I'm a recent military retiree, working as a PCT (cna) hourly rate $9.25 with $1.15 night diff + 20% for no benefits, I'm making close to $12 an hour. According to the LPN's on my Cardiac care floor, they only make around $11 an hour, with nurse externs making close to $12 an hour.
My question, is it even worth the hassle of going to school for a long year, to have a very stressful job and only make $11 to $14 an hour? I mean the county starts the street sweepers for that kind of money here in TN. There are easier ways to make low wages, no??
I have 3 years of college money left to spend and I'm slated to start LPN school in the fall, RN school would be for next year anyway due to pre-req, etc. Plus if I graduate LPN and don't like nursing or the low pay, I've only wasted a year of life.
Any thoughts on the issue of pay versus stress and/or bang for the buck of working in health care??
Tony
(retired military)
p.s. If you had 3 years of college money to spend, what would you do with it??
Now thanks to the economy, not only is the pay crappy at $11.50 per hour in the hospitals, and $10.00 per hour in the Dr. office, now there are few if any LPN jobs available. I know several LPN grads who haven't found jobs months after graduation. And my hospital has recently laid off LPN's and are not hiring any news ones.
Good luck to all the LPN's out there, especially the new grads. I'll be graduating in about 6 weeks, wish me luck.
Well I think there is one factor that is being left out of this descusion. I was in an RN program where I failed by "two" pionts. I had a 4.0 in all of my nursing pre-reqs so I thought I would be cool. Well, I learned really fast that nursing school is no joke. What you learn and the way you learn it is totally different than ANY OTHER SUBJECT! What I noticed was that the LPNs in my class scored really high. So, consider LPN school as a step that will help you in becoming an RN.
As far as salaries. In Philadelphia, PA where I live, LPNs dont get out of bed for less than $25hr. The the LPNs I know that work agency make $30 to $32hr.
to: lericalpoet my I ask what nursing school did you go to, and are you still going for nursing? and what went wrong in your nursing school for you? I would like to know because I'm from philly too.
I went to Harcum Collge. I can't really say anything bad about the program. I studied my ass off and I had trouble scoring high on my exams. I got high grades in Lab and clinicals. My clinical instructor as well as my lecture professor both really incouraged me after semester was over. I really appreciated that because they didn't have to do that. It's like I knew the answers when I studied with others or had someone quiz me I got most answers right? But when it came to the exams, I missed the mark. Maybe I was nervous or unsure?
All I know is that I'm not giving up. I still have a 4.0 in my prereqs. I know I could have applied to another RN program but I felt in my gut that I should take the next year and complete an LPN program. I still plan on appling to an RN program while I'm in LPN school. I noticed that ALL the LPNS in my program scored really high on their exams. And most had not been LPNs for that long. So my thinking is that the LPN program will help me with test taking skills and learning how to answer more analytical questions.
And I'll also be able to support myself as an LPN while I pursue my RN! So, I think it will be a win win for me. I got into Delaware County Technical School's LPN program. I start in September. One important thing that has come out of all of this is that clinicals were such a confirmation for me. I really know that nursing is what I want to do the rest of my life. I hope my answer wasn't too long...LOL
No...LOL Mine are J J. We probobley do know each other though. I went there part time for almost three yeras. I know I'm getting the hell sick of school. I don't know why I want to be a nurse so damn bad?? I guess I love it and I'm hooked now. So I have to follow it through. But I'll tell you and everyone eles this much....we won't have any problem finding jobs becomes there is going to always be a shortage. I have seen some really great, wonderful, dedicated people give up on nursing because they make it impossible to get in and the instructors treat you like they are doing you a favor.... It's horrible and sad. We have to work too change that we we are nurses and instructors people!
Hey, I finish up my pre-reqs in 07 at ccp and just got accepted to Camden County College. I was so gun-ho on RN-BSN that in my opinion i waisted time, money, and almost went half crazy trying to get in RN program. I think this is the best route for the both of us to go to lpn then rn. I'm so determine to get my rn and it will happen for us. good luck to you and congrats!
I went to ccp too
Tony1790, BSN, MSN, NP
216 Posts
Now thanks to the economy, not only is the pay crappy at $11.50 per hour in the hospitals, and $10.00 per hour in the Dr. office, now there are few if any LPN jobs available. I know several LPN grads who haven't found jobs months after graduation. And my hospital has recently laid off LPN's and are not hiring any news ones.
Good luck to all the LPN's out there, especially the new grads. I'll be graduating in about 6 weeks, wish me luck.
Tony