LPN experience doesn't count as RN

[EmRN20]

I've been an LPN in SNF/LTC for 7 years, have even been a supervisor at a facility over RNs. Got my RN this year & I'm back at new nurse pay!?! I'm being told my LPN experience doesn't count as "real nursing experience. " How on earth am I as an RN being offered pay at hospitals & even other SNF/LTC facilities that is significantly lower than my LPN pay? Anybody have any idea what a real good reason for this is? I feel like going back to school was a waste.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

LPN and RN have different scopes of practice. Pay level typically indicates experience as an RN, not healthcare experience at a different scope. Are there some facilities that will recognize previous healthcare experience and adjust starting new grad pay? Yes, but other won't. If you want pay that will reflect your LPN experience, you will need to find a facility that will do that. However, with the current environment where facilities, especially acute care, are dealing with decreased census and are furloughing employees, it's a greater supply than demand, which is going to affect wages as well.