LVN School question for SoCal (LA/SGV area) Nurses :)

SquishyRN, BSN, RN · May 21, 2013

what is considered a decently priced school?

IMO, an LVN program below $10k is decently priced. These would be your community colleges, adult schools and ROPs. Your private schools generally run $30k+.

How long is the shortest amount of time to graduate from an LVN program?

They generally run from 12-18 months.

What school did you go to here in SoCal? (Im from San Gabriel Valley, so anything close would be nice )

A few public (AKA cheap) LVN programs in or near the SGV area include Pasadena City College, Rio Hondo College, Citrus College, El Monte-Rosemead Adult School, Hacienda La Puente Adult School, and Downey Adult School.

Baldwin Park Adult School had a program a few years ago, but I've heard a rumor that they no longer have one now. It would still be worth looking into though.

Private LVN programs include American Career College, Premiere Career College, Everest, North-West College. All except Premiere have multiple locations, so I didn't bother writing which ones would be near you.

Did you have a hard time looking for a job?

I went into nursing only because I knew I'd have a job. I had connections, but even then it was only a PRN position. Job hunting was still hard early on. I held 3 PRN jobs simultaneously to get full-time hours.

I noticed it stated starting pay in 90018 (LA) area code is $22 average hourly..is that up to date? or is that for a much more experienced lvn? (salary.com) whats the usual "first year" lvn hourly?

I've been an LVN for only 2 and a half years, so I'm still making what I made as a brand new grad. Between 4 different places, I've made $18, $20, $22, and $23 per hour. I have friends in home health that make $28-$30 per "hour," but really it's per visit, so those hours aren't continuous.

Any Do's And Don'ts you would recommend for someone in my stage looking for an lvn school? (perhaps stuff you wish you had done?)

Don't shell out the money for a private school. It won't be worth it. The job market is tough, so you won't be guaranteed a job after graduation. You don't want to be $30k in debt with no job.

Anybody going to do a bridge program from LVN to RN?

if so, how long does that usually take..

I just graduated from my bridge program. This week :) The bridge program itself took 1 year (12 months). But it took me 2 years to take my pre-reqs (3 semesters plus waiting for the bridge program to start).

In my situation, I definitely feel it was smart to go LVN first because of the fact that I didn't have any pre-reqs done. If I went straight into an RN program, I wouldn't have been working in healthcare those 2 years I took my pre-reqs.

I know I can search these things on the internet, but I feel it's more accurate asking these questions to someone who has been the education and experience.

I have one last question for you SoCal lvns;

do you feel they are hiring less LVNS?

Overall, yes, I feel they are hiring less LVNs. But this does not mean LVN jobs are not available. It just depends on where you are looking. Acute hospitals aren't hiring LVNs. They've either let their LVNs go or let the ones they have stay but aren't hiring new ones. SNFs/LTC, clinics, home health are all still viable options for LVNs. It's getting that first job as a new grad that's very difficult and discouraging.

sr20alex · May 22, 2013

Thanks for the post SquishyLVN!!

I'm also from SGV, specifically Rosemead. I recently got into the Hacienda La Puente LVN program. The total for that school was 7.5k, but if you qualify for FAFSA, they will either knock out 5.5k or even pay for the full program!

Job wise, I would think volunteering at hospitals will help you get connections. I'm currently volunteering at Kaiser Baldwin Park, and luckily Hacienda La Puente does their clinical at Kaiser. So i'm hoping after I graduate my volunteer will pull me a job at Kaiser.

kristakay7 · May 23, 2013

Thanks guys, Ill check that out...

Natasha A., CNA, LVN · Oct 25, 2014

I am in a pre vn class