Working World

The healthcare industry is flourishing and America’s aging baby boomers are feeding the system with a nonstop supply of clients in need of the services of medical professionals.

As such, becoming a certified licensed vocational nurse will most certainly provide you with job security well into the future, especially in California where most LVNs earn $25 per hour plus overtime. It’s a career path that is drawing new students from high school, college and other professions as more people are looking for a stable career.

Still, the top reasons for entering nursing are having compassion and a desire to help people.

Valley College of Medical Careers Campus Director Tim O’Neil said, “I teach our students that the two most important values they need for this career besides comprehensive knowledge and technical ability is tolerance and compassion. Tolerance means that they must not prejudge people. With our LVN training program putting students in a clinical setting within eight weeks of the start of the course, they find out quickly whether or not they want to be in the field.”

George Sandoval, director of admissions at the Walter Jay M.D. Institute, said, “Job security in the medical field in general will be better than average. There will always be a need for LVNs. We are even seeing more and more husbands and wives coming in to take the course together.”

One of his recent graduates, Judy Abadilla, told us she already had a career when she decided to go into the LVN program. “Honestly, I decided to become an LVN not for the income, since it was the same as my other job,” she said, “but to build a new identity, a new career path.” She plans to work as an LVN in a hospital for six months to a year before going back to school for her RN degree.

With an influx of new students, many nurses are pursuing higher degrees. When asked if the role of LVNs might be in jeopardy due to this trend, Ruth Abbott, curriculum manager for nursing for all Corinthian Colleges, said, “There will always be a demand for LVNs because medical facilities where acute care isn’t needed can keep the cost of healthcare down by using LVNs to their full potential. I see the demand for LVNs rising in rehabilitation and extended care facilities more than in hospitals. More and more hospitals are seeking Magnet status, requiring them to hire only BSN RNs.”  

So, what does an LVN do? He or she is actively involved with assessing and providing continual patient care for a group of patients throughout scheduled working hours.

A typical day involves reviewing patients’ orders; administering medications and providing prescribed treatments for patients; taking vital signs such as temperature, pulse and blood pressure; preparing and administering injections; applying dressings; monitoring perfusions and blood transfusions; collecting samples for testing; performing routine lab analyses; feeding patients and recording food and fluid intake; and keeping family members informed about the treatment and progress of the patient.

“The typical day for an LVN varies depending on the place of employment,” Mr. Sandoval said. “Overall, LVNs provide prescribed medical treatment and personal care services to ill, injured, convalescent and disabled patients. Settings include, but are not limited to, hospitals, clinics, private homes, schools and sanitariums. LVNs work under the discretion of physicians and registered nurses.”

Sherylinn Ly enrolled in the LVN program at Everest College after spending four years in the mortgage industry. According to her, the most difficult part of the training was, “Staying focused and determined [despite] complicated subjects like biology and anatomy. I’m a people person and my passion for the healthcare profession is based on being there for people when they most need it.” Ms. Ly plans to continue her education after a year in the field as an LVN.

Financial aid is available to those who qualify, and most schools have a placement service and sponsor career fairs. Once you’ve completed your accredited LVN training course, you’ll be required to pass the NCLEX-PN exam. In California, LVNs are allowed to perform IVs if they have also completed an IV certification course. Everest College provides this course for free to every student after graduation with no time limit as to when the complimentary IV course can be taken.

LVN training programs usually take one year to 15 months to complete and include theory and clinical components.

SIDEBAR

• Medical terminology
• Anatomy and physiology
• Medical-surgical nursing
• Maternal health/Obstetrics
• Child health/Pediatrics
• Mental health/Psychiatric nursing
• Nursing leadership
• First aid
• Nutrition
• Clinical on-the-job training

RESOURCES:

AllNurses.com
WorkingNurse.com
CBD College, Los Angeles
Everest College
The Walter Jay M.D. Institute
Valley College of Medical Careers
National Association for Practical Nurse Education and Service
National League for Nursing

Katy Allgeyer is an artist and freelance writer. She is a columnist for Working World and Working Nurse magazines and her features have appeared there and in Feng Shui Times, The Art of WellBeing, You & Me Magazine and others.

1 COMMENTS

• Catherine Rhodes

  Nursing is a terrific career that is amosl recession-proof. As the baby boomers age more healthcare will be needed. Nursing skills can be applied in many different situations, from camp nurse to a pediatrician's office to the emergency room of a large urban hospital. Go for it! To find out more about nursing visit our sister website www.WorkingNurse.com.

  May 10, 2009