$12 an hour?!

Nurses LPN/LVN

Published

I used to work at a nursing home in Food Services (supervising staff cafeteria), and I went back to visit and get my face out there again. My aunt is an LPN there, and I went upstairs to say hello to her and I overheard two ladies on the elevator talking about the "sucky" paychecks they just received and thank God for the upcoming holiday pay. I told one lady I was starting my LPN program in a matter of weeks and she gave me a sympathetic look and said "You may as well get a management position at McDonald's or spend the next year at RBI getting your medical assistant certification. You'll make more." Word for word. (BTW, RBI [Rochester Business Institute] is a business college that accepts EVERYONE and certifies ANYONE). I asked the lady if she were serious and the other lady said "Unless you get in here or at St. John's Home you will be making about $12 an hour with minimal diffs, and it's not much more here to be honest."

I am mortified. I thought for sure we made closer to $17. That additional $5 an hour could really help this family get from under the "poverty line".

Any insight? Could this be true? :nono:

I believe you left something out.

The person actually wrote:

"Most facilities are paying 19-25 an hr depending on the shift"

To accuse someone of lying is pretty rude.

Thank you michelle. That is the point I was trying to make while this person tried to make me look like I did not know what I was talking about (which is also pretty rude).

let me restate my claim LPN's are not(and if they are it is well experinced LPN NOT NEW GRADS) making 42K dollars anually out of the gates. to much for someone to swallow. than just buckle down and apply yourself and gain more knowledge in order to become an RN and realize its never to late to be what you might have been(RN)

thank you

thread closed:stone

Thank you michelle. That is the point I was trying to make while this person tried to make me look like I did not know what I was talking about (which is also pretty rude).

I never one time said you did not know what you were talking about......in fact i thanked for your input and for reinforcing (aka. proving) my point

I never one time said you did not know what you were talking about......in fact i thanked for your input and for reinforcing (aka. proving) my point

I took your response to be sarcastic in nature. If I misinterpreted, I apologize. I was merely pointing out that new grads do not necessarily make the 25th percentile just because they are new grads. Many times over my career, I have seen new grads enter the workplace at just $1/hour less than a nurse with many years of experience and certifications out the wazoo (at a hospital paying at, say, the 60th percentile), yet nurses at the facility across town could all be earning closer to the 25th percentile. Some facilities only differentiate RN and LPN by a couple of dollars per hour. Do I think that it is right for new grads to get the same pay as experienced nurses (or close to it) -- NO!! Do I think that it is right that RNs don't earn significantly more than LPNs, since they bear the burden of higher responsibility -- NO!!! Do I think it is right that staff nurses (whether ASN or BSN) out earn many nurse practitioners to the degree that many nurse practitioners will work as staff nurses because they make more money that way --- NO!!!!! By the way, I can attest to the validity of the last situation, as one of my coworkers is an FNP. It is not that he cannot find a job as an FNP, but that he earns more money as a staff nurse. I think that it is dispicable that his master's degree is not compensated and respected more than that!!

Does not seem that there is much that can be done about it though...any ideas?

One last thing, when examining salaries for nursing, remember that most nurses these days do not work 2080 hours a year (5 8's/week), but work 1872 hours a year (3 12's/week). It makes a BIG difference when calculating salaries.

