What Does LVN Stand for in Healthcare?
A licensed vocational nurse (LVN), the same as a licensed practical nurse or LPN, is called an LVN in Texas and California. LVNs' responsibilities are to provide basic nursing care to those who are ill or injured or who need special care, such as people with disabilities or the elderly.
LVNs care for patients in various healthcare settings. A licensed vocational nurse acts under the direction of registered nurses or physicians in charge of the patients they care for.
Read About Picking Up Per Diem LVN Jobs in Corpus Christi
LVN Roles and Responsibilities
LVNs do much of the work of caring for patients, having many roles and responsibilities in medical settings that require dedication, empathy, discipline, and organization. Some of the roles and responsibilities they commonly perform include:
- Taking and recording vital signs for each patient. This may vary according to the type of patient they have, as some diseases require vital signs to be taken regularly, while others need to be checked less frequently.
- Interact with patients at all times. LVNs are critical in interacting with sick patients, caring for those suffering, and providing all the support, information, and positivity needed to make patients feel cared for and important.
- Administer medication or injectables. This skill is only sometimes used. It will always depend on whether the state allows it and whether the LVNs have the necessary knowledge and training to administer medication.
- Collect samples for laboratory studies from patients who require them. Generally, LVNs support their patients by collecting samples for the laboratory, e.g., drawing blood, reminding the patient of the time they need to take a sample, etc.
- LVNs are also in charge of facilitating the transport and mobility of patients, and this means that they support them in changing from a bed to a stretcher, walking if they need it, or moving them in bed when they cannot do it on their own to avoid bruising.
- Administrative duties. LVNs must, finally, take notes of what they observe and do so according to protocols. They need to inform the rest of the team in charge of each patient's general condition and fill out medical charts or perform other administrative tasks to allow the rest of the healthcare staff to have up-to-date charts for each patient.
These roles and responsibilities partially summarize the valuable work LVNs perform within Texas and California hospitals and healthcare facilities. However, depending on the job they have, they may vary.
Average LVN Salaries in Texas and California
California has an average salary for LVNs of $65,140 per year or $31.32 per hour. It is considered the country's highest-paying LVN/LPN state. This great salary is followed by Texas, which has an average salary of $50,220 per year or $24.15 per hour, according to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics.
However, it is possible that sometimes a slight salary improvement may be required, even if it is for a small treat; and the best way to supplement LVNs' wages is through per diem / PRN shifts, which improve the salary considerably.
Per diem jobs, also called PRN jobs, are temporary, one-day, or one-shift gigs that cover emergencies for hospitals and healthcare facilities that need to fill shifts urgently due to an increase in their patient load and a decrease in their staff permanently or temporarily for some reason. They have become popular given their higher salary gains (facilities can offer more money by not paying benefits). Another reason is that LVNs can generate more experience and flexibility while maintaining their active license by taking these shifts.
Read More About LPN Jobs and Salary Information Here
How to Find LVN Jobs Near Me?
In both Texas and California, there is a shortage of nurses, as there are many patients and few LVNs to care for them, making it easy to find Texas LVN jobs and California LVN jobs. The best way to find these in-demand jobs is through Nursa's per diem shifts for LVNs app, which allows LVNs to connect directly with employers who offer these jobs and urgently need to hire LVNs. All they need to do is download the free app to a mobile device, upload the credentials that allow them to work as LVNs in Texas or California, and once approved - they can start searching for jobs by area and schedule. You can see on the application where the jobs are on the map and also search by specific areas, or you can browse the jobs that best suit your salary and move around a little more. Per diem and PRN, jobs have never been easier to obtain than with this app.
