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

Nurses General Nursing

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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)

The direct approach usually works. It is not wise to pay an LPN more than an RN unless the longevity difference is very, very great. Agencies typically cap out LPNs below the starting wage for RNs. When they do this, no one can complain because it is fair.

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Two years ago it was a different market, when employers were hungry to find people and thus people had more bargaining power and employers would pay it. The reason that you are probably making less is because many people would gladly accept $21/hour right now. There are many people who cannot find jobs, experienced or not. If you think you should bring this up to your manager, which I would not suggest, go ahead. It depends on how much you like your job, if you can find another one in this market and your relationship with your manager.

When the market turns around, you will see many people jump ship to better paying positions and in turn, your employer will offer you more to stay (if they deem you a worthwhile employee). Sounds to me like a simple case of economics.

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The direct approach usually works. It is not wise to pay an LPN more than an RN unless the longevity difference is very, very great. Agencies typically cap out LPNs below the starting wage for RNs. When they do this, no one can complain because it is fair.

Most home care agencies do this,even this one. I worked with this same agency out of another state and lpns made 25 top even with years of experince but an rn starting with the agency made $30. See,I didn't know about wages before I moved here,and that's why I no longer recommend relocating because people will take advantage of you because you don't know any better. Would like to add I'm the only rn out of the 30 nurses who work out of this office.(this is private duty) plus I thought medicaid reimburses more for an rn.

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Most home care agencies do this,even this one. I worked with this same agency out of another state and lpns made 25 top even with years of experince but an rn starting with the agency made $30. See,I didn't know about wages before I moved here,and that's why I no longer recommend relocating because people will take advantage of you because you don't know any better. Would like to add I'm the only rn out of the 30 nurses who work out of this office.(this is private duty) plus I thought medicaid reimburses more for an rn.

Without naming names, I could guess the home care agency you are working for. If that is the case, confusion, dishonesty, and lack of respect come to mind. Relocating is not necessarily the reason you were hoodwinked. Most employers, if not completely honest, will lowball you if you seem willing to fall for it. I was informed that RNs do bring more reimbursement, but are your cases set up for RN hours? If not, you can get the argument that they are paying you based upon their LPN reimbursement rate. More than likely there are only X number of hours for RN on the 485 for each case and those hours are for the monthly supervision visit. With all but one of their field employees being LPNs they most likely have never made an effort to get RN care hours approved for their cases, as there is no need. Look on the 485s and see if RN care is authorized. But, still, out of professional courtesy, an employer will pay their RN employee a couple of bucks more per hour than their LPNs. Common sense.

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Specializes in Family Practice.

OP, I honestly don't blame you. You could say it's none of your business and move on, but that's hard to do. I was a LPN for a long time too, and I didn't go through all the extra schooling to make less money than other nurses with the same amount of experience.

Kajunnurse, you stated that it takes everyone on down to the cook to take care of the patient. Does that mean the cook in the cafeteria should also make as much as a nurse? Just checking.

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

I'd proceed with caution when approaching management with salary issues. At my place of employment we aren't even allowed to discuss what we make or else have consequences to attain.

My roomate (LPN in corrections) makes 4 dollars more and hour than me (RN in NICU). I have worked part time at her place of employment and both RN and LPN's make about the same.

She has been a nurse 5 years longer than me and is much older too. Great person and deserves every penny.

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Because its my paycheck maybe? Let me ask,if your company paid male nurses more you would mind your own business if you found out accidently like I did? Why can't everyone get equal pay. I see comprehension skills are severely lacking on this board.

Well, as to the comment about "it's my paycheck," the way I see it is that when your employer offered to hire you, YOU accepted the amount of pay offered to you. It's not my fault if I negotiated a better salary offer than you, simply b/c I presented myself as more marketable, ect...

As far as the original question, I (an LPN) DO make more than the new grad RN's at my hospital. The difference being yrs of experience. If I was to start here as a new grad LPN, then I would certainly make much less than I do now.

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Without naming names, I could guess the home care agency you are working for. If that is the case, confusion, dishonesty, and lack of respect come to mind. Relocating is not necessarily the reason you were hoodwinked. Most employers, if not completely honest, will lowball you if you seem willing to fall for it. I was informed that RNs do bring more reimbursement, but are your cases set up for RN hours? If not, you can get the argument that they are paying you based upon their LPN reimbursement rate. More than likely there are only X number of hours for RN on the 485 for each case and those hours are for the monthly supervision visit. With all but one of their field employees being LPNs they most likely have never made an effort to get RN care hours approved for their cases, as there is no need. Look on the 485s and see if RN care is authorized. But, still, out of professional courtesy, an employer will pay their RN employee a couple of bucks more per hour than their LPNs. Common sense.

485 says skilled nursing 16 hrs/day 5 days a week. That's all it says,and now I'm wondering why it doesn't specify.

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485 says skilled nursing 16 hrs/day 5 days a week. That's all it says,and now I'm wondering why it doesn't specify.

Hmmm. Have seen it both ways. Nobody would bother dividing it out if they weren't going to bother to staff RNs on the case and try to get more reimbursement for the RN. There are different parameters, although I couldn't tell you what they are because I am not that well-versed in it. You know the deal: LPNs do stable, predictable cases, RNs needed for complex care. At any rate, if the agency were interested in keeping you satisfied and/or treating you with respect, they would pay you at a better rate than the LPNs. Period. Should they ever change your duties to RN supervisor, don't do it without an appropriate pay raise!

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Well, as to the comment about "it's my paycheck," the way I see it is that when your employer offered to hire you, YOU accepted the amount of pay offered to you. It's not my fault if I negotiated a better salary offer than you, simply b/c I presented myself as more marketable, ect...

As far as the original question, I (an LPN) DO make more than the new grad RN's at my hospital. The difference being yrs of experience. If I was to start here as a new grad LPN, then I would certainly make much less than I do now.

Please go back and reread. I wrote we have the same level of experience and same cases. I really don't know why nurses seem so anti education. People just came out attacking me for no reason at all. Not anywhere in my posts,no not one single word did I say I were jealous or that I even had a problem with it. But heck,u know in a communist society everyone makes the same regardless of education. Is that what most of u want? Like some staed cooks are involved in patient care too. I noticed even working as soon as lpns find out I'm an rn some stop talking to me never do I flaunt anything but I guess being 27 and A nurse for 6 years angers many lpns. why? I don't know

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Hmmm. Have seen it both ways. Nobody would bother dividing it out if they weren't going to bother to staff RNs on the case and try to get more reimbursement for the RN. There are different parameters, although I couldn't tell you what they are because I am not that well-versed in it. You know the deal: LPNs do stable, predictable cases, RNs needed for complex care. At any rate, if the agency were interested in keeping you satisfied and/or treating you with respect, they would pay you at a better rate than the LPNs. Period. Should they ever change your duties to RN supervisor, don't do it without an appropriate pay raise!

Its an adult client with a wound vac,trach,vent, suprapubic cath,and picc line.

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In my facility the top pay of a LPN is the start pay of a RN. If a new RN compared her pay to that of a top pay LPN with shift differential, she could find she if making less. So yeah I guess it is possible.

This is one reason I am leaving my facility as a LPN since becoming a GN. Too much was invested in the last years to not make more money.

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