Someone should warn people!!!

U.S.A. Florida

Published

I am a LPN, Florida licensed that is currently living in Indiana because I am trying to relocate to FL. I have family down there and we decided to try to move after I graduated. I CANNOT FIND A JOB!!! FL lists all these LPN jobs, nice and dandy.............until you graduate and apply and they tell you that 1 year experience is needed! WHAT???? How are LPN recent grads supposed to get experience?? The hospitals don't want you, "WE ONLY HIRE RN's" they say. Where are we supposed to go??? I am so darn angry right now I can scream. Well I did scream!!!! AAAHHHHHHH!!! I don't have anything against RN's but why do they not give LPN's the same chance they give RN's. Do they realize that LPN's

1)Take state boards just like RN's.

2) Pay the same $204 for the license, $15 for the CE, and $200 just to take the exam.

3) Study for the exam endlessly, take the exam, freak out, do the "trick" , feel such relief after passing!

Then just to find out the license is worthless!!!! WORTHLESS!!! I can seriously say screw nursing and mean it!!!!:angryfire

Felecia

The school I had attended way back told us that not too long in the future LPN's would be eliminated. Charting also on the way out with computer taking over! I don't know if it is good or bad? You still need backups or lose the info:eek: I would think home nursing would be more in demand now with the cost of everything sky high now!

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The situation in Delaware is really bad too the only place hiring newly graduated LPN's is the prison!!!They didn't help us at school when we graduated either.They had one job fair and not one place would even accept our resumes so disappointing!!!!!

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Go back to school and get your RN. The law limits what you can do as an LPN for good reason. You don't have the education to supervise, delegate, or work as a team leader, therefore your LPN degree is not valuable...suck it up and go back to school.

I know that doesn't help your anger and frustration....but it is what it is....you don't have the skills or the education that is in demand in this awful economy....so work on it. Get that RN while there are scholarship money for unemployed women from the stimulus money out there.

WOW. it has been my experience that LPNs can be team leaders, delegate and supervise. And LPNs are needed and valued. It has also been my experience that in most cases LPNs run circles around RNs in certian cases. Now I agree it is hard to find any job not only nursing but to tell someone that thier career choice is worthless was not needed..

J Lewis LPN (ADN graduate Aug 12 09)

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hi floridanursemom239, don't give up hope. have you consider dialysis? this market is looking for rn's/lpn's with or without experience. oftentimes, after working in the chronic dialysis setting one can transition into the acute setting (foot in the hospital setting) then bridge into other hospital areas.

when i graduated nursing school as an lpn i was hired within a month at a nursing home and shortly thereafter became the supervisor (no one else wanted the position). currently, i'm still an lpn with undergrad/grad degrees and work as an administrator for a well known company (i'm withholding the name for privacy).

depending on your situation, you should also consider indiana states lpn-bsn program which can be done completely online. i would also suggest seeking employment in doctor's offices, the school system, and in the prison setting as someone else mentioned.

i wish you well!

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I understand that this has been happening in many areas. I live in Southeast Texas. At my hospital, we just hired several new RN grads from northern states for the same reason. It may be worth checking out the area.

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To leenie123: Exactly correct on the LPN elimination. I was in nursing school 92-94 and they told us that we were smart to do the RN because in ten years LPNs would be history....wrong!!!!

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Specializes in Acute rehab, LTC, Community Health.

It is a relief to see that others out there are going through the same thing I am. I am a recent graduate LPN in MN and am finishing my RN this year. I have been applying for jobs for a couple of months now and I can't even land an interview with a nursing home; in which I have over 7 years experience in geriatrics. I am having a difficult time even getting a float LPN position at my company I am currently working for! So much for gaining experience this summer, I am beginning to feel like it was a waste to take the boards...I even took a volunteer nurse position to gain experience and hopefully gain someones attention on my resume. Trying not to get discouraged, but I am glad I am going to get my RN, it will hopefully make my life easier.

