Do LPN's get the pay they deserve?

HisAlone · Mar 30, 2005

I'm an LPN who is overworked and overpaid, but what LPN or RN or CNA or ... isn't? (LOL). If you find someone who isn't, getting all frantic about it isn't going to add a single day to your life. Healthcare is life in the fast lane and I wouldn't want it any other way. But it is also the most soul-satisfying work to be had. I remember a night when I was a student doing my clinicals, watching an RN in ICU push an IV med and seeing the immediate effect displaying on the cardiac monitor. Right then and there I was struck by a sense of respect for RNs that has never left me. There are great RNs out there and there are lousy RNs out there - just as there are great LVNs and lousy LVNs. I am always disturbed by stereotyping, either implied or assumed, in online forums. My philosophy is to treat everyone with respect, manage your professional relationships well without letting your emotions control you, and do your job to the best of your ability. That way at least you can feel good about yourself. If the job does not fulfill your desires, either financially or otherwise (i.e. Rodney Dangerfield stuff :-), then leave and find a place that does. Yes, it may feel risky, especially when you have little ones at home showing their throats like a nest of baby birds. But the alternative is an exhausted, frustrated, angry, burned-out shell that loses it's value in the home in ways even more important than $$$. When I start in a new job, I'm not the only one who is "on probation". I put the organization on my own probation and I have high expectations. If I find a deficit, I analyze the chances of whether or not I-me-myself can affect a positive change in order to resolve it. I am always amazed at those that limit themselves to a job they hate and grouse about year after year, especially when nursing right now is a veritable smorgasboard of opportunities! Acute hospital, LTC, home care, hospice, dialysis, mental health, clinics, parish nurse, community health, and on and on and on. If your state doesn't pay well or has scope limitations you disagree with - move to another if it's feasible. Take your pick, its ALL good! Nursing (and Life) is what you make of it.

brwnngj · Mar 30, 2005

I'm an LPN who is overworked and overpaid, but what LPN or RN or CNA or ... isn't? (LOL).

Sure you didn't mean underpaid lol

shopgal, RN · Mar 30, 2005

I am an LPN on a long-term vent unit and my job is no different than the RN's jobs, I do all IVs and so on. I make $18.54/hr., I graduated in 2003, so I am at the top of my pay scale LPNwise. But the RNs who do less than I do make $28-32/hr., that is why I am currently enrolled in RN school, to get paid $10 more/hr. to do the exact same job that I am doing now.

shopgal, RN · Mar 30, 2005

To answer your question, NO, as an RN, you do not get paid enough to be responsible for someones else' patients. LPNs get paid enough in my opinion realted to their low level of education and limited scope of practice.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

No, this statement is just too ignorant to warrant a reply, you need to be a little open minded to be an effective nurse. I am certainly glad that I don't have to work with you or have any of my family members cared for by you. I guess ignorance is your bliss.

GN1974 · Mar 30, 2005

Most nurses are underpaid! LPN's should however not receive the same wage as the RN--just because you do "the same job" does not mean you hold the same title. I was an LPN for a decade before completing my RN degree--the level of responsiblity is greater for the RN. I loved my job as an LPN--but I wanted the added pay so I went back to get the RN degree. I don't mean to sound indifferent but sometimes I get tired of hearing LPN's say I do the same thing so I should get the same pay--go back to school and you will see the differences between the two levels of nurses as well as the increase in the pay! I always thought I knew what the RN did...I proved myself wrong. The added responsiblity alone demands more pay. I do however think that basically all nurses are underpaid for what we do!

Karen

HisAlone · Mar 30, 2005

brwnngj,

Ooops! Thanks for catching that typo (LOL).

stn2003, RN · Mar 30, 2005

first off- i'm not a nurse, yet : ) this is what goes on at the hosp where i'm employed (as a PCT):

PCTs/CNAs make 8-9

LPNs make 14

NRS Interns start at 18

RNs start at 20-21

Personally, I think we all are underpaid for what we do and the stress we work with daily : )

I Think it is silly that the LPNs make less than our interns, considering that being an intern at our hosp consists of 'shadowing' the RN on her pt. load and only having the legal scope of a CNA.

