Is your LPN Salary Adequate

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do you think you are compensated adequately for the work you do

as a LPN?

I know secretaries get paid more than I do. That disgusts me more than anything else.

Ouch! That's harsh.

I used to be a patent and trademark "secretary" at the largest Chicago law firm. I was earning $26 per hour (with time and a half for overtime) when I left, and that was five years ago. The job was highly specialized and took years to learn. Granted, if a mistake was made, nobody would die, but a mistake (missed deadline) could cost a client millions or billions of dollars. I only have an associates degree, but other intellectual property secretaries at my firm had no college.

My brother only has two years of college and now owns and operates his own Toyota dealership. I figure if his finance guy at the dealership earns $200,000 per year, he, himself, must be doing exceedingly well!

My friend's husband has NO college and owns and operates his own custom home building company. They live in luxury.

My other friend has no college and is the regional manager for a large family restaurant chain. He and his family live in a huge, luxurious home.

A college degree does not guarantee a good salary. Do what makes you happy. I quit my high-paying secretarial job to become a CNA. Maybe I'll become an LPN or RN one day, but maybe not.

It's not about the money:twocents:. It's about job satisfaction:redpinkhe.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
It's not about the money:twocents:. It's about job satisfaction:redpinkhe.
I was a direct care aide back in 2000 and 2001. I absolutely loved that job and was fully satisfied with it, but the $8 hourly pay rate was not even considered a 'living wage' in my home state of California.

Instead of selecting job satisfaction over money, I am personally happy with a happy medium between the 2 extremes. In other words, I'd feel optimal with a job that was both satisfying and offered competitive pay.

After all, my personal satisfaction will go down the drain if I am not earning enough to minimally make ends meet.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Ouch! That's harsh.

It's not about the money:twocents:. It's about job satisfaction:redpinkhe.

While I understand what you are saying, this was comment not meant to look down on secretaries, and contrary to what you may think, it can be about the money. I know that the work secretaries do is important. Every position in life is of value. However, the physical labor it takes to be be a nurse and the mental anguish that a nurse experiences (many times, over things we have no power over) while we are held responsible for this vulnerable person's life makes me say that to earn less than many of them can be insulting.

Many nurses, period, whether they are LPN or RN are living from pillar to post to make ends meet. We are exposed to many physican ailments such as TB, MRSA, C diff, and others. Some patients will throw their excrement on us, vomit on us, and curse us out, even as we are trying to do our best. Of course, a person wishes to at least be financially comfortable after rough days like that. My situation is a bit different, as I mentioned before; I already own a home and my bills are coming down tremendously due to strict discipline and living within my means. But, I can see how an LPN would be frustrated by seeing their salary, I'm sorry! In addition, most LPNs feel that they are not respected in the nursing chain, even though we are also earning our money honestly.

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Specializes in Geriatric Home Health.

I am an LVN and I'm very happy with my salary. I work for a homecare organization in the bay area (California) and I made $63K in 2007. No overtime. I enjoy my job. I make a lot of home visits and am also compensated for mileage (50.5 cents/mile).

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I'm not working yet... but I checked with a hospital that I wanted to apply to and on their website it shows minimum pay for an LPN is $12.93. I was really shocked... I made real close to that at the Dairy Queen!! But, you have to start somewhere, and this is the kind of work I want to do...

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do you think you are compensated adequately for the work you do

as a LPN?

No, if u only have 1 job. I am currently working in the hospital, just to get the benefits. Most of my income comes from my homehealth. Last yr I earned $125,000 for both, and had a lot of time with my kids. Now Im debating if Ill continue with my RN.

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