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Discussion

Does experience help RNs get paid more?

Hi, I live near Buffalo ny. I wanted to know if having LPN experience for a year or two will help me get paid better once I'm an RN with a 2 year degree. Does the experience just help me land the job or will I start out at a higher pay rate than the standard rate for any new grad? I heard they pay more if you were a nurse assistant while in RN school but how about being an LPN?

Featured Replies

  • Admin

This is going to depend on the facility and your negotiation skills. Some facilities will take into account experience in other healthcare professions, some will not.

It may help u get an RN job but not be higher on the RN pay scale...as the RN pay scale is for RN experience only. You would start at the base salary (plus any shift as in evening or night differential pay) and salary would increase with each year of RN experience you get. And having a 2yr degree (ASN) will be easier to get jobs upstate. In NYC people with a 2yr degree have an even harder time finding job than those with BSN.

  • Experts

Have never seen prior experience at the LPN level count for an increased rate at the RN level.

  • Author

So what about if your an aide? Does that account to an increase in pay for RNs?

I worked as a CNA for 4 years prior to becoming an RN. It made ZERO difference in pay, a new grad is a new grad. All new grads without RN experience start at the new grad rate.

  • Author

So it doesn't make a difference paywise but employers would rather take people who are "more ready".

Pretty much. In this job market, "more ready" and "previous experience" just mean you get a foot in the door or face time or a call back or a slightly higher chance at the job. Many people consider that the same as coin. I do.

It doesn't equal increased starting pay.

It can also depend if the facility is a union one, since the union tends to negotiate pay rates with experience factored in.

It may help u get an RN job but not be higher on the RN pay scale...as the RN pay scale is for RN experience only. You would start at the base salary (plus any shift as in evening or night differential pay) and salary would increase with each year of RN experience you get. And having a 2yr degree (ASN) will be easier to get jobs upstate. In NYC people with a 2yr degree have an even harder time finding job than those with BSN.

Not necessarily. For my first new grad RN position (per diem) I was on the rate scale of a new grad even with my LPN experience. It helped me land the job but not get a higher rate of pay.

However, my part time RN position as a new grad RN(in another hospital) they took into consideration my years of LPN experience and paid me at a higher rate than the new grad scale..as well, my 6 months of RN experience pushed it up even more. The years of LPN did not equal the rate of pay for an RN with the same amount of years. My three years of LPN came to a years worth of 'experience' toward the RN scale. As well, my 6 months of working as an RN pushed it up just a bit more.

It just depends on the hospital. Some do not use LPN experience to increase the pay rate, some do but have a ratio of years as LPN. Some hospitals don't look at LPN experience as counting you as an experienced nurse while others will.

Have never seen prior experience at the LPN level count for an increased rate at the RN level.

It did for me for one of my positions (got a higher pay rate due to my LPN experience. I was hired at new grad rate but they added my experience as an LPN which pushed it up, so I am being paid more than a new grad with no experience. The other place I work didn't push up my pay scale due to my LPN experience but did look at my LPN experience as having nursing experience.

Oops...I just noticed this was posted in the New York forum. I'm sorry. My info is about hospitals in CT. Can't speak for any NY hosptials as I've never worked in NY.

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