Do LPN's get the pay they deserve?

Nurses General Nursing

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I am an LPN in SW Missouri. I make $11.50 an hour. I do 90% of the same job that the RN's do on my floor. Am I whining? Do LPN's really get what they deserve? Does LPN really stand for Low Paid Nurse?

Define extra duties. The only things the RN's have to do for me is give IV pain Meds, Hang blood and check my seeseement. I do everything else.

Well, I agree that you may think that your job almost mirrors the RNs on your unit, but in truth, it may not- since you have never actually done the RN's extra duties. I agree all nurses should make more.

Define extra duties. The only things the RN's have to do for me is give IV pain Meds, Hang blood and check my seeseement. I do everything else.

Specializes in Public Health, DEI.

Like all other professions, nursing pay isn't based strictly on what duties are performed, but for the education and knowledge that is necessary to do them. They are also driven by the laws of supply and demand. Yes, you do 90% of the work a registered nurse does, but it is that other 10% that takes the experience that an RN brings to the job through her education and training. The answer to your question has two parts as far as I'm concerned. Are LPNs paid what they're worth? In most cases, no. On the other hand, should they earn 90% of an RN's salary because they do 90% of what an RN does? Again, but for different reasons, no. We will always need good RNs, and good LPNs typically go on to make good RNs. Have you considered furthering your education?

Specializes in Registered Nurse.
Define extra duties. The only things the RN's have to do for me is give IV pain Meds, Hang blood and check my seeseement. I do everything else.

I worked as a hospital LPN for many years...then I worked for the same hospital as a RN. Just off the top of my head...Yes, the IVPs and transfusions through peripheral lines. Then the physical assessments take some extra minutes for each patient. RNs had to do them for each LPN's patient each shift....but the RNs usually split the LPNs patients to do assessments on. Central line blood draws, flushes, and hanging central line IV meds. could also be very time consuming...especially if you had more than one patient that needed most of those procedures during your shift. I found I was busier as a RN than I would have thought when I was a LPN. It looked easier than it was. Just my experience.

I worked as a hospital LPN for many years...then I worked for the same hospital as a RN. Just off the top of my head...Yes, the IVPs and transfusions through peripheral lines. Then the physical assessments take some extra minutes for each patient. RNs had to do them for each LPN's patient each shift....but the RNs usually split the LPNs patients to do assessments on. Central line blood draws, flushes, and hanging central line IV meds. could also be very time consuming...especially if you had more than one patient that needed most of those procedures during your shift. I found I was busier as a RN than I would have thought when I was a LPN. It looked easier than it was. Just my experience.

This is going back and forth. Look, I am the only LPN on our unit. I flush central lines and havg IV's on central lines. The job limitations for LPN's differ by state. Unless there is a problem, the RN's I work with spend less than 10 minutes per shift with my patients. I never said that I expected 90% of an RN's wages. All I expect is fair pay for work performed. ALL nurses don't get the pay they deserve.

Specializes in Registered Nurse.
This is going back and forth. Look, I am the only LPN on our unit. I flush central lines and havg IV's on central lines. The job limitations for LPN's differ by state. Unless there is a problem, the RN's I work with spend less than 10 minutes per shift with my patients. I never said that I expected 90% of an RN's wages. All I expect is fair pay for work performed. ALL nurses don't get the pay they deserve.

Well, it went back and forth because it is a discussion and you asked me what extra duties and I told you. LOL. Yes, each state is different. Also, some specialty units here in NY are covered for the LPNs to do more when trained to. I worked hemodialysis as a LPN and also did do all that the RNs did except I could not be in charge. What state are you in?

I've been an LVN for twenty years, and have learned alot about the whole ball of wax.

If I was you, I would ck out the other hospital's/places around the area you work (and look within a 25 mile zone) and see what the LVn's are making there!

I know that when I worked at one place (and I dearly loved that job) I was making a good 5-7 dollars less than anywhere else in the area. I hated too, but I quit there, and went to work where I could make more. I really hated leaving that place, and felt so much like my family, but my home family deserved the best I could get. It took awhile, but I finally made a new work family and was happy again, AND WORTH MORE!!! LOL

I've also noticed that the small town pd less, and the closer to the bigger towns you get, the higher the pay is too, so maybe that will be a factor in it for you to work.

