LPN Instructor Position

[lsutigerrn]

I wanted to update everyone on the status of the LPN instructor position I applied for at a local community college. I applied, interview with four different interviewers and was offered the job. I declined it, because I was a little shocked at the starting pay. Requirements included 5 years of nursing experience, teaching experience and a MSN degree. I have all of these and was offered 38k for a 9 month assignment at 47k for a 12 months assignment. I couldn't justify leaving my job as a RN (not a FNP) where I am currently making 60k working M-F from 730-1615 with no weekend call and federal holidays off. Plus the benefits at my current job are unbelievable as well.

Did this offer seem low to any of you? Is that average? I just wanted to know the general consensus.

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

My first year of full time teaching paid $22,000 per semester, but was only 3 1/2 days of work per week. (Indiana University)

[BigBadInstructor]

Being a nurse educator can be an exciting, exhilarating job, but that being said, the salary stinks! At our college, the nursing faculty makes much less than the hospital would pay. Our faculty work at the hospital on-call and weekends to increase their pay. I had a faculty who was working at the college full-time, this means all day clinical twice a week, then teaching two days a week from 8 to 3 pm, plus advising, committee work, building courses, etc., then was working on her MSN full-time by distance, then working at the hospital to pay for her MSN and put two kids through college, on top of a salary that was about half what she could make at the hospital. Why would you do this? Well, she is an excellent instructor, and the hospital drives her nuts! This contributes to the lack of nursing faculty for the many students who want to become nurses. Is anyone out there listening? We are dying out here, and nobody seems to care! I would keep your present job, and maybe work the education job part-time or until you can afford it. The nursing job as you described it, pays more than we get here!! Good luck.

[Lstcats]

The salaries are very low in nursing education hence, the reason why there is a huge shortage. I made $43K per year here in MA where the starting salary for a new grad is about $50K per year. Figure that one out? Most all of the educators that I know have two jobs. They work per diem somewhere else. It is very disconcerting that the pay is so low. The pay in hospitals for a nurse with 20 years of experience is anywhere from 80K to 120K depending upon location. As a clinical adjunct I make anywhere from $50-60 per hour but remember that does not include the extra hours put in correcting student papers and prep time which can tackle another 10 hours on per week so more like $40 an hour give or take a few.

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

That's about par for the course here in NC. Salaries in the community college system nursing programs are low (both LPN and ADN). The workload can be overwhelming. I averaged 60 hrs a week, year round, as faculty in an ADN program. However, salaries for nursing faculty positions in the university system are much better. The working conditions are reasonable also. I now average ~ 40 hrs week for a 9-month contract in a BSN program. This leaves some extra time for working part-time as a staff nurse (usually about 2 shifts per month, to keep my skills current) and to take graduate courses for my PhD in nursing. I am also paid more for the 9-month contract in the BSN program (in terms of salary) than what I received working year-round in the ADN program. Hope this information is helpful.