Pasadena City College Info

MORNINGSTAR99999 · Sep 22, 2009

Hello!!
I am currently going to school in WA state but am looking to move back to CA in January. I would love to apply to Pasadena CC Nursing Program but would like to know how long the LVN Program is. I've tried looking online and emailed a couple advisers but have yet to hear from them. If anyone attending has any useful information about the LVN Program I would appreciate it. Thank you!

I attended PCC's LVN Program for this semester. I withdrew from the program. Let me give you a basic rundown how the program is. You may like it or you may not like it. Is it worth it? It's totally up to you. And now I will give you the A to Z.

How you get selected? You turn in an application (p/u or download it). They hand out the applications between January (second week) until February 20. You turn everything in of your transcripts. You have to turn in a copy of your CNA certification. You wait for a good 4 months. During the first week, after the six or eight weeks of waiting, you may get a letter of acceptance or being alternate student. You go to the Orientation (mandatory). They'll give you the rundown for your titers (MMR,TB,HBV and physical exam). They'll give you an application for your physical exam. You have to turn that in by a certain date.

According to the LVN Programs Director at PCC, "LVN's make between $19 - $25/hr." Here in Southern California, some hospitals hire very few LVN's. If they do, it's one or two shifts (P/D or P/T). Or very few in the convalescent home(s). This got me thinking before school started. The first three weeks of the semester you go to a convalescent home, then the last six weeks is hospital work, so the semester is 16 weeks long. The work is very intense. You have to purchase your NSO malpractice insurance, uniforms by Dove Apparel (online), and do a background check (Live - Scan) done at the PCC Police Department.

Once class has started. Two textbooks for Administration to Medications (Nurs. 123A); one of each textbooks for Theory (Nurs. 125T), Mental Health Seminar (Nurs. 125S), and Fundamentals to Skills and Concepts (Nurs. 108A). Here is the schedule for the intense program.

Monday ---- 12p to 2:30p Nurs. 123A

Monday ---- 2:30p to 4p Conference (for your clinicals)

Tuesday ---- 7a to 3:30p or 2p to 10p Clinicals

Wednesday ---- 7a to 1:30p or 2p to 8:30p clinicals

Thursday ---- 8:30a to 11a Nurs. 125 (Theory)

Thursday ---- 11a to 12:15p Nurs. 125 (Mental Health Seminar)

Thursday ---- 1p to 4:10p Nurs. 108A (Skills Lab)

Friday ---- 9a to 12:25p (Theory)

You can pick and choose your class schedule. But, I mean but, they can rearrange the instructors you will have for your clinicals and what time your clinicals will be. You better not have clinicals that starts late afternoon, because you have exams every Thursdays, 1 quiz (writing), 1 quiz in skills (writing) and practical tests. During the sixth week of the semester - you will be required to take a dosage calculations exam with a pass rate of 90% with 20 problems. If you miss more than 3 - you'll be required to take it again on the same week. If you fail the third time - you will have to drop the entire program. You will only have two tries in the program.

There are homework assignments. You have to do a journal assignment relating to nursing, and a group project relating to any medication topics presented by the instructor. Then you have to do pamphlets for your classmates to follow up as if they're the clients, and you're the nurse. It's exciting to be in the program. But you have to dedicate yourself to the program for one year. If you have a girlfriend - make sure you don't create a family between the two of you. It's going to really drain you. If you have to work - work part - time. Your school work is your full - time. Save your money for the entire year.

What made me drop the program? I have two certifications (EMT and CNA). Going for your LVN is a stepping stone for the RN program. If you do that you only have one year to finish, because the LVN is your basic bedside care (CNA). With the EMT / CNA combined, I earn close to $60K, depending how much I input into my double time shifts as a CNA. Without the CNA, I make half what an EMT makes per year. Anyone who is reading this, if you're an EMT with a CNA certification - use it and work both shifts. This will give you an advantage for saving money in your account.

In Southern California, there isn't a whole lot of jobs out here. If a school contracts with a hospital; then the graduate is able to obtain a nursing job. There are tons of new grads. nursing students applying for a nursing position. But there maybe only four to eight positions to fill in. You have two schools that has only RN students that surrounds the hospital that provided their clinicals. The hospitals are doing away the LVN's. I work at a hospital. They're not hiring no more LVNs. Only RN's. I don't want the reader to get a negative impression about PCC's LVN courses. If I earn only as an EMT making $28K per year, I may have gone for my LVN. But if I'm doing twice as much of an EMT's salary, why go for my LVN? I didn't drop the program "as per say" but it was voluntary. Oh, yeah! take your Nutrition. It's a requirement.

So if Washington State is hiring LVN's in hospitals; then go for your LVN and apply at the hospital. I enjoy my work as an EMT & CNA. But if I do well in these earnings, why do I need to go for nursing? I don't know anyone's background. But I'm telling you or anyone don't put off your CNA work if you have a certification in that. And you're a certified EMT. Only if you work in the hospital. This is almost half of the semester's LVN program which I described to you or anyone else.

WA2CA · Sep 23, 2009

Thank you sooo much!!! That was a very thorough and detailed explanation...after doing much research over the last 6 months I think its best for me to stick it out in WA and transfer into UWA Tacoma/Bothell...THank you again for taking the time out to answer my question...It was quite helpful and I'm sure it will assist another aspiring professional!!...Also, off subject but I think you made the best decision for yourself in terms of voluntarily leaving the program...Here in WA there is a great need for LVN (or LPN's as we call it here)...I know the workforce is different from state to state but good luck to you and your continued success!!!

MORNINGSTAR99999 · Sep 23, 2009

You see? Why bother to move down here? Even the nursing graduates from other schools (Glendale Community College (California), Pasadena City College, East L.A. College, and other L.A. Community Colleges) are going to have a difficult time of trying to find employment. Everything plays a factor in this economic recession. Every hospital maybe selective as to who gets hired for an RN position. Not everyone is guaranteed a position.

The instructors aren't going to tell you - you may have a difficult time trying to find a job. If Washington State has a better turnout for LVN's or RN's and the hospitals aren't as bad as here, go take it there!! The LVN's gets paid here in California $19 - $25. That's according to the instructor at PCC (LVN Programs Director) and the WWW.BVNPT.CA.GOV. If you under www.indeed.com, you will find different bloggers are having a difficult time as to finding employment in Baja - Southern - and Northern California. There isn't a nursing shortage. It's too many available eager nurses to find jobs, but only (1) to (8) positions maybe a need to fill in when you have 200 + graduates applying for a job. If they were hiring LVN's - by all means - I would have continued in, but they aren't hiring.

The hospitals are trying to save the cash flow because they may one day close its doors. We have so many uninsured people in California coming from the Latin American countries or people losing their jobs and health insurance. Women having babies and are on Medi - Cal. This is what's affecting the employment for new graduates. I have my EMT / CNA certifications. I can work and make as close to what an RN makes in a year, except I maybe off by $20K + dollars. Depending how much double - time I put in? Without the CNA work - I earn half ($31K).

lvnnurse47 · Mar 3, 2010

i just applied to pcc lvn, just wanna know my shot in getting accepted???? any tips or advice u can give me, i finished all pre reqs and cna at pcc. thanks!!!!