The LPNs where I work are amazing and work their behinds off. They are all IV certified. I def think they should make closer to the RN salary, and def more than the interns make.

I know that RNs at my facility have to do things that the LPNs do not, including: all IV Push meds, blood products, talking with docs, reviewing assessments and charting for their team etc. , but alot of times the LPNs get stuck with the really involved, needy, time consuming pts. so that the RNs have more time to 'manage' their team.

Our LPNs keep asking for a pay raise and our nurse manager keeps telling them to go back to school : /

blah. i think all of our nurses deserve a pay raise.

RobLPN · Mar 30, 2005

I've been a nurse for a 1 1/2 yrs; employed at a hospital in Louisiana. My base pay is $13.18/hr. The night differential is $3.00/hr and the weekend differential is $2.00/hr. So I make anywhere from $15.18 - 18.18/hr as an Lpn

that is out of school type pay. My base pay is 18 with 9 total shift diff. My wife's base is 23 with 2 Shift.

LPN1974, LPN · Mar 30, 2005

PERSONALLY, 11 bucks an hr is SO LOW it's outragous,
I have been reading these post with a very open mind. It wasn't that long ago when I was an LPN working Med/Surg for $12.07/hr. Now I am a RN and one of the night shift charge nurses for the unit. I make $14.77/hr. I currently have 3 LPNs working on my unit and the nights that they work doubles my patient load. As the RN I am responsible for the LPNs patients. I also have to do IV push meds and IV starts. My facility does not allow LPNs to call doctors or take telephone orders. IMO LPNs are not paid what they deserve, but neither are RNs. There has been nights when I was the only RN on the Med/Surg unit with 2 LPNs. These nights are horrible. The LPNs on my unit are well trained, but the LPNs still cannot perform several number of tasks that the RN must do.
Here in Spokane Washington, Sacred Heart just laid off ALL of their LPNs and are hiring more RN's and CNA's to replace them. They cited the same issues that you just did. An RN has double the patient load & responsibility when there are LPN's. They are not a bargain to have. They are too limited in their scope of practice and make more work for the RN.
To answer your question, NO, as an RN, you do not get paid enough to be responsible for someones else' patients. LPNs get paid enough in my opinion realted to their low level of education and limited scope of practice.
Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN
Spokane, Washington
If I had to work under you, I might just say, "Ya know what? You can have this job. Low pay and insulting remarks do not make a good place to work. :angryfire"
BTW I work in Arkansas and I make 18.52.....Licensed Practical Nurse.
Your pay didn't go up much when you became an RN did it?:lol2:"
Tell your low level educated nurses to come to Arkansas. We need nurses and we will pay em more than what you're getting as an RN.
Then maybe your job won't be so hard when the LPNs are out of your hair.

GN1974 · Mar 30, 2005

that is out of school type pay. My base pay is 18 with 9 total shift diff. My wife's base is 23 with 2 Shift.

Hmmm...seems pretty high to me. I don't see those kind of wages here in central Florida. New grad RN's start at $17-18 base with 5-7 in noc difs and 2-3 more for weekends. I have been an LPN for a decade and the highest I made with diff is about $20.00. Good for you! What state are you in? Cali?

Karen

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Mar 30, 2005

are you kidding me!!! i had to read this twice. this is the biggest case of rnitis i have seen on this board. you need to re-evaluate , i would imagine there are plenty of lvn's that can run circles around you..:rotfl: this is big talk for a rn bsn that makes less than $15 an hour, get real. i have you beat by about $6.50/hour, but that's enough, right since i am so limited on my skills. :rotfl: i cant believe you would post such crap as this.:smiley_ab

" lpns get paid enough in my opinion realted to their low level of education and limited scope of practice".

lindarn, rn, bsn, ccrn

spokane, washington

kristylee · Mar 30, 2005

I live in Arizona and it's one of the lowest paying states and a CNA makes about $8.50-12.00/hr here, so yes I think you're getting paid very low. I have a friend who works for Kindred hosptial which is mainly where they are weaning pt's off of ventilators and such and she only has about 1 yr of experience and she's making $24/hr as an LPN.

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?