Do you get paid enough for what you do?

Nurses LPN/LVN

Published

Specializes in LTC.

I'd just like to know if any of you out there think you get paid enough for what you do? And if not why?

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Id venture to say that there a many nurses out there that think that NO amount of money could be worth doing some of the things nurses have to do and put up with. Specifically, the politics that goes on in the workplace.

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nope :o

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Specializes in L & D; Postpartum.

I'm happy with my pay, which nudges $50/hour when shift differenential is factored in. It's time and a half if called in off call, plus $4.00 per hour for weekend hours.

So yes, I am happy with that. HOWEVER, it's taken 31 years to get there and alas! I wanting to retire. My husband just retired so the last thing I want to say is, "oh, honey we can't do that. I have to work."

In addition, I think working conditions are abyssmal. We have a pretty strong union, but working conditions are hard to change. I think our administration sees us as property, to do with as they please, and I've even heard some say of Per Diem nurses (that would be me): "The per diems can do that (night shifts, holidays, etc.). That's what they're for."

To put that pay amount in perspective, I think I got $5.84 per hour when I first got out of nursing school in 1976. By 1992 or so, I was getting $24 per hour as a per diem nurse. All our per diems got the same thing, regardless of years of experience of area of expertise. We slowly got that changed and 7 years ago, the per diems went on our grid, (years of experience adjustments and annual adjustments, not based on hours worked.) That made a huge difference, and all of a sudden, I was making over $$40 an hour. Too bad it took nearly all my years to get that done. But I like to think that I've helped (I am on our union negotiating team) make it better for those who come after me.

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Specializes in Psych, LTC, Correctional.

The work we do is priceless. I am happy with what I get paid but realistically who wouldnt want more!

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

No. I'm an LPN and get paid half of what RNs make, but I do the same amount of work. Granted, I do have to rely on RNs to help me with procedures that are outside my scope of practice, but overall I'm just as busy as they are. I am not eligible to join the union, and so the hospital is getting cheap labor out of me. However, I do make more than I did as a CNA (barely), and I am learning so much and gaining so much experience that by the time I am an RN, I'll already have gone through the "reality shock" phase and be more prepared to get down to the nitty gritty. While the hospital is benefiting by employing me, I am also benefiting from having the opportunity to work and gain valuable experience.

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Specializes in LTC.
I think its pretty sad what I get paid. $2.50 more than my old job as a CNA and $1.50 more than someone I know who works at the mall.:o

Where on earth are you located that you get paid so little?

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

I don't think any nurse feels that they are paid their worth. But, what gets to me is that I can get paid more for three days as an agency nurse than I do in two weeks at my regular job. But, agencies have no sick time, unions, pension or medical benefits, which takes a portion of my salary, anyway.

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What dissatisfies me about my pay is the dishonesty that goes along with it. What I mean by that is when the manager tells me that everyone in my job classification is being paid the same rates; then down the road, I find several making more than me. People hired after me. People whose work ethics leave plenty to be desired. People who can not pass the boards. People who fraudulently fill out their time sheets, etc., etc. One would tell me to mind my own business, but it is my business when I find this info out and discover that I've been lied to and I am capable of comparing (objectively) my job performance. In no way am I saying that I'm God's gift to nursing, but I do a better job than many that I have discovered cheating the patients and cheating the employer. When I discuss my pay with my employer I get blown off, like I'm inconsequential. It takes time and effort to keep going around to find an employer who will pay me the going rate that others make. This is what bothers me.

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Specializes in Home Health, PDN, LTC, subacute.

In my last job in a LTC I felt I wasn't paid enough, not even $20 an hour for 30+ residents. Some were there for rehab fresh out of the hospital. I don't understand why they won't give the staff more money instead of paying agencies tons of $$$$. I think they could cut their agency use to almost zero if they paid better and had a reputation for paying well. Oh well

Current job in home health; I feel I am paid enough for what I do. Sometimes I feel guilty, like today when we went to the movies!

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Home health is one of the best kept secrets in nursing. All that pay to take care of one patient at a time. Getting paid to go to the movies. Can't beat it. Of course, unless you find out that others are getting paid several dollars an hour more than you are for the same work.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

When I did home health nursing, it was rewarding financially and physically. I do plan to go back to it once I get more med-surg experience. I was well rested, always had a good book to read and the money was nothing to sneeze at.

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