LPN SALARY - Let's Get Real!!!!!!

[AUATulsa]

lpn salary wake up call

i wish people would stop worrying about what everyone elses salary is. how about instead, we start demanding a fair nursing salary. according to the united states department of labor, bureau of labor statistics, occupational outlook handbood, lpn's should be making as follows:

median annual wages of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses were $39,030 in may 2008. the middle 50 percent earned between $33,360 and $46,710. the lowest 10 percent earned less than $28,260, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $53,580. median annual wages in the industries employing the largest numbers of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in may 2008 were:

employment services: $44,690

nursing care facilities: $40,580

home health cares services: $39,510

general medical and surgical hospitals: $38,080

offices of physicians: $35,020

remember, these numbers are 3 years old.

your salary is what you make of it! for example: if you are working for a nursing home pulling three 12 hour shifts a week making $40,580 (according to the national scale) and you also pulled two 8 hour shifts working for a home health care service making $15,808/year. your total annual salary would be $56,388 plus you would still have two days off a week. this is according to our government's website. and we should be taking this information with us to interviews. bottom line, nurses are needed and wanted. stop accepting salaries below the national average.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

With the economy tanked, most people consider themselves fortunate to just have a job.

I know many nurses in my area, both RN and LPN that have taken pay CUTS in order to stay employed.

[AUATulsa]

Thank you TraumaRUs for your reply. Just remember my post is about a POSITIVE outlook on growth and job opportunities and possibilities for nurses. Dream BIG and focus on success.

[caliotter3]

I settled for CNA wages to have a job. And for that matter, the job is only sporadic most of the time. And when I apply for unemployment benefits, the employer does their best lying to see that I receive nothing.

[shookee]

I would work minimum wage at a hospital for a year just get a job and experience. I live in S. California and beggars can't be choosy.

[LUV ALZ]

California is flooded with LVN's and RN's. I work 2 jobs and we have LVN's applying DAILY. I have also heard of new RN's starting as low as $16.00 an hour. Home health agency's are paying $15.00 for no exp and $16.50 with experience. With so many nurses on the market for jobs it drives the pay rate down. I interviewed at a continuing care center and they offered me $14.00 an hour with 3 yrs experience. I was on of 47 applicants. I didn't take it because I had a full time job and could afford to take the time to find a higher paying 2nd job. The economy is tanked right now and with all of the medicare cuts nursing pay rates are getting lower and lower. The company still has to make a profit with less money coming in. You can say demand higher pay but when it comes down to keeping the lights on and food in your family's belly people are glad to have a job, any job.