Minimum Wage + LVN Wage

Red Kryptonite · May 21, 2015

Very true points delen. I was hired for a little over $9.00 being an aide. Got my CNA and my pay went up and I've gotten a few pay increases in my 3 years working there and I may only be at 11.00 when I get my review soon. My anniversary was in April but I have not yet gotten a call to have my review. I might have to call them so I can get it and hopefully get an increase.

Whew...realizing how good I have it in "backward" non-union Arizona!

applewhitern, BSN, RN · May 21, 2015

There are tons of people without a college degree who make plenty more money than I make, and I am an RN with 28 years experience. That said, my employer pays for most of my health insurance, among other benefits. I guess the question is what do you want to do? If your goal is to make a lot of money, being a nurse won't get you there any faster than flipping burgers will.

allnurses Guide · May 21, 2015

The problem with minimum wage increases is that their is always the risk of wage compaction as employers are only required to increased wages for ther minimum wage employees.They are not required to raise the wages of anyone at or above the target figure. While some employers may raise wages over all out of fairness, some simply cannot afford to. Many long time businesses in Los Angeles plan to reduce staff or move out of Los Angeles ratherthan take the wage hit.

Hppygr8ful

guest449786 · May 21, 2015

When you're deciding what field to pursue keep in mind that a lot of jobs will be greatly reduced or eliminated all together. Some low level nursing tasks are already being replaced with automation. In Japan they are Beta testing a robot that can perform ADLs for patients and there's a device that is able to start IVs more accurately than humans. Physicians and mid-level providers will be required in the future to submit all their patient's data through an application that is more accurately diagnosing than they are able to. That's if they want to continue to get reimbursed or obtain Liability Insurance.

The wave is coming and it will greatly impact all occupations and that includes nursing. It's much easier to eliminate jobs like fast food due to the repetition and I would not consider this as a viable option. There are still too many variables, nuisances, and complexities involved with nursing care and it will take a while before we are replaced with technology.

caliotter3 · May 21, 2015

When they made the announcement, I just wondered at all the job listings that I see for LVNs that state $14 or $15 an hour. I see more and more of those ads lately. And yet there are still proprietary LVN programs on every corner. Wonder when they will start closing for want of paying clientele. The sad thing about this is that you will not see an exodus of LVNs in protest of the wage/education/responsibility disparity. The Wal Mart type employers won't be hiring any displaced LVNs either. Instead they will be laying off current employees to make up for the loss of profits. This is probably going to hurt many more people than it "helps".

HM7380 · May 22, 2015

Heh heh... Try Georgia, where LPNs WITH supervisory experience make a grand total of $14/hr in a lot of places. I made $19/hr fresh out of school when I moved to Mississippi.

allnurses Guide · May 22, 2015

With minimum wage being so close to that of an LVN's hourly wage, it seems that at this point it's best to try and go straight to RN instead of taking it one step at a time.

I think this is a good idea if you can do it. Looking at minimum wage in isolation from other factors most likely won't give you an accurate picture of your prospects in the field of nursing because of supply and demand in general and urban areas like SF and LA in particular. We have a seller's market in new graduate nursing jobs in CA, especially in the cities. This is a marked change from past decades.

There is nothing wrong with the one step at a time plan except if working as a nurse while continuing your education is a non-negotiable part of your plan. Getting hired as a new grad is increasingly becoming a hurdle for new LVNs.

michelleicu · May 23, 2015

Omg now I'll have to pay $9.00 for a whopper lol crazy

kbrn2002, ADN, RN · May 23, 2015

Jumping on my soapbox here: When minimum wage is increased chances are good that pretty much everybody else's wages will increase about the same level, at least that is what happened the last time there was a mandatory minimum wage increase. Then the price of everything will eventually raise to reflect the the increase in spending power and we are all back to square one.

For the here and now the ones I really feel bad for in health care are the CNA's. I work in a SNF, starting wage for a CNA is $11.00/hr and there is no shift differential. The pay at our local McDonalds is $10.50/hr if you work the night shift. There is already only a $.50/hr difference between flipping burgers and taking care of vulnerable people. This is just wrong and it's no wonder we are perpetually understaffed.

Lmomma · May 23, 2015

Starting wage may be only 7 bucks an hour over minimum wage, but raises and advancement opportunities will be far better as a nurse than a burger flipper. Plus I can't see loving a job at fast food or feeling good about myself doing it as a career. If others want to and enjoy it then go for it, but for me, I want to do something more with my life. I want to make an impact on people

NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN · May 23, 2015

Omg now I'll have to pay $9.00 for a whopper lol crazy

This isn't much more than the $7 plus burger I paid for when I needed food in a hurry a few weeks back....so much for the dollar menu of years ago...but then again the minimum wage was $5.15/hour back then...