Forcing LPN's out?

I am an LPN and am going back to school to get my RN. I have enjoyed being an LPN. I just want to have more opportunities. There are some hospitals that will hire LPN's but 15.00 is about it. I work PRN at a LTC for 18.00/hr. I also have worked for a pediatrician and got paid 15.00/hr. I do know that agency or home health nursing pays more. But most of nursing you have to do it for the profession not necessarily for the money.

I'm currently a CNA and want to go back to school. I have an application in at the closest nursing school to me. I happened to neb on a major hospital website (www.upmc.com) where I live outside Pittsburgh, PA. .LPN's make no where near what I thought they made here unless you go into LTC. The LPN jobs are actually classified as "technical positions" and the starting pay is a little over 12.00 an hour, which maxes out at I think 15 something an hour.

I am seriously reconsidering my decision because of the logistics of driving REALLY far to clinicals with the way the winters are up here and the disruption I know this will cause in my families routine. Especially considering the fact that I made 11.00 an hour as a CNA.

Is this the current trend? Everyone says "oh, they've been talking about phasing out LPN's for years, it'll never happen." This isn't the only hospital website that's listing LPN jobs as technical positions...alot of the positions don't even REQUIRE LPN licensure, you can apply for the same exact jobs with CMA certification. Are you going to HAVE to become an RN to even make nursing financially rewarding? :uhoh21:

Please don't suggest going RN. I really don't want to go that route for various reasons.

Insights? Input?

Lorraine-CNA

LOrriane Hi from Mike in Miami-I work as an LPN. I worked in the Gov.(Va) for several years. LPNs without any exp. start at a GS3-(there are steps 1-10 in each gs level) they top out at GS6. GS3-step one-I don't think hit$10/hr. However if you tough it out and make it to GS6-step 10 -as I was when I left--I was up to around $19/hr. Now maybe they top out at $20-more or less. I had locality premium also as my area was considered "high cost of living"-and you work very hard for it. I made a couple huge salary jumps due to a few outstanding evaluations and hit my top step in 7 years. This is not usual. Gross was maybe around $40K yearly. I left 2 years ago-for home health- and last year I hit $70,000. Had I worked harder I might have grossed $100K. I work Hard-7 days a week on home health visits 5-6 pts. bid-so 80-90 visits weekly. I like it as I am an independent person who does not like to take marching orders in a hospital nor the gossip and backbiting so prevelant in that setting. With my routine-if I move and see my pts. I make $$$$-if I goof off no$$$-but all up to my own effort. In the hospital-your wages are controlled-sometimes beyond your control no:o good.I could never go back to staffing and taking marching orders. I doubt that they will ever do away with LPNs.If you are resourceful-you can make$$$. Have faith in yourself. Hope this helps-Mike.