Disappointed in pay

[Michizzle]

I am a recent LPN graduate and decided to start my career off in an ALF, to gain the necessary experience in the management side of nursing. Especially with things that I did not learn in school such as paperwork. I live in Florida. I realize that pay down here is less than up north for example wisconsin. I was shocked when I was offered 13.00/hr for 3rd shift supervisor! I walked out with 13.75, but I am still disappointed and shocked. I even told the ineterviewer that i did not expect anything less than 15. I have classmates starting at 16.50-18.00.

I am trying to look at the bright side of it.

1. the facility seems good, the DON was very open and honest about everything that the facility deals with on a personal lefvel and i appreciated that.

2. It is a job..it puts money in my pocket!

3. It is close to home which makes transportation very cheap

4. I am gaining the management experience that I need and also good references for future.

5. The hours fit my schedule and I have weekends off.

However, I would appreciate a little more pay! Especially sine I will be filling big shoes while the LPN that runs the place has her baby next month!

Any ideas regarding this?

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

There are good and poor workers in all facilities, union and non unionized. We have ways of weeding bad apples out. The collective agreements will only carry anyone so far.

That's good to know :) It seems in other types of work (i.e. teachers) the duds just keep on going, like a roach after the exterminator shows up I've always been against unions w/nursing (JMHO) because of strikes, etc. I've seen too many headaches with teacher strikes- and lost respect for the diehards who were out there making fools of themselves the day school started (instead of planning ahead) and not looking at what it did to the kids to have to be held hostage with their mayhem. I can understand them more for manual labor where the risk of abuse and injury is higher (machinery unsafe, sweat shops, etc).... again- JMHO :) And, it seems like so much ends up a political mess- and I'm very disgusted with politics in general, so anything that keeps company with PACs and other political stuff is on my "h*ll no" list But to each his/her own :)

[Michizzle]

Am I the only one wondering why a facility would want a brand new grad as a shift supervisor??? Isnt that a postition that would require at least a few years of nursing experience. And a supervisor making 13/hr is likely making less than those they are supervising.Something just doesnt seem right with that picture

I agree. And those were my thoughts exactly. I first thought they were taking advantage of a young naive girl giving a low pay for a big job. I did not understand why I was introduced to everyone as 3rd shift supervisor, LPN...yet having pay that does not add up to that. The DON told me that techinically an assisted living does not need an LPN and that the majority of their staff is Med Techs. I am still lost at the fact that I AM an LPN and I went to school for LPN I should be paid as an LPN not as a med tech.

The story goes -- their LPN, that is basically their backbone, is going on maternity leave next month. They did just hire an LPN 5 weeks ago but apaprently she is still making basicc mistakes. When I applied it sparked their ineterest to bring on another LPN to pick up the slack of the newbie yet pull some weight when the other LPN is on maternity leave.

All in all it sounds to me like they need a nurse, they need a nurse now, and being a lil cheap!