LPNs: What are your responsibilities and pay rate compared with RNs at your job?

[Nola009]

Jus wondering... I work in LTC and at one facility, they have a LPN as "charge", she works a 9-10 hour shift, and they have an RN come in for 4-5 hours of that shift, just to pass medications. So far, I haven't seen any medication administration that an LPN couldn't do, but their is that possibility that a patient with a PICC line could come in, because my facility has been trying to get more 'skilled' patients in.

I am kind of new to nursing, and wherever I go, whatever I do, people want to talk about how much or little they get paid. And of course, they want me to tell how much my wage is!

Has anybody worked in a scenario where they are 'charge' over a RN? Do you get paid the same, and if not, how do you feel about that?

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

they have an RN come in for 4-5 hours of that shift, just to pass medications.

LTC is the most regulated industry in the US. In most states, LTC facilities are legally required to have "RN coverage" for a minimum of 8 hours per day.

Since the director of nursing (DON) has an RN license, their presence in the building is sufficient to fulfill the "RN coverage" requirement on weekdays. On weekends, an RN supervisor usually provides the legally mandated "RN coverage."

Problems may arise in LTC facilities with a mix of higher acuity residents (central lines, dialysis, vents, LVADs, cardioactive drips, etc) with needs for procedural skills that only RNs can provide. For this reason, your facility might want a few extra hours of RN coverage per day just in case.

[RedInScrubs, ASN, RN]

I just switched from LPN to RN in a private duty nursing position, and the difference in pay is $4.50/hr. Duties are the exact same for the patient I work with (stable pediatric), but I now don't have to be checked in on by the case manager RN every month, and I collaborate more on the care planning. That's really the big difference, but otherwise, I'm still a pretty independent entity in terms of the work itself.