thank you for your reply rn4nicu, the reason why my statement is so heartfelt is the simple truth that i live in a very big state(TX) and the starting pay for LPN's in my area is anywhere from 12-14$/hr which comes to out to about 32-33K/yr. Where as the starting pay for an RN is 46-47K/yr. My wife is an NICU RN and she works 80/hr every 2 weeks with 1 yr experience and she is already making 23-24$/hr which comes out to about 46-47k/yr and she has truly just started. there is an LPN on her floor that is making 17-18$/hr which comes out to about 36-37k/yr but she has 35/yr worth of experience. My wife also works with RN's on her floor that have been RN's for 30+ yrs. and are making about 29-30$/hr which comes out to about 59-60/k yr. so my dispute was not the fact that LPN's are making as much as RN's here because they are not. but i was just curious with my original posting about some new LPN grad posting which i thought were false numbers.:stone but i have been wrong before. and NP's in my area are starting off at 63/k yr. Notice i said starting off....an NP with 10+yr can make well over that of what an experinced RN makes. if you go to the link below you will find that NP (specialty) make 75K+ a year here in TX.http://swz.salary.com/salarywizard/layoutscripts/swzl_compresult.asp?zipcode=&metrocode=153&statecode=TX&state=Texas&metro=San+Antonio&city=&geo=San+Antonio%2C+TX&jobtitle=Nurse+Practitioner+-+Specialty+Care&search=&narrowdesc=Healthcare+--+Nursing&narrowcode=HC05&r=salswz_swzttsbtn_psr&p=&s=salary&geocode=&jobcode=HC07000181

I understand what you're saying. Philly may have a high cost of living? - I've never been there. RN's in NYC start out at 60-70K, as they should - it costs 2K a month for an apartment and $300 more to park your car! LPNs there probably earn more than RN's who live in lower cost of living areas.

I stand by my disappointment in NP salary. I have looked into becoming an NNP, but I would not earn significantly more than I do now. I currently work as an "occasional employee", but on an almost full-time basis. When census drops, there are usually travel assignments available. I have been recruited for travel positions in TX at $35/hr. When you apply that to the 40-hour work week most NNPs work, I'm about 2200/yr behind them - with no master's degree, and once I chart "NNP notified", my rear end is covered and his/hers is on the wire. I don't think I should earn less, I think they should earn more.

After all, neonatologists earn similar salaries as anesthesiologists. Yet NNPs earn significantly less than CRNAs. I think ALL advanced practice nurses should earn 6 figure salaries. There should be a significant financial incentive to further your education (I think we agree there). Why give the docs all the money? They already take all the credit.

Hi, Just wanted to add my input. I graduated in August 2003 and started working in a LTC facility in Sept 03 making 18.50 hr. (noc shift) days were making 17.50. Left there and work for a smaller private facility making 16.00hr 3-11 with a 1.00 diff for weekends. Also recently started working for agency which staffs LTC and am making $26.00/hr no difference in pay between shifts. Still at less than 1yr experience, but I did gain an enormous amount of experience in the time on my first job. I do assessments, admissions, treatments, take phone orders etc... I am also an older new nurse (not that it makes a difference, but I feel my life experiences has allowed me to handle different situations differently, please don't take that in any way negative, young nurses are just as good, but this may be why an agency was willing to start me with less than a yrs experience, plus I had great references)

I know that the local hospital in my area when they do hire LPN's (even though they are crying the blues for RN's and that they are understaffed, but yet won't hire LPNs) only pay them 11.50- 12.00 hr.

Just as a side note...I have worked with GREAT RN's that have been willing to share a wealth of information with me as well as CNA's that I pray will go on to Nursing school because of their abilities, compassion and great attitude/work ethics. In my eyes these CNA's do not make enough money for the work they do. They are valuable and not rewarded enough financially. !

Christine

Northeast Pennsylvania

Hi, Just wanted to add my input. I graduated in August 2003 and started working in a LTC facility in Sept 03 making 18.50 hr. (noc shift) days were making 17.50. Left there and work for a smaller private facility making 16.00hr 3-11 with a 1.00 diff for weekends. Also recently started working for agency which staffs LTC and am making $26.00/hr no difference in pay between shifts. Still at less than 1yr experience, but I did gain an enormous amount of experience in the time on my first job. I do assessments, admissions, treatments, take phone orders etc... I am also an older new nurse (not that it makes a difference, but I feel my life experiences has allowed me to handle different situations differently, please don't take that in any way negative, young nurses are just as good, but this may be why an agency was willing to start me with less than a yrs experience, plus I had great references)

I know that the local hospital in my area when they do hire LPN's (even though they are crying the blues for RN's and that they are understaffed, but yet won't hire LPNs) only pay them 11.50- 12.00 hr.

