Pay for LVNs in Ventura County is hitting an all-time high!
The average pay for Licensed Vocational Nurses in Ventura County is now $71,580. There's never been a bigger demand for licensed nurses than right now.
Vocational nursing is a very comprehensive industry and there are many jobs in Ventura County that are available within this field. There are several reasons why it is a good profession to enter and to work in. One can be a nurse with only little training and education compared to a lot of other jobs.
There are also so many different types of LVNs, and they are not limited to working in a hospital. Some nurses work in various types of medical offices, from radiology clinics to family care clinics.
First off, let’s discuss what exactly are the responsibilities of a licensed vocational nurse. LVNs are involved in all the basic nursing responsibilities. The role of a nurse increases as their experience increases.
Why does the role of a nurse expand as she/he gains more experience? Because they become more knowledgeable with dealing with patients and different conditions and scenarios! Therefore, the more certifications and education you receive, the higher up you get on the ladder and so does the average LVN salary.
There are several accredited LVN programs in California. The most popular is Career Care Institute, which has had a Ventura campus for more than 12 years. CCI has other LVN programs in California, as well. Professional Medical Careers Institute(PMCI) is another accredited LVN program. PMCI first opened their doors in 2008.
There are both public and private LVN programs. Private LVN programs are typically the more expensive route. Many choose this route, though, because they can finish with school quicker than going the community college route.
While doctors and physicians have the responsibility of treating patients, LVNs have the job to care for them prior to, during and after their treatment. Even if they don’t treat patients, they must understand and have general knowledge regarding medicine.
While they don’t have the qualifications necessary to diagnose a condition or prescribe medicine to treat it, most licensed vocational nurses will administer certain treatments under a doctor’s supervision.
How much do LVNs in Ventura County make? That is the question you have probably asked yourself and it will be answered here. The LVN salary is affected by a number of factors. Generally, the vocational nursing salary starts off in the range of $69,000. That is the starting salary, with zero years of experience and with just the necessary amount of education to be qualified to be a practical nurse.
According to PayScale.com, an LVN in Simi Valley will earn an average hourly rate of $33.58. In Oxnard, in the northern part of the county, the average hourly rate is $29.56. In the city of Ventura, that hourly rate is significantly higher, at $33.18!
Nevertheless, the LVN salary goes up after a certain number of years of experience, based on location and based on your roles and responsibilities. Therefore, after five years, the practical nursing salary can reach over $75,000.
Location is also a big factor that affects salary. There are a variety of different medical institutions in Ventura County, from Ventura County Medical Center, to private specialized clinics, such as outpatient dialysis facilities. On average, a private clinic will pay a much higher salary to licensed vocational nurses than would a public hospital. However, some people who take a pay cut in order to work in a public hospital. It all comes down to preference.
While the salary is only one aspect of the job, LVNs may also receive generous benefits. Compared to other professions, vocational nurses receive very good health care benefits like health insurance.
They also have very good job security. Vocational nursing is an industry that will never die and it is in high demand. Therefore, LVNs are not scared of losing their job. Specialized vocational nurses have even more job security, along with their generally higher LVN salary.
Therefore, overall, the LVN salary in Ventura County ranges from $67,148 to $78,229. In some cases, such as management, that pay can go as high as $80,000. It is a well respected and high paying job for anyone looking to start a career in vocational nursing.