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Specializes in Ortho, Oncology, Med/Surg, Critical Care.
Hi there,

I know exactly how you are feeling! When i first graduated, nobody would hire me, especially the hospitals!!! I ended up working in a nursing home, and have been there ever since! I am almost finished with my RN and get this, they (meaning future employers) consider me a new RN and won't even consider my LPN years! Now does that WOMP or what? The ONLY thing that i cannot do as an LPN is push iv medications, otherwise, i am doing the same crap that the RN's do and i won't get credit for my experience!????? What is up with that!

Good-luck, you will find nursing homes, or doctors offices will be the only places to look as an LPN-it sucks but that is the nature of the beast.

I don't know this for a fact, but I'm thinking that maybe they consider you as a new nurse is because you haven't worked in a hospital. Most employers don't think of nursing homes and hospitals as being the same level of nursing if you know what I mean. :twocents:

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look for nurse internships, too. I don't know if they're usually RN's , but that's how I got in the OR specialty..by doing a internship. I know they've got them for OB, ICU, TELE, etc. So search for those..

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Go back to school and get your RN. The law limits what you can do as an LPN for good reason. You don't have the education to supervise, delegate, or work as a team leader, therefore your LPN degree is not valuable...suck it up and go back to school.

I know that doesn't help your anger and frustration....but it is what it is....you don't have the skills or the education that is in demand in this awful economy....so work on it. Get that RN while there are scholarship money for unemployed women from the stimulus money out there.

not valuable? A nurse is a nurse, just b/c an LPN has a more limited scope of practice doesn't mean anything. I've known some awesome LPN that could out perform any RNs. I have also worked with some great RNs and crappy RNs and LPNs. Like i said there's good nurses and bad nurses. Experience have shown me the best RNs where LPNs, or Cna or cna then lpn then RN. Experience is what's most valuable. I did my LPN in high school through dual enrollment and got a job on a Med Surg floor, I'm also doing the RN bridge. By the time I'm an RN I'll have at least 2 years med surg experience. I am a valuable part of my team, I'm the go to person for difficult IV starts for my floor as well as ortho, pcu and peds. I do well in a critcal/code situation. I've been told my assesment skills are far beyond my experience by my charge nurse (an RN) I am Valuable to my unit and my patients, it doesnt matter that I'm an LPN. I do respect the hard work RNs go through for school and their higher education, I mean thats what I'm going to school for but i'll always be grateful for my LPN roots. Felicia don't get discouraged, keep trying get you IV certs if you don't already have it. Maybe do an internship or volunteer work to beef up your "professional experience" part of the resume. Def go on for your RN if you have the chance

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I live in Ga. and not only do the nursing homes hire LPN"s but so does the state hospital, the local hospital, dialysis, and the prison. On any given day check careerbuilders.com and you will find hundreds of jobs for nurses.These places will sometimes advertise that new grads welcome.

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Specializes in Tele, Med/Surg, Case Mgmt, Ins. Rev.

I became an LPN in FL in 1991. I was fortunate to be hired at a small county hospital that trained new grads. I have managed to go back to school recently and I will be taking my RN boards in a few weeks. Despite my years of nursing in both acute care and case management, I am considered a new Grad with no experience at most facilities and have been offered a starting salary of less than I currently earn. Employers want to get the most out of you, for the least pay.

Apply as a Nursing Tech at the hospitals. I know it is not what you are licensed for, but it will get your foot in the door and you will be the first choice to fill a position internally. Also, nursing homes will hire you, and many MD offices will also take LPN's.

Unfortunately, nursing schools are not entirely upfront with the reality of nursing, especially here in Florida. Nursing students have become a cash cow for these tech schools and community colleges. They dangle the prosect of making $35, $50 or more dollars per hour to new students. The harsh reality is that the avg nurse (LPN or RN) makes considerably less than that on the average, and the market is fierce for the positions available.

Good luck and be persistant, network, ask your fellow students if they know of anything, and go back to school for your RN, you won't regret it.

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