Just as a side note...I have worked with GREAT RN's that have been willing to share a wealth of information with me as well as CNA's that I pray will go on to Nursing school because of their abilities, compassion and great attitude/work ethics. In my eyes these CNA's do not make enough money for the work they do. They are valuable and not rewarded enough financially. !

Christine

Northeast Pennsylvania

I value the CNAs as well, but I disagree about them not being rewarded enough financially. It is not about the work, it is about the level of ultimate responsibility. They do not have it. The only time I have ever seen action taken against a CNA was for abuse (smacked a patient). They are not licensed and are not held liable for poor patient outcomes - not even if they do not report abnormals to the nurse, because the nurse has ultimate responsibility to know the patient's condition.

Yes, they are valuable. Yes, they are helpful. Yes, they are knowledgeable. But I think they are appropriately compensated for their level of education and responsibility. JMO.

I value the CNAs as well, but I disagree about them not being rewarded enough financially. It is not about the work, it is about the level of ultimate responsibility. They do not have it. The only time I have ever seen action taken against a CNA was for abuse (smacked a patient). They are not licensed and are not held liable for poor patient outcomes - not even if they do not report abnormals to the nurse, because the nurse has ultimate responsibility to know the patient's condition.

Yes, they are valuable. Yes, they are helpful. Yes, they are knowledgeable. But I think they are appropriately compensated for their level of education and responsibility. JMO.

your absolutly correct regarding the level of responsibilty/education required, but their job is much more physically taxing. I understand that nurses are ultimately responsible for the patient, but I believe that CNA's can lose their certification as well. Maybe it is overall that the pay scales are not appropriate.

your absolutly correct regarding the level of responsibilty/education required, but their job is much more physically taxing. I understand that nurses are ultimately responsible for the patient, but I believe that CNA's can lose their certification as well. Maybe it is overall that the pay scales are not appropriate.

I get what you are saying. I would love to see all health care professionals earn more. But financial compensation is not for manual labor - in any career. It is an incentive and reward for those who have invested thousands (or even tens of thousands) of dollars and years of their lives in an effort to become experts in their fields. Most professions pay the individuals with the most physical jobs the least and the most educated individuals the most. That is the pecking order. If it were not, why bother to educate yourself at all?

CNAs can certainly lose their certification, but I do not think it is likely to happen due to a poor patient outcome because assessment (at any level) is beyond the scope of their practice - how could they then be charged with negligence?

I get what you are saying. I would love to see all health care professionals earn more. But financial compensation is not for manual labor - in any career. It is an incentive and reward for those who have invested thousands (or even tens of thousands) of dollars and years of their lives in an effort to become experts in their fields. Most professions pay the individuals with the most physical jobs the least and the most educated individuals the most. That is the pecking order. If it were not, why bother to educate yourself at all?

CNAs can certainly lose their certification, but I do not think it is likely to happen due to a poor patient outcome because assessment (at any level) is beyond the scope of their practice - how could they then be charged with negligence?

AMEN, RN4NICU!

Specializes in Med/Surg.

Hi, I live in Indianapolis, Indiana and I guess from what I've been reading, LPN pay is pretty good here! I started 1 1/2 years ago fresh out of school at a local 700+ bed hospital on the med/surg unit, started at $13.12/hr. base pay, and now after 1 1/2 years make $14.69 base pay. I also was offered a job at a local LTC facility, weekend option day shift for a 16 hr. shift both Sat. & Sun., EVERY weekend (I would have had to sign a contract that I would only miss 6 shifts a year!) and I would have been paid for 40 hours while only working 32, and at $23/hr. I said no only because I didn't want to work every weekend. If you are willing to work night shifts or weekends you can make a lot of money as an LPN. However, if you want 7am-3pm Monday-Friday or the like you are going to make a lot less.

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