Licensed Vocational Nurse Jobs in Bakersfield, CA
Licensed vocational nurses in Bakersfield earn a median of about $36.60 an hour, and Kaiser Permanente, Kern Medical and Clinica Sierra Vista are all posting LVN openings. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring, what the work pays and how to get licensed in California.
Current licensed vocational nurse Openings in Bakersfield, CA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Licensed Vocational Nurse Work in Bakersfield
Many LVN jobs in Bakersfield are in clinics, urgent care and long-term care rather than on hospital floors. Kaiser Permanente staffs LVNs at its Stockdale Medical Offices on Stockdale Highway and its Chester Avenue offices, and Clinica Sierra Vista hires them for health centers in Central and South Bakersfield. Kern Medical on Mount Vernon Ave employs vocational nurses in its recuperative care program, and Adventist Health Bakersfield on Chester Ave posts LVN roles in its emergency department.
Skilled nursing and dialysis are the other big employers. Kern River Transitional Care and Bakersfield Post Acute hire treatment and shift LVNs, and DaVita hires LVNs for its Bakersfield dialysis clinics. Not every hospital is adding LVNs: Dignity Health laid off vocational nurses at its Mercy campuses in summer 2026, so clinic, urgent care and post-acute employers are the more reliable door in.
Top Bakersfield Employers Hiring Licensed Vocational Nurses
These Bakersfield employers have current LVN postings:
- Kaiser Permanente - hires LVNs for urgent care at its Stockdale Medical Offices and float roles at its Chester Avenue offices.
- Kern Medical - the county teaching hospital on Mount Vernon Ave hires Vocational Nurse I and II staff for its recuperative care program.
- Adventist Health Bakersfield - the downtown hospital on Chester Ave posts full-time LVN roles in its emergency department.
- Clinica Sierra Vista - the community health center network hires LVNs for its Central Bakersfield and South Bakersfield health centers, including a float pool.
- DaVita - the dialysis provider hires LVNs for its Bakersfield clinics.
- Kern River Transitional Care - the skilled nursing facility hires full-time treatment nurse LVNs.
Licensed Vocational Nurse Salaries in Bakersfield
- Entry level: about $28 to $32 an hour, common at skilled nursing and dialysis employers.
- Experienced: roughly $33 to $39 an hour at clinics, urgent care and hospital programs.
- Senior / top of scale: about $40 to $44 an hour for experienced LVNs at the top of hospital and clinic pay scales.
These are estimates from federal wage data for the Bakersfield-Delano area and current local postings, including Kern Medical's $27 to $42 vocational nurse scale and Kaiser's $33.83 to $39 urgent care range. IV certification, shift differentials and a move from skilled nursing to a clinic or hospital system are the biggest pay movers.
How to Become a Licensed Vocational Nurse in Bakersfield
California uses the title licensed vocational nurse, not licensed practical nurse. You need to finish a state-approved vocational nursing program, pass the NCLEX-PN, and be licensed by the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians. In Bakersfield, Bakersfield College on Panorama Drive offers a vocational nursing certificate that takes 12 to 18 months, Carrington College on New Stine Rd runs a vocational nursing program, and the Bakersfield Adult School Health Careers Center on F St offers an LVN track. Some employers, including Kaiser's Stockdale urgent care, also ask for IV certification.
What the Job Involves
LVNs give medications and injections, take vital signs, change dressings and treat wounds, collect specimens, and report changes in a patient's condition to the registered nurse or provider. In clinics they room patients, give vaccines and handle patient calls; in skilled nursing they often run a medication cart or a treatment cart for a whole hall. Charting in the electronic record is part of every shift.
Skills Employers Look For
- An active California LVN license
- IV certification for urgent care and hospital roles
- BLS (CPR) certification
- Medication administration and wound care
- Electronic health record charting
- Bilingual English and Spanish communication
Career Path and Advancement
Many Bakersfield LVNs start in skilled nursing, then move into clinics, urgent care or hospital programs for better hours and pay. The biggest step up is becoming a registered nurse: Bakersfield College runs an LVN to RN path that credits your vocational nursing training, and graduates can continue to CSU Bakersfield's RN to BSN program. Experienced LVNs also move into charge nurse, treatment nurse and clinic lead roles.
Related Careers in Bakersfield
If vocational nursing interests you, these Bakersfield guides are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an LVN the same as an LPN?
Yes, the role is the same. California and Texas use the title licensed vocational nurse, while most other states say licensed practical nurse. Both take the NCLEX-PN exam.
How much do LVNs make in Bakersfield?
The median LVN wage in the Bakersfield-Delano area is about $36.60 an hour. Skilled nursing roles often start around $28 to $32, while clinics, urgent care and hospital programs pay roughly $33 to $42.
How long does it take to become an LVN in Bakersfield?
Bakersfield College's vocational nursing certificate takes 12 to 18 months. Carrington College and the Bakersfield Adult School also run vocational nursing programs in town. After that you sit for the NCLEX-PN and apply for your California license.
Who licenses LVNs in California?
The Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians licenses LVNs in California. It approves training programs, processes applications and handles license renewals.
Can an LVN become an RN in Bakersfield?
Yes. Bakersfield College offers an LVN to RN path for licensed vocational nurses, which leads to an associate degree in nursing and eligibility for the NCLEX-RN.
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