Hourly wage

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jan 7, 2013

It took about two years of strategic job-hopping in order to achieve a pay rate that pleased me. I started as an LVN in 2006 and earned a pay rate of $18.50 hourly at a local LTC facility in a large city in Texas.

I remained at that facility for two years and quit in 2008 to work at a dumpier place for $23.00 per hour. I resigned from the dumpy place after a few weeks and management offered me an additional $2 per hour to remain there.

I remained at the dump for a total of two years and my ending wage had gone up to $27.04 hourly through annual increases. The only reason I left this facility was because I had earned my RN license in 2010 and I felt it was time to move onto different pastures.

WldChrry · Jan 7, 2013

Commuter, from reading previous posts of yours, you live in Texas, correct? Texas seems to pay their LPNs pretty well. I haven't even reached the $16 mark yet. I know it all depends on geographic location, but with all the education and responsibility that nurses have, this just seems too low.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jan 8, 2013

Commuter, from reading previous posts of yours, you live in Texas, correct?

Yes, I am in Texas.

onyx33us · Jan 8, 2013

I think it all depends on certain factors; 1..what you consider a good pay defers from person to person. 2. from experience, there's no fix pay rate for any nursing position. It's a game of luck, negotiation and how you market yourself during your initial interview, how you play your card while your at the job and who you dealth with during your initial interview. It is true that nursing is not about the money, BUT the managers and departmental heads try to save every penny here and there including pay rate so they can get bonuses at the of the year. In 2006 I started in LTC with $21 plus diffentials in satate of Delaware but relocate to houston in 2011 and was offered $20 without any form of diffentials in a LTC facility. with LTC and Correctional experience, I took the $20 offer, did 3 days orientation and never went back because I felt a it's complete use and I deserve better. Sometimes one have to play with the system by having a job and looking for jobs until you hit a good deal. But lets not forget 2 things here, too many nurses in the labor market makes employers to take control of the game, secondly, plenty of facilities are trying to replace LVN/LPN with RNs at the same pay. so it's a tough tactful game this days.

akanini, MSN, RN · Jan 8, 2013

I'm sorry with two years of experience, I would market around. It's so detrimental and crucial for employers to find "EXPERIENCED NURSES" right now, why settle for less. I stayed at my first LPN job for one year and decided to do my RN because they kept promising the LPNs for a raise and it never happened. Almost two years later, after leaving that job, the LPNs there are still crying for a raise. I have my RN now and refuse to low ball. But I live in NYC, so things might be a little different here with the high cost of living.

libran1984, ASN, RN · Jan 11, 2013

When I went from full time to PRN but kept my full time hours and increased to PRN pay ($18.50 base). That was long ago. Now I work a hospital's weekend option position which is only 20% more of my $14/hr base... but the experience is invaluable and the schedule is great while I'm in school.