new lpn grad moving to cali

U.S.A. California

Published

I have plans to relocate from stl to the LA area after I graduate lpn school. How hard is it finding a job as a new lpn/lvn? Any advice on getting a California lvn license?

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I urge you to not come to the LA area as a new LVN with no experience.

Some will say my outlook is negative, but the southern CA job market has been flooded with too many new nurses and not enough jobs for everyone who would like to work. Things have been bad since about 2008 and there are no signs of improvement. Even the nursing homes are requiring 1 to 3 years of experience.

Finding a job as an LVN is hard if you are from the state and have nursing experience. Finding an LVN job is 100 times more difficult for an experienced person with no local connections to the healthcare community in southern CA.

The California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians issues licensure as an LVN. Due to budgetary constraints and slow processing times due to state employee work furloughs, obtaining a license by endorsement can take anywhere from 3 to 6 months (or longer).

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I urge you to not come to the LA area as a new LVN with no experience.

Some will say my outlook is negative, but the southern CA job market has been flooded with too many new nurses and not enough jobs for everyone who would like to work. Things have been bad since about 2008 and there are no signs of improvement. Even the nursing homes are requiring 1 to 3 years of experience.

Finding a job as an LVN is hard if you are from the state and have nursing experience. Finding an LVN job is 100 times more difficult for an experienced person with no local connections to the healthcare community in southern CA.

The California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians issues licensure as an LVN. Due to budgetary constraints and slow processing times due to state employee work furloughs, obtaining a license by endorsement can take anywhere from 3 to 6 months (or longer).

What about applying for RN licensure?

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Specializes in CCM, PHN.

I second TheCommuter. I'm in L.A. now and have worked as an RN here for 7 years. The market is beyond clogged. LVNs are largely being phased out in hospitals, and no one - I mean NO ONE - is hiring new grads of any license. Home health & LTCs are asking for experience. BSNs aren't getting interviews. Stay away. Find a different location that has more opportunities for now. And work on your BSN RN!

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
What about applying for RN licensure?
The California Board of Registered Nursing issues licensure for RNs in the state.

RNs are having a difficult time in southern CA, too. The major exception is if you have several years of acute care experience in a sought-after specialty (OR, ER, critical care). Estimates indicate that 43 percent of all new grad RNs in CA are still unemployed.

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The California Board of Registered Nursing issues licensure for RNs in the state.

RNs are having a difficult time in southern CA, too. The major exception is if you have several years of acute care experience in a sought-after specialty (OR, ER, critical care). Estimates indicate that 43 percent of all new grad RNs in CA are still unemployed.

What about in typically less desirable areas like psych, group homes, prisons?

These are actually the areas that I would like to work.

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Specializes in CCM, PHN.

Those will all require experience, and especially a BSN RN.

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