How much more do you get per year of experience?

guest2210 · Jul 27, 2010

Several years ago, I started at a local LTC. The base rate was $19/hr. My rate was $23/hr due to 25 years of licensure. I had the experience but whether they paid for those years or just the fact that I've had my license for that long, I'm not sure. You can have the license but not actually have work experience.

heathert_kc · Jul 27, 2010

Well it really depends on your place of employment, most hospitals and SNFs, have a preset pay scale with base pay plus add ons for additional certifications, experience, and possibily the shifts you will be working (shift diffs?). At my job when I was hired it was s fairly new facility they didn't have this, so the DON made an offer based on experience, their needs, and my previous/current pay rate. The only raise that we get without changing position(like if I get my RN) is a 2-4% raise all based on our preformance evaluation(max of $0.66) if one were making 16.5/hr. Most places I know of do something along the same thing but you check to see if getting your iv certification or something like that might give you an immediate bump in pay, my place doesn't unfortunately.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jul 28, 2010

It also depends on how well of a negotiator you are during the hiring process and, unfortunately, most new grads do not have a leg to stand on when negotiating pay rates due to lack of nursing work experience. This applies to nonunion facilities.

In my experience, people with the exact same years of experience often earn different pay rates because you have some nurses who aggressively negotiate their wage while others simply take the bones that are thrown at them.

For example, a local nursing home in the city where I live starts LPNs/LVNs out at $23 hourly. A handful of people were earning $21 because they either arrived at the job interview with a disheveled appearance or gave the impression that they would accept any wage. Some people were earning $25 hourly because they had impressive experience and/or looked as if they wouldn't settle for less. A select few were earning in the $26 to $29 hourly range due to extensive experience, very aggressive negotiating skills, and the willingness to work off-shifts such as evenings, nights, and weekend double shifts. Just imagine that the lowest paid nurse in the organization was earning $21 while the highest paid nurse made $29. That's an $8 hourly difference, which adds up to thousands per year.

Fiona59 · Jul 28, 2010

We're unionized, so it's all spelled out in the employment contract. First wage increase for a new grad comes after 2022 hours of employment. When we leave an employer we can "port" our hours with us, so we never start at the bottom again.

Shift premiums for evenings, nights and weekends are also spelt out. Paid vacation is usually ten days in the first year or pro rated depending upon start date. Amount of paid sick leave is also calculated the same way. Then we have four days to be used at managment discretion to cover "circumstances" not covered by the contract. Some managers will authorize a moving day, others have given the time to spouses of deploying service members.

OgopogoLPN, LPN, RN · Jul 28, 2010

Another union worker here. While I think unions have both pros and cons and are not the be all and end all, I am very glad to be in one most of the time. I don't have to negotiate a wage, the union does that for me. I know I will be paid the same as my coworker who also has 2 years experience. But then I'm also paid the same as a very lazy, non caring coworker with 2 years experience.

Sometimes it's a pro, sometimes it's a con.

Fiona59 · Jul 28, 2010

Ogopogo, doesn't BCGEU only have two steps for PNs? AUPE does 8, so it takes longer to max out but it also seems to lose more deadwood along the way. If it's going to take time to reach that $29.75 base rate, you loose some people along the way when they are at the $25/hr rate.

OgopogoLPN, LPN, RN · Jul 28, 2010

Ogopogo, doesn't BCGEU only have two steps for PNs? AUPE does 8, so it takes longer to max out but it also seems to lose more deadwood along the way. If it's going to take time to reach that $29.75 base rate, you loose some people along the way when they are at the $25/hr rate.

Fiona, I'm in HEU :down: and we now have 3 steps (I think will be 4 next April 1). $24.01 for new hires, $24.76 after 2 years (I think) and $25.50 beyond that. April 1, 2011 will see the top increment go up to $26.?? something per hour. I read somewhere on HEU's website that there will eventually be 6 increments. However, they wage range is still very small.

$24.01-$26.?? is less than $3/hour difference for many years experience. And I'm still new. I'm getting the better end of the stick by making the same as a nurse with 30 years experience. That would **** me off as a very experienced nurse!

ETA: Sorry I couldn't give you more firm numbers. I searched on HEU's website for 10 minutes and couldn't find a link or factual numbers to post. Really dislike that whole union!

Fiona59 · Jul 29, 2010

Ogopogo: I thought all the LPNs in BC belonged to BCGEU. I did when I worked there and it made no sense that I with four years experience I made the same as a new grad because I couldn't port my hours out there.

AUPE isn't the greatest but most of us here would rather belong to HSAA, which cover the lab techs, PT, OT, etc and trust me the lab tech makes better money than I do.

The bulk of us would run screaming before joining UNA, they've supported CARNA to strongly and CARNA has made too many anti-LPN ads over the years.

OgopogoLPN, LPN, RN · Jul 29, 2010

Ogopogo: I thought all the LPNs in BC belonged to BCGEU. I did when I worked there and it made no sense that I with four years experience I made the same as a new grad because I couldn't port my hours out there.
AUPE isn't the greatest but most of us here would rather belong to HSAA, which cover the lab techs, PT, OT, etc and trust me the lab tech makes better money than I do.
The bulk of us would run screaming before joining UNA, they've supported CARNA to strongly and CARNA has made too many anti-LPN ads over the years.

Nope, most (as in about 90% of LPNs belong to HEU, a very small amount belong to BCGEU and a very small amount to BCNU--only in prisons). But HEU and BCGEU work under the same collective agreement, so we all have the same pay, differentials etc. And even if you could have portd your hours back then, there were NO increments, so you would have still been paid the same as a new grad.