Is It Possible An LPN Can Make More Then An RN?

[smartnurse1982]

I'm an RN. I work for a well known national home care agency. Somehow payroll mixed up our paychecks; I got her (she is an LPN ) hourly rate of pay on my paycheck and she got mine.

I found out she was making $23.00 an hour but I am making $21.00, and we both work on the same cases, so the acuity level of the clients is the same. She has been with this particular office for 2 years. I been with this office for 5 months. How do i approach the clinical manager about how unfair that is? (We also have the same level of experience)

[Denroc72, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN, APN]

Well I have to agree with you and the person you responded to:

In NYS LPNs practice under the direction of an RN not the other way around. So I can see an RN not wanting LPNs to be giving "medical" direction. But I would assume it is ok if the direction is in the form of administrative requests. Not sure if this is the same in all states. BTW I was an LPN and am currently a GN. I would not want to be a charge nurse over RNs as a LPN and would not want a LPN to be a charge nurse over me as a RN.

I have worked in the health care field a long time, and it is not uncommon to have managers who are neither a RN or a LPN. With that said, would you "dismiss" what this person have advised you because you are a RN and they are not a nurse at all? I know a lawyer who is a LPN who is a health care director in a hospital. Does that mean that individual is incapable of managing a RN? I have worked with plenty of RNs who have a lack there of, but I do not look at them any less. I have worked with plenty of LPNs who have a lack there of, but I do not look at them any less. In my case, I have graduate level education that exceeds all of the RNs that I work with (and I work for a large national corporation). My boss is not a nurse and has authority over many individuals across a region. The attitude of not wanting to be managed by a LPN simple because that's what they are demonstrates egotistical behavior.

[sayitgirl]

"You are coming across as an RN who look down on LPNs. I'm a LPN, and I manage RNs. When I say manage, I mean I have legitimate power to hire or terminate an individual, and if one of my RNs dismiss something that I have told them they will be disciplined accordingly."

LPN stands for licensed practical nurse. RN stands for registered nurse. If you look in any literature LPN or LVN are not considered professional nurses. NO matter what your job title is, you can not change that fact. I was an LPN for ten years, I wanted to become an

RN so I went back to school. Nothing can change the status of the two, the difference is education. There is no jealousy, it is a fact. Practical nurses are considered ancillary staff. Call your nursing board if you have doubts.

[kcochrane]

I have worked in the health care field a long time, and it is not uncommon to have managers who are neither a RN or a LPN. With that said, would you "dismiss" what this person have advised you because you are a RN and they are not a nurse at all? I know a lawyer who is a LPN who is a health care director in a hospital. Does that mean that individual is incapable of managing a RN? I have worked with plenty of RNs who have a lack there of, but I do not look at them any less. I have worked with plenty of LPNs who have a lack there of, but I do not look at them any less. In my case, I have graduate level education that exceeds all of the RNs that I work with (and I work for a large national corporation). My boss is not a nurse and has authority over many individuals across a region. The attitude of not wanting to be managed by a LPN simple because that's what they are demonstrates egotistical behavior.

If you read my post, you would have noticed that I referenced an LPN being a charge nurse not a manager. To me there is a big difference. It has nothing to do with being egotistical since I am technically still a LPN and have just graduated from RN school. It has nothing to do with thinking a RN is smarter either. It has to do with scope of practice and what will happen legally if the s^&* hits the fan on the floor.

[erwigg]

This thread has gotten so far off course from the what was said in the OP. may it's time to hang this one up.

[nursel56]

Quote-sayitgirl LPN stands for licensed practical nurse. RN stands for registered nurse. If you look in any literature LPN or LVN are not considered professional nurses. NO matter what your job title is, you can not change that fact. I was an LPN for ten years, I wanted to become an RN so I went back to school. Nothing can change the status of the two, the difference is education. There is no jealousy, it is a fact. Practical nurses are considered ancillary staff. Call your nursing board if you have doubts.

I'm not disputing your points, but in the interest of providing clarity- what "literature" are you referring us to? What is your practical definition of the word "professional"? In the real world, depending on the state, LPN/LVNs do everything an RN does. If an LPN is a charge nurse in an LTC, which many of them are, how is that ancillary staff? "Ancillary" means subordinate and of less importance than something else. By that definition a staff RN would be ancillary to a Nurse Manager. If I call my nursing board, what exactly should I ask? The Board can answer scope of practice questions, but I doubt they'd have a ready answer to "am I a professional nurse?"

[nursel56]

But that is this person's opinion and they are entitled to it. The rest of us can just be glad we don't have to deal with it at the place where we work. Anyone is entitled to their opinion and they are also entitled to express their opinion as long as they don't attack someone else or otherwise violate the TOS. Wonder what the OP decided to do about the situation more than I wonder what people think about LPN vs. RN.

Oh, I know that. That's why I worded it carefully in an effort to avoid a personal attack. I think it was the phrase "whereas an RN is suppose to be thinking and doing things based on fact" Perhaps he didn't mean to imply that LVNs don't think and do things based on stuff they make up as opposed to facts, but that's what his words are saying.

PS to all- I know these are off-topic, but I sense the imminent demise of this thread looming ahead. Cheers!

[inava]

I join the chorus saying do not bring this to your manager's attention.

Big NO! NO!

Other staff's salaries are not up for discussion and you will only establish ill will from your manager towards you. Trust me, you do not want to earn the moniker "problem employee".

[jnette, ASN, EMT-I]

This RNvsLPN dead horse has indeed been beaten beyond recognition........ odd... it resurrects itself every so many mos. however, just to be beaten again... and again... and again....

[sayitgirl]

There really should be an allnurses.com for LPNs.

[caliotter3]

Oh, I know that. That's why I worded it carefully in an effort to avoid a personal attack. I think it was the phrase "whereas an RN is suppose to be thinking and doing things based on fact" Perhaps he didn't mean to imply that LVNs don't think and do things based on stuff they make up as opposed to facts, but that's what his words are saying.

PS to all- I know these are off-topic, but I sense the imminent demise of this thread looming ahead. Cheers!

This is one of those threads that has taken on a life of its own. I still want to know what the OP decided to do. Have to see if she ever came back.

[SharonH, RN]

I would look for another position in another company. Seriously.

[caliotter3]

This RNvsLPN dead horse has indeed been beaten beyond recognition........ odd... it resurrects itself every so many mos. however, just to be beaten again... and again... and again....

Give 'em a chance to turn a thread into the RN vs. LPN tired old argument, and they will take the opportunity every time, over, and over, and over, yet again. See that the OP never came back to give us an update. Too bad. Want to know what the manager told her and what, if anything, she is going to do about it.