, community health centers and Fallon hire LPN's fairly regularly. Starting pay lower in offices, sometimes $18-20 an hour. Other pay scales vary. For new grad, I would guess at least $22 an hour, probably closer to $25. Worcester County is a great place to be an LPN, the demand is high and there are a variety of opportunities. MA has a liberal scope of practice and there will be many learning opportunities for you as you move through your career. I have worked a good part of the last 25 years in the area. When I moved to the area was when hospitals first went "RN only" and the market was flooded with displaced LPN's, the economy was bad and jobs hard to find. I interviewed well and landed a job within 2 weeks at an excellent facility. You will do fine, as long as you get through school! Good Luck!

Thank you for responding....will do more research and find out where exactly the $22+/hr jobs are. Most places don't out right put the salary on the postings. If anyone knows of a place where they do start at this range for new grads and primarily a LTAC hospital/Facillity, please respond. In addition, I believe that agencies don't hire anyone without a year experience. Also, I was interested in baylor shifts if they are still existent and would even commute to Conneticut or New Hampshire if the money is right. Don't get me wrong I am really passionate about being a nurse but I also need to survive. I am a single mother that has been breaking her back for years and would finally like to end this massacre!!! If anyone has any suggestions or leads, please reply or pm me! TIA

Thornbird · Oct 7, 2009

Thank you for responding....will do more research and find out where exactly the $22+/hr jobs are. Most places don't out right put the salary on the postings. If anyone knows of a place where they do start at this range for new grads and primarily a LTAC hospital/Facillity, please respond. In addition, I believe that agencies don't hire anyone without a year experience. Also, I was interested in baylor shifts if they are still existent and would even commute to Conneticut or New Hampshire if the money is right. Don't get me wrong I am really passionate about being a nurse but I also need to survive. I am a single mother that has been breaking her back for years and would finally like to end this massacre!!! If anyone has any suggestions or leads, please reply or pm me! TIA

You should worry first about completing school which you say you haven't even started! What difference does it make who is hiring now? Agencies generally do not hire new grads. The agency market for LPN's is pretty bad right now anyways. Except for doctor's offices, the pay scales usually start somewhere around $22-25 like I said. That would be anywhere in Worcester County, CT or RI. Hospitals also generally do not hire LPN's at all anymore. I do not understand what "leads" you're looking for when you are not even a nursing student yet.

To the OP: Not many LTC's have HR as such. You fill out the application and usually interview with the DON. Most nursing students do NOT already work as CNA/PCT's in a place they intend to work as nurses. Nursing school is hard work and as many people as possible try to not work during school. For those who must work, shift work doesn't go very well with school schedules.

There are a lot of facilities in Central Mass that have been relying heavily on agency nurses for years and are now delighted to be able to hire staff nurses. That' why the agency oultook is poor right now. Also Central Mass historically has more opening for LPN's than Boston or Springfield areas.

Concentrate on your studies and rest assured, you will find a job in a reasonable amount of time after graduation. As teh economy improves it will be better. Hopefully that will start to happen before you graduate!

mzj0nes · Oct 7, 2009

You should worry first about completing school which you say you haven't even started! What difference does it make who is hiring now? Agencies generally do not hire new grads. The agency market for LPN's is pretty bad right now anyways. Except for doctor's offices, the pay scales usually start somewhere around $22-25 like I said. That would be anywhere in Worcester County, CT or RI. Hospitals also generally do not hire LPN's at all anymore. I do not understand what "leads" you're looking for when you are not even a nursing student yet.
To the OP: Not many LTC's have HR as such. You fill out the application and usually interview with the DON. Most nursing students do NOT already work as CNA/PCT's in a place they intend to work as nurses. Nursing school is hard work and as many people as possible try to not work during school. For those who must work, shift work doesn't go very well with school schedules.
There are a lot of facilities in Central Mass that have been relying heavily on agency nurses for years and are now delighted to be able to hire staff nurses. That' why the agency oultook is poor right now. Also Central Mass historically has more opening for LPN's than Boston or Springfield areas.
Concentrate on your studies and rest assured, you will find a job in a reasonable amount of time after graduation. As teh economy improves it will be better. Hopefully that will start to happen before you graduate!

