New male LVN

lovablelvn · Jun 4, 2008

I am making a major career change and want to become an LVN here in San Diego area. I do not have the time to attend college for the 3+ years to become an RN. (I am a 49 year old male). So I will probably be attending the costly Meric college for 51 weeks and then take my test. In the past 2 1/2 years I have been taking care of my daughter who is psatic quad and has cerebral palsey. I give her breathing treatments, 8 meds, test her for O2 sats, respitory numbers, suction her lungs, and she feeds through a J-tube. I also care for my wife who suffered a hemoraghic stroke a couple of years ago and has diabetes, High blood pressure and suffers from Myliofibrosis. So I feel that this is my calling. My questions are as follows:
#1-How is the market for LVN's who are older males as far as job availability? #2-Can someone make an honest living as an LVN in San Diego? #3-How does the medical community view older males just entering the field as an LVN? Thanks for any input you may have......

First and Foremost, I'd like to say what A GREAT GUY!! It does sound like nursing is you calling. My cousin just moved back to Texas from San Diego and really like her job out there. She worked at a prison and made excellent pay and wonderful benfits. I also think the prison system would benefit from male nurses D/T the prisoners getting a little fresh. Anyway... from what my cousin said the market for nurses out there is wonderful! I wish you the best of luck!

Amanda

PS One of my friend just went to RN school at 52. It's never too late. In my LVN class I was one of the youngest at 22 and the oldest was 62. Do what makes you happy.

dalbert · Jun 5, 2008

Thanks for the kind words. I am waivering between LVN and RN. On one hand I want to get licensed ASAP. But on the other hand, I really want to be an RN so I can work in surgery and Trauma......I think there are more RN jobs than lvn jobs here in SCAL.....

Starr1966 · Jun 5, 2008

if you could find the time somehow, i'd suggest going for your rn, especially if you want to work in a hospital. unfortunately the majority of hospitals are phasing out lpn/lvn's. there is long term care and some home health facilities will hire lpn/lvn's. i'm from nebraska, so i can't say about where you live.

i feel that most places are accepting of male nurses. i have worked with a couple male nurses and loved it. its nice to have them for co-workers for a number of reasons.

the only real problem that the male nurses encountered that i have worked with, was some of the female patients felt a bit uncomfortable when it came to assisting them with bathing. otherwise they didn't seem to mind them.

being older does make it tough to get a job male or female. in the nursing profession maybe it isn't as hard since there is always a demand for nurses.

do what makes you happy. :)

alilovex3 · Jun 20, 2008

In San Diego they are NOT phasing out LVNs. Kaiser and Sharp hospitals have many new job postings daily for LVNs. If you work for Kaiser and want to be a nurse, they even send you to school to be an LVN for them. My friend's mom is an LVN and she makes almost $60,000 a year. Not bad at all for an LVN.

I think it is horrible that they are phasing LVNs out of hospitals in other parts of the country with the nurse shortage we currently have.

californiamalelpn · Jul 21, 2009

i am an lvn who is currently preparing to write my rn exams, but will like to show some support for my fellow lvns. to me, it is really nonsense for hospitals to even think of phasing out lvns. for what reason?, perhaps a conspiracy to keep the shortage of nurses permanent and for some of their special interest groups to profit?. i know of many great lvns who actually teaches their fellow rns common knowledge things that were obviously not taught in school. i believe whether you are an rn or lvn, the real nursing starts when you step your foot onto the hospital floor and at that point, he/she who wants to learn and excel will come out on top. this lvn phasing out is an absolute and unpardonable nonsense and perhaps a conspiracy by the privileged few. sorry guys for my strong language here, but when i became an lvn, i was trained alongside a new grad rn by a very good lvn, will never forget her, she made me not to quit that my first job and i know there are many more like her out there.

NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN · Jul 21, 2009

Thanks for the kind words. I am waivering between LVN and RN. On one hand I want to get licensed ASAP. But on the other hand, I really want to be an RN so I can work in surgery and Trauma......I think there are more RN jobs than lvn jobs here in SCAL.....

I'm going the LVN-RN route. There is nothing wrong with being a LVN, but the RN is the position that you want to be in the long run. There is more responsiblity, but in the long run you can do more with your RN and the pay is about twice as much starting salary.

I also want to commend you on how you're handling your situation. You have the resources there Maric (now Kaplan) College, which has both LVN-RN. I'd say go for it, you seem like you have the heart and the drive for it. Good Luck :up:

nursenow · Aug 19, 2009

In San Diego they are NOT phasing out LVNs. Kaiser and Sharp hospitals have many new job postings daily for LVNs. If you work for Kaiser and want to be a nurse, they even send you to school to be an LVN for them. My friend's mom is an LVN and she makes almost $60,000 a year. Not bad at all for an LVN.
I think it is horrible that they are phasing LVNs out of hospitals in other parts of the country with the nurse shortage we currently have.

It is my understanding that they are phasing out LVNs because an RN is legaly allowed to have a certain number of patients to take care of. If an LVN is working under an RN, the LVNs patients count as the RNs patients also,(the lvn is working under the rn), in Calif. In the past the RN would have 5/6, the LVN would have 5/6 for a total of twelve but under the rules now you would have an LVN and an RN with only 5/6 between them. The state is just starting to actually enforce that rule more as time goes by. (at least that is how it was explained to us when I was in school) LTC/SNF follow different staffing rules.

"My friend's mom is an LVN and she makes almost $60,000 a year" Yes, that is very doable in NorCal.

Bobylon · Aug 19, 2009

#1-How is the market for LVN's who are older males as far as job availability? #2-Can someone make an honest living as an LVN in San Diego? #3-How does the medical community view older males just entering the field as an LVN? Thanks for any input you may have......

#1 - The same as it is for older females, I'd assume ???

#2 - I can't say, as I live in TN

#3 - My experience has been favorable .... am an older male, graduated as a LPN @ the age of 51 here, and feel perfectly fine about it. I see/feel/hear no distinction between the genders in the workplace - I believe the "stereotype" of the "male nurse" is long, long gone.

xavier3319 · Sep 3, 2009

Hi I saw your post and wanted to ask you if you are going through the program, and how much is it costing you??

Well you see Im interested in going back to school,and well I been looking to be an LVN.. And was wondering what the cost is??I know there is scholarships,and all. But i just wonder if you happen to know the total cost of the whole program???

I would really appreciate it if you could answer..

Thank you.