Beginning RN Salary in Louisiana

U.S.A. Louisiana

Published

Hi everyone,

I am just starting clinicals this fall at LSUE, and I know I am kinda jumping the gun here :rolleyes:, but I was just curious as to how much new RN's actually make just starting out around the Lafayette or Baton Rouge areas.

I know that you can look up salaries at www.salaries.com, but that would be averages for all RN's in the area. Not beginners like I hope to be some day.

I am thinking around $40,000/yr, or $18-$20/hr. If any of you new nurses can let me know, I would appreciate it!

THANKS,

Penny

$16??? Gosh I was making $18 plus /hr as LPN. I am awaiting graduation as RN and this is aweful, makes me want to go back as LPN....That is crazy.

In NOLA, starting salary is anywhere from $22-25/hr; plus loan payment of $300/mo; eve diff is 4, night is 5, weekend is 5; HTH!

oh, and most hospitals will give you credit for working as lpn; for example, for every 3 yrs as lpn, they will give you one year experience as rn...for salary purposes. sweet!

mzjones you can get a better deal than that. My daughter is an R.N. working in alexandria, and your base pay needs to be closer to $21 per hour, even if you are a new or recent grad. Even with 6 months experience you have an edge and your worth is more than that. The shortage is just being realized in that area, so don't be afraid to ask for a higher base rate. Even if you are a halfway decent nurse, at a cost of only $18.50 an hour, you are a steal of a deal to them and they are probably hoping you don't figure that out.

At Huey P. Long (or lsu whatever it is called these days) my daughter was offered a no benefit non guaranteed hours position on the o.b. floor (with no experience) at a rate of $27 per hour. That isn't including shift diffs and weekend pay. There were plenty of full time positions available to her, but she requested this type of employment, they call it the flex program (no benefits or retirement). Even though they do not guarantee 40 hours, most of the nurses on this program were working as many overtime hours as they wanted. They also give very long orientations with preceptorships, over 8 weeks and more if needed until the nurse is confident.

I know it really isn't ALL about the PAY, but if you are doing a good job and aren't getting paid what you are worth and can do better elsewhere, the PAY really needs to go UP.

I use to work in HR at Lafayette General and worked with the nurse recruiter. I don't know the salary now (this was back in 04-05) but they are one of the lower paying hospitals but they have good benefits and "extras" (or they did at the time).

Now I'm back in Houston and I heard the starting salary for a BSN was $28.00 some places here.

That really is low. $16-18/hr doesnt seem like its worth it. I really hope its gone up since then.

that really is low. $16-18/hr doesn't seem like its worth it. i really hope its gone up since then.

there are always other incentives as well as shift diffs that really do add up. i live in shreveport, just graduated in may. the new grad pay averages $20-23/hr for day shift and $26-27/hr with night shift diffs. plus some places have built in ot.

I started out in Monroe at 18.50 plus 4.00 night diff. A few months ago, they started paying us 2.50 for weekend diff. After my raise last year, I make little over $24 an hour. I also work PRN at another local hospital and it depends on how many hours you work a week. I signed up for 24 hrs a week. That pay scale is $30 an hour plus $4 night diff. That is working on telemetry. If you work the unit here, the pay starts at 36.00 plus night and weekend diff. Thats almost agency pay. If I didnt need the ins, I would quit my fulltime job and work all my hours PRN cause they are trying to get rid of agency nurses and they are still short staffed. I get called all the time to come in but cant cause of my fulltime job.

Specializes in nothing.

hey guys im m/25/la , i am currently attending nursing school but haven't gotten excepted into clinicals yet, i am a certified emt-b with cpr etc... i need a job oviously one that pays, but if i have to , i would volunteer somewhere... i am just looking to gain experience for my own personal knowledge and for the future when i do look for a job....i would love to be an er tech , but i haven't found any openings, any pointers ?

WOW nurses at Touro in NOLA make $44/hr base, plus $4 eve/$5 night diffs! (obviously no weekend diff since it's a weekend only full-time job...but weekend diff for other FT positions is $5/hr.

Specializes in nothing.

wow, thats crazy! why are they paying so much???

WOW is "weekend only worker" and must have 2 years experience, works q fri/sat/sunday 12 hr shifts. good for some i guess! so night WOW are earning $49/hr! and that's fulltime, with benefits, etc. PM me if you are interested, I will try to get you an interview on a unit currently hiring WOW.

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