California LPN School

If you're looking to become a licensed vocational nurse, or LVN, in California, then you're in luck- there are more LVN schools in California and online programs in this state than in most others combined.

Things to consider, as you are looking for a school, consider whether you're hoping to move up to the level of a registered nurse at some point, what sort of environment you want to be in, and whether you plan on pursuing any education outside of the LVN program.

Wherever you end up going, the general outline of the program will be the same. It takes about a year to work through most LVN programs in California, assuming you can attend full time. If you can only go part-time, don’t fret, as this is quite common among students looking to get into the allied health field, and most programs are structured to take this into account.

When you begin, you'll spend about half of your time in class- learning how to care for patients properly and recognize signs of illness and disease.  The other half is spent in a hospital or clinic, learning hands-on under the direction of an experienced LVN or Registered Nurse.

Continuing Education for LVNs in California

In order to renew your license, which needs to be done every two years, you'll need to complete 30 hours of continuing education.

California is a bit stricter the most other states in terms of what it allows for continuing education. You can see a list of what is approved for earning continuing education credits on the Board of Vocational Nursing’s web site at www.bvnpt.ca.gov.

Generally, you can count any classes or programs you’ve taken that were taught by a nationally recognized educational or nursing organization.  Continuing education classes from an approved community or technical college can usually count for almost all of your hours, though the BVN does sometimes require nurses to become educated on current trends in nursing and medicine.