Pay Scale & Ratios

World International

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I had to make myself clear in my title since I confused people with the RPN. I wanted to find out what's the difference in pay between RN & RPN/LPN. What is the average starting salary for both? No place in particular, I'm just curious because I want to see the difference between Canadian nurses and US nurses.

Here in the Bay Area (California) a RN can start off between $42-$50 an hour, some places higher and some places lower. LVN's can start off between $23-$29 dollars an hour depending on where you're working. The lower end tend to be nurisng homes, and higher end tend to be the prison system. Since I'm ignorant in the exchange rate, I have no idea what that is in Canadian dollars, maybe someone can help me with the exchange rate.

Here in California we also have ratios in the hospitals. But unfortunately in the nurisng homes, there are no ratios and the residents there suffer because the care is inadequate due to the patient nurse ratio. Most of it is because the nurses don't have the time, we're considered pill pushers in the nurisng home. What's your system like there in the hospitals and nursing homes? Thanks

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

I found this sticky Jan did good for pay scale info Cross country comparison of wages

Here's a link to my employer. The rates are across the province for all public facilities.

https://www.capitalhealth.ca/Careers/CareerOpportunities/HR_EmploymentCategory.asp?jb1=2&jb2=JY-52213-CC LPN (currently in year two of a four year contract, with scheduled increments over the next two years)

https://www.capitalhealth.ca/Careers/CareerOpportunities/HR_EmploymentCategory.asp?jb1=2&jb2=DS-45374-cc RN (contract expires soon and up for renegotiation)

Both contracts have shift premiums for evenings, nights, and weekends.

Doctors offices, medi centres, private places (like botox centres/cosmetic stuff) usually pay the union rate, some pay a bit more to make up for the lack of comparable benefits and do much to publicize their "family friendly" hours.

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.
I found this sticky Jan did good for pay scale info Cross country comparison of wages

Thanks SD. That link also has information about things other than salary, like hours of work, shift differentials, vacation allotment, sick time, educational allowances and other tidbits that Fiona has referred to. It gives a fairly accurate picture of the good things and the bad things about working in each province.

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