Where Do LVNs Find Employment in 2025?

LVN Employment and Work in California

Contrary to popular belief, LVN’s are employed in a variety of settings. Do not believe people who tell you that there is no job market for LVN’s in California. Nothing could be further from the truth. You simply have to know where to look.

Since LVN’s have less education than their RN counterparts, employers know that they can pay LVN’s less than they would have to pay RN’s. In some cases, such as trying to find employment, this can be a benefit to LVN’s. This opens up a job market to LVN’s that will remain untouched by RN’s. Any agency or organization with a tight budget will be more likely to hire LVN’s than they are to hire RN’s.

School nursing is a popular field for LVN’s. Being a school nurse allows LVN’s to work with children, use their nursing skills, and hold a traditional Monday through Friday job.

A regular schedule is a perk that many nurses want, but only a few are lucky enough to have. If you are interested in becoming a school nurse, contact your local school districts and inquire about LVN openings. Many school districts hire year-round because they are constantly understaffed.

Vocational Nurses in Corrections

Many LVN’s that enjoy adrenaline work in corrections. LVN’s are frequently found working in corrections because the budget for corrections tends to always go down, thereby making hiring RN’s nearly impossible. Get in touch with your local Department of Corrections or the Federal Bureau of Prisons if you are interested in working in corrections as an LVN.

They will likely send you off to their Human Resources department right away to fill out an application, since they are almost always in dire need of nurses.

Vocational Nursing in Skilled Nursing Facilities

A lot of LVN’s work in long term care facilities and nursing homes. It is frequently said that it is the LVN’s that run long term care facilities and nursing homes. This is because in many cases there is no RN on staff, making the LVN the most educated member of the nursing team on the shift. Many of these facilities are always understaffed and are always looking to hire new nurses.

Clinical rotations you'll find in most LVN programs usually take place in skilled nursing facilities.

If you are interested in working for a long term care facility or nursing home, it is advised that you stop by the facility in person and speak with the Director or Nursing about possible job opportunities. These types of facilities are generally small enough that they do not do a lot of advertising, so you need to approach them from a proactive standpoint in order to gain employment with them.

Vocational Nursing in Today’s Hospital Settings

Some hospitals, especially public county hospitals, still hire LVN’s. Generally, these jobs are posted on their website, so if this is where you want to work, it is advised that you locate the hospital’s website and apply online. The highest LVN salary in typically found in private hospitals.

Lots of LVN’s work in flu shot clinics during the fall and winter. These clinics are generally run by an agency and operate in a variety of stores and businesses. The reason that so many LVN’s work at flu shot clinics is because many flu shot clinics will hire LVNs with little to no experience. Many of these staffers have only recently graduated from one of the many accredited LVN programs. If this is an option that you are considering, look online for jobs. These agencies tend to be so large that online is the only possible way to submit an application in many cases.