Is the salary of an LPN even Worth the trouble of going to school?? - Page 8

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  1. Aug 12, '08 by
    Quote from ocb_dave_ocb
    Let me see if I can give you a little insight here Tony, seeing that I am from East TN too.. I actually live about 15 miles north of Knoxville. If you want to continue to work in a hospital your correct you will make significantly less money.. If you want a cake job as an LPN you could do something like a Methadone clinic...

    DRD mangament in Knoxville pays $15 per hour and you work M - F from 5:30 AM to 2:30 PM

    Currently I have been workin at a LTC SNF, I work 3 days per week.. M-T-W 6pm-6am Off every T-F-S-S I a make $17.50/hr.. My wife also works there, same days been there 5 years and she makes $19.38/hr.... Last year we filed > $69,000 together last year on our taxes. I think that is good money in EAST TN for < 1 yr school.. Try making that in a factory... Or @ Wendys..

    It doesn't always have to be about the money. I will admit when I went to Nursing school it was for the $$ and the fact my mom was a Nursing Supervisor she coaxed me into going. Now that I have been a nurse for 2.5 years I love my pt's. and I have established a great rapport I wouldnt change it for anything

    Good luck either way Tony, oh btw where abouts are you in East TN. Maybe the wife and I could give you some pointers?

    Alot of people talk bad about LTC's I love mine. I have a 28 bed skilled hall, its not as bad there either because we only have RN's on 1st shift. SOOO no Chest Tubes, or PICC lines.
    Thanks for the reply, I live in Johnson City, but I work at Bristol Regional Med Ctr (wicked long drive).

    The LPN's that I work with are hospital based, one mom on my son's baseball team is an LPN at the JC skin cancer place and she makes about $20 an hour, so you can make money as an LPN even in JC. She's been an LPN for awhile though.

    How has your experience been as a male LPN? I agree about bonding with the patients, I love my long term pt and the frequent flyers.

    I went to school orientation yesterday and hope to be able to make through school without falling flat on my face.

    Tony
  2. Aug 13, '08 by
    Quote from Tony1790
    How has your experience been as a male LPN? I agree about bonding with the patients, I love my long term pt and the frequent flyers.

    I went to school orientation yesterday and hope to be able to make through school without falling flat on my face.

    Tony

    My experience has been a great one thus far in my journey of life, nursing etc. I am a people person anyway, So I do well with my pts. Though some think im the MD, have to initiate pt teaching lol. I just try and do the job best I can.. There are a few drawbacks (some times a good thing) Some elderly ladies down want a male to cath them, do pericare, put them on the bed pan etc. Then there are also some males that down want a female to do caths.. So you hear on the PA " David Smith, LPN please come to the south nurses desk," And of course you get the pleasure of hearing, Hey so and so is a big Lady/Man can you help me transfer them, or Mr. XXX doesn't want me to cath him do you mind doing it..

    My team of co-workers is exceptional, I work with a female LPN on my hall, So sometimes we trade off if she has a male or I have a female that prefers the opposite gender.

    Also on the other hall is my wife and her best friend.. So I do get called alot, " hey honey can you come over here and help me do...." But that works both ways.. That is a completely different story though.. I actually met my wife working were I do, and we have been married over a year and a half and we have a beautiful baby girl..

    Those are some of my experiences as a male, congrats on the school thing.. Stay focuesed and you will do great.
    Tony1790 likes this.
  3. Aug 14, '08 by
    I am an LPN who has made up to $22.50/hr. Right now, I'm in a LTC facility and not making as much, but I also work ten minutes from home and the cost of gas these days helps the lower pay even out. I began as an LPN because our local ADN programs were full and I didn't want to wait to get to work. I will graduate from RN bridge in May. I believe it was well worth it because I not only got some great experience, but I also made money while finishing school! Good luck to you!
  4. Aug 15, '08 by
    Yeah, Tony East TN was very specific, but others who posted were not being as specific. BTW, if you are a Veteran, why would you need others to validate a decision, YOU have to make? Man-Up and make it on your on. Life is full of decisions good and bad, we struggle, we strive, we survive.
    IS THAT SPECIFIC ENOUGH FOR YA? Yes I'm also a Vet.
    And for those who might think I'm being a little harsh with Tony.... It is a VETERAN thing !
  5. Aug 15, '08 by
    Quote from navvet
    Yeah, Tony East TN was very specific, but others who posted were not being as specific. BTW, if you are a Veteran, why would you need others to validate a decision, YOU have to make? Man-Up and make it on your on. Life is full of decisions good and bad, we struggle, we strive, we survive.
    IS THAT SPECIFIC ENOUGH FOR YA? Yes I'm also a Vet.
    And for those who might think I'm being a little harsh with Tony.... It is a VETERAN thing !
    It's cool man, I reckon I'll go to school, not too many other choice gigs lined up right now. It sucks going from operating mulit-million dollar pieces of equipment to wiping butts and getting paid very little to do it

    About half the nurses I work with say they would not go into nursing if given the chance to have done something else and about 90% say to skip LPN altogether. Even the LPN's say if you can go RN do so, I had one tell me last night that they resent having to do the same exact work as the RN for half the pay.