Basically, I was inquiring because I wanted to know if it is worth the trouble in Massachusetts to become an LPN. Coming from multiple states the requirements are different for nursing programs and which includes LPN-RN Bridge programs. With a swarm of students of all sudden who want to become nurses for the money or whatever other factor there is...leaves waiting lists, paying thousands of dollars for your education, and than an abundance of students looking for employment. So if I can't find but two jobs on a website for per diem LPN (non-agency), and the rest you gotta go door to door to get an application, which I don't even know where to begin at in Worcester County, CT, RI; sounds like a waste of time. So at the end of the day, I am a person who plans and gets things in order ahead of time. That is why I have enough credits to get into a BSN program. It is just the waiting lists that are a hindurance or suck it up and go to a 30,000/yr school for my RN. I feel that it is most students mistakes that they don't inquire to last minute and get the short end of the stick. So if anyone, has places in the worcester county, CT, RI area that hires LPNs, I would appreciate the listings. In addition, I have been in an LPN program before but had to leave for personal reasons but am able to start where I left off, therefore not having to complete all the courses, which means I will graduate before a year. So if I start looking now by the time I finish I will through the grace of God found employment. TIA

Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN · Oct 8, 2009

Go find skilled nursing facilities do a search in google, no one here is going to do that for you. You probably won't be quoted any pay range since they are not offering you a position. Medicare is cutting billions of dollars aimed at SNFs. Usually baylor plans are the first to go. Also I don't recommend a Baylor Plan to a new graduate.

VM85 · Oct 11, 2009

Well as for your decision to go to school- in comparison to other states, Massachusetts has the quickest school period for LPN's- 10 months(Full time). While that is a pro- the con is you still learn the same amount of info as the programs doing it for 12+months that the other states do. So you have to be dedicated. Im still unemployed(although that is questionable since i am waiting for the details to be written up and then I am accepting lol and no its not from th eoriginal place i posted about previously) but the job market may be totally different by the time you finish.

Just an FYI- right now would be a great time to contact some schools- testing usually starts in the next couple of months and you can buy the study guide for the test ( I took the TEAS) at some schools- I even took a reveiw course that the school offered. Where I went, Full time started in Sept. and ended in July. It was a 40 week program, and I know it was worth it even though I have had a hrough time finding a job. That 40 weeks was gonna come and go whether or not I went to school and like I said eventually the market will change and it will be more than worth it- even though i dont feel like that at times! lol. Anyways even if tis not in mass( im not sure if your from here- I was just glancing) it would be great to look into school where ever you are- you can always get your license duplicated(proper term?) in other states for a small fee. I say start lookin git now and figure out if it is for you or not, but either way GOOD LUCK!

drmorton2b · Oct 21, 2009

I am worrying less now. Keeping the eye on the Prize. Ignore the "background noise" of so when your going to become an RN.

Thank You to Thornbird also for the good reply. LPNs pretty much own long-term care settings. In the Nursing home I am at I have only seen one non-administrative RN. The day to day nursing operations take place with LPNs.

Long Term care fascinates me (along with Psych) it amazes me how a 99 y/o patient can be more alert and medically stable then a 75 y/o patient.

To the other replies before one becomes an LPN one should research the role in their state. LPN's roles differ extremely from State to State according to that state's nursing practice laws.

Also have an idea of a primary specialty you would like to do as a nurse. Nursing is not about the money. Of course one deserves to be paid well. Its about job satisfaction, protecting your license and patient safety.

Also keep in mind about the medicare issues. Possible cuts, its only a Proposal, (the SNF cuts are all ready happening). Its always a game with insurance companies to the point I wonder if the Insurance Companies expect providers to pay them or provide services for free.

The medicare situation is a mess, and will not change. I will not let it worry me because the elderly population of this country is going to keep increasing.

oceancruze1 · Dec 16, 2010

I asked the same question as this student did a little over a year ago as I am now considering going to nursing school. What is the job market like now? Even worse and hospitals and in other areas phasing out LPN's for RN's??