Raises/ending pay

Specialties Geriatric

Published

I have seen lots of threads on beginning pay but what about raises in LTC nursing. It seems long term care starts nurses at wages higher than hospitals but what happens after being there for 10 years. For instance I have seen a job posting for a RN at a hospital with a beginning salary of $24 hour and an ending salary of $44 hour. I'm going to guess long term care wages don't increase as much as hospitals. Am I wrong? I'm curious because I might have to settle for LTC since I haven't had much luck with hospitals.

What I was really trying to find out is the difference in pay between a senior nurse and a new nurse doing the same job. If your making $28 hour with 10 years of experience and a new nurse is making $26 an hour, then there isn't much of a pay raise. I am worried that LTC is a dead end job with few raises unless you want to become a DON (I want to stay bedside). In a hospital setting there are many fields to choose from and many opportunities for advancement including nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist, registered nurse first assistant, etc. Then there is the concern that once your in LTC, you just threw away your chances in getting a hospital job. I wish I could get into a hospital setting, but I need a job to pay my loans off. Sorry, but LTC is not where my heart is but I need to make a living.

Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

very experienced RN 30/hr as staff nurse, 37/hr adminstrative nurse, 75+G as DON rural SE Texas

i had absolutely no problem transition to hospital critical care, and ER from LTC

I made 37.00 an hour as a staff nurse and then became DON and made $90 G. A lot of places don't pay that well. But there was a freeze on raises for 2 years and if you needed insurance the cost was ridiculous. All the floor nurses made the same amount per hour. It wasn't fair for the nurses, who were with the company for 20 years ,and making the same amount as a new grad.

Regarding, the "settling" for LTC. You used the correct word. Your goal is to work in the acute care setting, but the opportunity is not available right now. We all just settle for something in our lives. I worked in LTC for 13 years and I to was just settling, because I couldn't get the job I wanted, but I ended up liking it. Then I became very burned out and now I'm doing something else for the past 3 years and love going to work everyday. We all have bills to pay! Good Luck!!

Just for more info i started LTC as a RN at $28.25, 1$/hr+ shift for midnights. First raise was 40cents

Specializes in LTC, Education, Management, QAPI.

In tidewater, the going rates for LPNs seems to be (starting) 13 in an office setting, 16 in LTC, and up to 18 for a specialty office. The pay seems to top out at about 17 in the offiice, 23 in LTC, and 25 in specialty (this is 10+ yrs exp).

for RN's, LTC is about 23/24 starting, 29/30 cap. Hospitals have offered 22-25 starting, but there are good differentials that LTC doesnt have. LTC RN's (non don/adon) seem to cap about 33/34 (again, 10+ yrs exp).

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