    See ya in the funny papers

    Tony

    P.S. I knew that specific enough for you dig would get to ya...but ya gave it right back :-) BTW, what rate were you? I was Chief Boatswains Mate
  6. Aug 21, '08 by
    Tony, I was an RM. Now they call them Information specialist. As a Chief, I'm guessing you retired from the Navy, you should be bringing in a nice chunk of change? I got out a long time ago, and went into Law Enforcement, during my stint as a Police Officer, I accquired my Bachelors in Business Admin. As far as L.E., It got to the point that a police officer could not even defend him/herself because it was not politically correct. So I left it behind and have been in the corporate world since then. But, as the economy has grown weak and good jobs are as cut throat as ever. I decided I would take the plunge and find a job that would always be in demand, recession or not. Taking a long look at the masses and life in general, I decided that being in the health care field, whether it be LPN or RN, would keep me employable. So, I will wipe asses and take care of the sick......A most Noble Profession. Because of my situation in life I must do the Lpn to RN route.... Good luck to ya buddy, Fair winds and following seas.
    njitalgirl and Tony1790 like this.
  7. Mar 9, '09 by
    Today, we all need to be thinking about job security as well. So yes, it is worth it and plenty of opportunity to continue your education or change positions- LTC, Dr.s office, etc.
    njitalgirl likes this.
  8. Mar 9, '09 by
    Quote from *Scrubs*
    Today, we all need to be thinking about job security as well.
    Well normally that would apply, but with the current economic downturn, both Hospital systems locally have been laying off people, getting rid of Nurses in non direct patient care and having repeated call offs. Many nurses are losing 2 twelve hour shifts in a pay period. Most are still employed, but hurting due to having less money to pay bills than they are used to.

    Now that I'm half way thru school, I'm more inclined to say that LPN pay in east TN is no where near worth the cost of 12 months of school, getting and keeping a license and the responisibility for peoples lives when the starting hospital wage is $11.25 - $11.50 per hour, with Doctors offices paying $8 to $10 an hour, LTC is more.

    Here's a butt kicker, I'll use the VA as an example, as a new LPN I'd be making $12.50 to $13.00, ok so far, that's not great but it's a job after going to school, getting a license, etc. Now if I apply for and get the administrative job (greets the patient, gets some info, etc) I'd have a starting wage of $17 and this is in the same facility. Really shows you the value they place on the license and responsibilty doesn't it?

    I'm little more than half way thru school and I intend to finish and get my license, this semester ends next month and graduate in August. I'm confident on passing my boards, but who knows until you take them. Assuming I pass them, I'm really going to have to reassess what I'm going to do, depends how I like the job. Makes sense to get my RN or it may be better to welcome that patient and never have to see his butt without clothes on:chuckle

    Take care,

    Tony

    p.s. My complaint is about pay vs responsibility, not about nursing, I actually like the job, but it's scary. Just not sure if I'm going to want to put my neck on the line for nothing. Of course this may explain why there are fewer men in nursing, men usually don't put up with low wages if given a choice.
  9. Mar 9, '09 by
    i have not gotten in to school yet, taking the entrance exam in april......... but ..........i guess it's up to the individual and why they are making the choice. for me, i've wanted to be a nurse for about 15 years now. unfortunately, with little ones around i was unable to go to school full time. now at 46, i can't go through 4 years of college without any type of pay coming in. so, i put my work aside for a year, hopefully become an lpn and then at some point work towards becoming an rn. if it doesn't happen for me, that's ok, i just want to be a nurse no matter what the pay :-)

    kim in pa
  10. Mar 9, '09 by
    Quote from njitalgirl
    i have not gotten in to school yet, taking the entrance exam in april......... but ..........i guess it's up to the individual and why they are making the choice. for me, i've wanted to be a nurse for about 15 years now. unfortunately, with little ones around i was unable to go to school full time. now at 46, i can't go through 4 years of college without any type of pay coming in. so, i put my work aside for a year, hopefully become an lpn and then at some point work towards becoming an rn. if it doesn't happen for me, that's ok, i just want to be a nurse no matter what the pay :-)

    kim in pa
    you sound alot like me, i'm in my 40's, waited a long time to be able to go into nursing, i gave up a $53,000 a year job to go to lpn school to make $30,000 or so, i know not the smartest thing to do. but i am finishing a desire that i had over 20 years ago and that was to go into nursing. i've been working as a pct (glorified cna) for a year now, and i like working with my patients, but the starting pay between what i make now and the lpn's that i work with is just a little over $2 an hour. no one can tell me that $2 an hour is worth the extra stress, my level of stress is very low compared to the nurses who often cry either at work or at home due to the stress, several of the ones not crying are on prozac. that's why the majority of nurses were telling me not to go into nursing, stress.

    anywho, i hope i can handle the stress of patient care, and enjoy nursing (5 more months to go!) but the extra stress of call offs and low wages is bothering me, but i'd hate to quit school now, i'm over the hump (time wise).

    oh well, this is a thread from last year before i started school, it's march now, gotta finish this stage in life and go from there.

    but to look for the bright side, here's my plan:

    starting pay for a new lpn is $11.25, but starting pay for pct is $7.25, but i negotiated a starting wage of $8.50 and now my base wage is $9.18. my goal of pay is $20 per hour, doubt i can get it, but here goes.

    step 1 - negotiate a higher starting wage based on time served at the hospital, etc, etc. ask for $16, hope for $13.

    step 2 - work nights (currently do) $2.75 night diff

    step 3 - forego benefits, extra 20% pay = $2.60

    step 4 - stay on cardiac step down unit after graduation = 7% acuity or $0.91

    total= 13 + 2.75 + 2.60 + 0.91 = $19.26 an hour, with no benefits though (have them from previous retirement)

    that i can live with, i'd like to be over $20, also like not to work nights, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do. now, the important thing is to see if i like the job once i start, otherwise the pay won't matter!! and then i'll be on to a new career once again i'm getting too old to be a new guy