New graduate LPNs: any luck finding jobs.

U.S.A. North Carolina

Published

I am applying to the LPN program for Spring 2010. I was originally in the RN program, however failed my summer class by one point. :banghead:

Anyway. I was wondering has any of the new LPN graduates found full time jobs? There are always job postings for RN openings, but never an LPN. Unless it's a nursing home or an agency.

Am I just wasting my time? Should I just work for a year and reapply to the RN program for next summer and possibly graduate Spring 2011? Or should I stay on course and graduate as a LPN Summer 2010?

I am a new LPN and our local hospitals are hiring new RN's. Someone told me the reason why LPN's are having so much difficulty is because of insurance. The potential employers insurance company does not want to insure LPN's with less than a year experience. Good luck getting it. Worse you need the hours to keep your license. I am still holding out hope.

Statistically, my class graduated 21 of 23. This is a great number. Nineteen passed their NCLEX exam. Two who passed exam are not currently employed. I think you have to weigh opportunities in your state for new grads and devote the time either way. Whatever your decision, I know you can do it!

I graduated in April and recently got my license. Ive been applying for jobs here in LA and San Fernando Valley. I tried SNF, medical offices, hospitals but they dont want new grads!!

And to think these SNF have LVNs take care of 40 to 45 patients per shift. Dont they think thats way too many patients and they didnt want to hire new grads?

Ive also heard from my friend who recently got a job in a SNF in orange county, she was so desperate to find a job and she only gets paid $17 an hour.

This is ridiculous, if i had only known this, i should have stick to my Sales position at a cellphone company, i was making $15 an hr plus commission. Okay its not all about the money, but the healthcare system now sucks. Why do they discriminate new grads when there is a shortage of nurses!

I live in Connecticut and the LPN jobs are gone!!!

Very rare to see anything in papers or on websites for LPNs..except for pool nurses.

I am LPN for 13 years next year and never saw it like this before.

If you have a job you need to keep it.. if you are in LPN course..good luck after you finish. Do yourself a favor and go get RN.

Same here in Oklahoma. I didn't care to work rest home either, but did because it was all I could find. They "trained" me for 4 days, then sent me on my own. I knew what I was doing, but could have used a little more time before having 20 patients on my own! Are they all like that? :eek:

I just had to go back on orientation for 3 days.. I was hired for night shift, but they had me train for 4 weeks on day shift and then someone from day shift volunteered to orient me to nights, but she only stayed for one day. There were complaints about things not being done correctly because I wasnt properly oriented, and the main one complaining was the one who was supposed to train me. I let our nurse manager know and she apologized and let me orient with a seasoned night shift nurse this week. They do everything backwards but I do feel much better now.

I have been both a cna and home health aide for the past 28 years, private, ltc., and agencies, in n. ca., i don't forsee any lack of job opportunities as an lvn later:yeah::heartbeat:redbeathe

I'm in the same position, except I dropped my semester as RN. I have thought about going back but now the program is only full time and I have a family and think full time would be too tough. I've thought of getting the LPN. I've heard of some people that were in my program dropping and getting their LPN. The only thing that scares me is if they will still be in any demand when I get out or if the economy is just going to eventually completely do away with LPN's all together. I wish I could offer more answers than questions but I can't. I can say I know what your going through and it may be better to get the LPN first so that at least you have something esp since you've already taken some nursing classes. I think of that now, that if I would have just done the LPN years ago atleast I would have that. I think it's better than going back to RN and if you don't make it all the way through or fail for some reason then you have nothing and your out of more time and more money and have nothing to show for it. That's just kind of how I'm thinking. Hope that helps some.

In my area (WNC) LPN's are employed only in LTC. There are LPN's in the hospitals but they've been there for 20+ years. You never see an advertisment for an LPN job anywhere EXCEPT LTC.

I graduated lpn school in june 2008 and still haven't found a job. I have an associates degree in medical assisting, worked as a medical assistant for 8 months, and i have worked as a pharmacy tech for 2 years. I thought since i was a medical assistant and a pharmacy tech it would help me, but it hasn't. I have submitted tons of applications with no luck. Everyone wants me to have at least a year of experience even in the nursing homes and home health. I have gone to a couple of interviews and the human resources person always tells me if i had more experience they would hire me. Then i ask myself so why did you even call me in for the interview. My resume tells that i have no experience as a lpn. It doesn't make any sense. It get's fustrating. I have a very nice resume too. I have started applying for other jobs like office work and medical assisting work because i cannot wait around on a lpn job. I cannot even get a medical assisting job even though i have a diploma as a lpn. They want someone with years and years of experience, but i keep trying.

Specializes in LTC, HH, and Case Mangement.

I know what you mean. I was a Medical Assistant for a few years before I became an LPN. I did have an LPN job but was let go. I have had a hell of a time getting a job. I have tried many places for both LPN and MA and no luck. I had 3 interviews and no call back so I assume I am not what they want. I have only been licensed since last June. I have thought about retail, I am that desperate. I have even considered doing STNA training, just to get a job at LTC and then when an LPN position opens up, maybe I could get on with that. I am kicking myself in the butt for not being an aid before, I really think that woul've helped me. I hope the job market and economy pick up soon.

I graduated in December 09 from the LPN program and passed boards in mid-January 10. I started applying for jobs right away, but no luck yet. I have applied in LTC, agency as well as for clinics all shifts resulting in 2 interviews I am still hopeful. Does anyone know how long it may take to recieve a job offer after an interview?

I graduated LPN school in 2008. I immediately went into a RN bridge program. I didn't work as an LPN, that was my biggest regret. I was always asked what did I do with my LPN license when I went on RN interviews, I think that hurt me.

In my opinion if you are going to do LPN first, find a job anywhere working as a LPN. Find a LTC that has rehab so you can get experience with Trachs, dressing changes, IV's and other things that assisted living facilites may not have. You also want to show that you can care for more than 2 or 3 patients at a time.

There are very few hospitals hiring new grad LPN's, call the HR and find out. If you can't get into acute care, find a job under a Hospital Group system like Novant or Duke whether its at their MD office or rehab LTC so that when you do bridge you are considered internal.

I always tell people if they have choice meaning they have the time and ability to not work for the two years of RN do that and not LPN, but if you need to work sooner do the LPN get as much skilled experience that you can so it can go on a resume when you bridge, and bridge as soon as you can.

Also alot of LTC facilities don't advertise, when you pass your boards go to everyone you can find and fill out and application most do interviews on the spot. I found two jobs at LTC Rehabs that way.

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