PERSONALLY, 11 bucks an hr is SO LOW it's outragous, unless your cost of living is away lot less than everywhere less up there.

As far as the question, I do think that the pay should be somewhat different, but based on same factors, (another words, new grad's v/s new grad's make less) and I think that ADN's should be paid less that BSN's. It's the time put into education, the time on the job,etc etc. that should be counted!

education is definitely the key. i have been accepted into a bsn program. i look forward to furthering my education and becoming a more rounded nurse. i have been an lpn for three years and worked in the same unit for that time. i live in sw missouri. that in and of itself could be the problem. we have two fair sized hospitals that act like highschool rivals. i guess what really got me going is that rn's in our hospital got a $0.44 pay raise...again. i know and understand how valuable rn's our to hospitals, but what does this say to other employees? i deserve more than the standard 3% annual raise. i have already been looking at hospitals in florida for when i graduate. i love my job in pediatrics and don't ever see myself leaving. one of the nurse recruiters contacted me by e-mail and said that if i were to apply now with 5 years experience in peds, i would start about $23.00. the hospital i work for now, with 5 years in peds would only start me out just above new grad pay, about $17.00. our area may not have the highest cost of living, but the rates of pay for rn's is absurd.

:rolleyes: any opinions on unions for nurses? :rolleyes:

Define extra duties. The only things the RN's have to do for me is give IV pain Meds, Hang blood and check my seeseement. I do everything else.

This in all fairness can add up to quite a bit if the RN also has her own workload and additional expectations (such as census, acuities, and management paperwork) Not trying to be argumentative, but am presenting the reality...and I was a LPN prior to becoming an RN so I know of what I speak personally from both perspectives.

Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
Define extra duties. The only things the RN's have to do for me is give IV pain Meds, Hang blood and check my seeseement. I do everything else.

And those things can be time-consuming for the RN who has his/her own stuff to do, along with what you just listed here.

Yep, LPN stands for Low Paid Nurses. I have heard nursing boards ALL over the country try to grandfather in current LPNs to RNs, and make entry level nursing RN. It is the corporations and the big business people that DO NOT want it. An LPN is cheaper, and has only a few less responsibilties than the RN. Bottom line, it is cheaper labor, doing much of the same work!!!!!!! In my state, CNAs start at 9-10$/h, LPNs 11-12$/h, RNs 21-24$/h. THAT is a big discrepancy, as I feel all nurses, are my peers. LPNs and RNs are NURSES. We all care for patients. And as I am, on a roll, CNAs should make more, as their job, is likely, the most physical job encountered. :) Former CNA, former LPN, RN currently......:) 10 years.:)

Specializes in Long-term care, wound care.

I also agree that LPN stands for Low Paid Nurse. I could go off on this subject for hours. I work in LTC and at my facility LPN's run the place. We have one RN that actually works the floor and that's it. (She works 2 nights a week and late night shift only-BTW) The "big- wigs "get around the RN coverage law by counting the DON and ADON's hours as RN coverage even though they do not work the floor and the only time you see them is when they are going out to smoke or eat. They dump half of their workload onto us LPN's and can get away with it because they are our "Superiors" and will write us up or cut our hours if we refuse b/c we are too busy. I truely believe LPN's do deserve higher pay and more respect . I feel this way b/c I always have to work alone and I am in charge of 75 residents and all the CNA's and all the med aide's and then I'm supposed to draw blood(one of the ADON's duties) and , as I'm sure alot of other LPN's do this as well- I find myself being not only an LPN but a CNA, CMA, Housekeeper, Laundry Aide, Handyman ,Secretary/Answering service, and Whipping post for whatever ticked off family member or other staff member comes along.Forget about taking a break or going to the bathroom too!I won't even get started on when our main Dr. comes in to do rounds and sees and makes orders for 20 residents at a time. And in between all this I am supposed to find time to do my regular daily duties and actually have time to care for and nurture my residents. So ,do I think LPN's are underpaid? You bet your a** I do! (Thanks for the vent! I feel much better!) :uhoh3:

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