Licensed Vocational Nurse Jobs in Los Angeles, CA
Licensed vocational nurses in Los Angeles earn roughly $30 to $50 an hour, and most of the openings sit in clinics and medical offices run by Kaiser, UCLA Health and Keck Medicine of USC. Here are the current LVN openings, followed by who is hiring and how to get licensed.
Current licensed vocational nurse Openings in Los Angeles, CA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Licensed Vocational Nurse Work in Los Angeles
California calls the practical nurse a licensed vocational nurse, and in Los Angeles the LVN is mostly an outpatient job. The big systems put LVNs in primary care and specialty clinics: Kaiser staffs them in its medical offices along Sunset Boulevard in East Hollywood, UCLA Health uses senior LVNs in its Beverly Hills primary care offices, and Keck Medicine of USC hires them for its specialty clinics. Inpatient hospital units lean on RNs, though some emergency departments, including the one at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, still hire LVNs.
That clinic focus shapes the job. Clinic roles tend to run day shifts rather than 12-hour nights, bilingual Spanish is a frequent requirement, and many LA LVNs use the role as a paid bridge to an RN license, since several local colleges run LVN-to-RN programs built around working vocational nurses.
Top Los Angeles Employers Hiring Licensed Vocational Nurses
These employers had LVN openings posted on their own career sites this month:
- Kaiser Permanente - posts LVN I and LVN II roles in family medicine, palliative care, transplant and geriatric clinics in Los Angeles, including its 4900 Sunset medical offices.
- UCLA Health - hires senior LVNs for primary care and specialty clinics, including its Beverly Hills primary care office.
- Keck Medicine of USC - the Boyle Heights academic system hires LVN II staff for its cardiovascular and specialty clinics.
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles - the East Hollywood pediatric hospital hires 12-hour LVNs for its emergency department.
Licensed Vocational Nurse Salaries in Los Angeles
- Entry level: about $30 to $38 an hour for newly licensed LVNs in clinic roles.
- Experienced: roughly $38 to $45 an hour for LVN II and specialty clinic positions.
- Senior: $45 to $50 an hour for senior LVN roles at academic health systems.
These are estimates drawn from ranges posted by Kaiser, UCLA Health, Keck and Children's Hospital Los Angeles, and they vary with experience, unit and union contract. Kaiser LVNs are represented by SEIU Local 399 and UCLA LVNs by AFSCME, and IV therapy and blood withdrawal certification can open better-paid roles.
How to Become a Licensed Vocational Nurse in Los Angeles
LVNs in California are licensed by the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians. The usual route is a state-approved vocational nursing program, then the NCLEX-PN exam and fingerprinting. In Los Angeles, Los Angeles Mission College in Sylmar runs a one-year full-time program, and LAUSD's adult education division offers a 1,560-hour program at the Maxine Waters Employment Preparation Center in Watts and North Valley Occupational Center in Mission Hills. Pasadena City College runs a 12-month certificate nearby. The board also accepts qualifying paid bedside experience or military medical training in place of a program.
What the Job Involves
LVNs work under RNs and physicians, giving medications and injections, taking vital signs, collecting specimens, dressing wounds and documenting care in the electronic record. In a clinic that means rooming patients, giving vaccines, reinforcing discharge teaching and handling phone follow-up. In an emergency department it adds fast-paced monitoring and procedure support.
Skills Employers Look For
- A current California LVN license
- BLS certification
- IV therapy and blood withdrawal certification
- Bilingual Spanish, often required in LA clinics
- Electronic health record experience
- Injection and vaccine administration
- Clear patient education skills
Career Path and Advancement
Many LA LVNs start as nursing assistants, finish a one-year VN program, and move from LVN I to LVN II or senior LVN at a large system. The next step is usually RN: Los Angeles Trade-Technical College runs an LVN-to-RN bridge, Los Angeles Southwest College offers a 30-unit option for LVNs, Los Angeles Harbor College has an LVN-to-RN route, and West Coast University in North Hollywood offers LVN to BSN.
Related Careers in Los Angeles
If vocational nursing interests you, these Los Angeles guides are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an LVN the same as an LPN in California?
Yes. California and Texas use the title licensed vocational nurse for the role most states call a licensed practical nurse. Both take the NCLEX-PN exam, but in California the license comes from the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians.
How much do LVNs make in Los Angeles?
Current postings from large LA health systems run from about $30 an hour for new LVNs to about $50 an hour for senior roles. Union contracts, specialty and IV certification all push pay higher.
How long does it take to become an LVN in Los Angeles?
Most programs take about a year of full-time study. Los Angeles Mission College runs a one-year program, and the LAUSD adult program at North Valley Occupational Center takes about 13 months on weekdays.
Do LVNs need IV certification in California?
Not for the base license, but it is a separate board certificate. The Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians approves IV therapy, blood withdrawal and combined courses, and many employers prefer it.
Can an LVN become an RN in Los Angeles?
Yes, and many do. Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, Los Angeles Southwest College and Los Angeles Harbor College all run routes built for working LVNs, and West Coast University offers an LVN to BSN program.
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