LPN's PLEASE READ

I'm an LPN at a ltc/rehab...i get paid 19.76+shift differential starting rate.

I love being an LPN, although its worth it to get ur RN

i went to prism graduated march 20 of this year.prism is accredited-------my class had a 90% pass rate. school is what u make it. nobody is going to hold yr hand through it. if you want something really bad you will get it. i would recommend prism to anybody. be ready to study!!!

I live in Reading, PA. I work in a hospital and make about $20 (w/ shift differential) on 2nd shift. RN's start around $21 as their base, but if I would go to a nursing home I would start probably around $21-22. As a CNA in a nursing home I was making around $15. I don't know about Philly hospitals, but the hospital I work at is planning on having only RN's in the acute setting by 2014. I am starting school this fall for my RN.

I don't know how far you a willing to drive for school, but RACC (Reading Area Comm. College) has a LPN program. Good Luck with your decision

You work as an LPN in Reading, PA at a hospital?? Which hospital do you work at, i didnt think they hired lpns in hospitals around here anymore.

I'm also in the reading area.

I worked at a nursing home for 11 years as a cna and was making only $9.10. I recently passed my test and I am not a lpn and working prn at that same nursing home making $16.00. I would say the pay is a big difference. The only thing is that they told me that my 11 years (at that same facility) didn't count. I would be starting over. I don't think that is right. I think my time should still count for something. They told me that a cna is a cna and a lpn is a lpn. Makes no sense.

correction on line 2. I am NOW a lpn working at the same facility prn.

Tessa, I work at Reading Hospital. I was one of the last few LPNs hired there about 3 years ago.

I am currently a LPN located in lehigh valley and I was making around 17/hr in the hospital setting but now do homecare and love it.. I make my own schedule and make about 23/hr.

Loving care agency now accepts recent grads for work i believe they start at 19/hr

I have been an LPN for over 20 years and have found the pay to be decent but it really depends on where you work. It also depends on whether you are staff or in the prn pool and how many years experience you have. I work in a long term care facility affiliated with a hospital and becasue of my years of experience (they stop counting at 10) , make 25 an hour as a staff nurse, the pool rate is 27 an hour.

I just graduated as an RN/BSN and will probably make the same amount b/c i will be considered a "new" nurse. I think it is definitely worth it to go from CNA to LPN. You will have more job opportunity and flexibility. I worked as a CNA to get through LPN school, and as an LPN to get through college for my RN.

Best of luck to you.

Mauread

Stykerforce, I would urge you to investigate the employment opportunities for new LPN'S vs new RN's. PLEASE! There seems to be a limited amount of opportunies for LPN's-ESPECIALLY right out of school.

I was a CNA and now I am an LPN. The experience that you gain being an LPN is great but everywhere I go-they are looking for RN'S. If you can go to school for the extra time, I strongly encourage it! Also, LPN school is extremely tough because you learn what most others learn at a much faster pace. Like twice the speed. You can do it. Just prepare to buckle down for the ride of your life! When you get off, it will be worth it. Good Luck!

can anyone tell me what the process is for the nursing program at RACC? I want to start in january 09 but I can't find any info on the process. I have already applied to the school. any info would be great

All these posts are really quite encouraging!! I am a nursing student in PA, and I plan to work in long term care. I'm very excited, and even though a lot of people say they "hate" working in LTC, it's what I really want to do. This site has given me so much information that I'm becoming more and more confident that nursing is the career for me :heartbeat...

-Alex