NP pay, does RN experience matter?

elkpark · Aug 21, 2015

That's something that is entirely up to the individual employer.

AspiringNurseMW · Aug 21, 2015

The more RN experience you have, does that mean you have more negotiating power regarding your starting NP pay? I'm not looking for numbers, but asking if there's a significant difference in starting pay between NPs with no prior RN experience and those that do have RN experience. Also, for those who were prior RNs, how long did you work for before NP school?
I'm asking because I know an 10-year LPN who makes about 26/hour. She just got her RN license, but every place she's applied to said they have to start her off at a new RN grad wage, about 25/hour. She's obviously frustrated because they aren't factoring in her LPN experience. I wanted to know if this situation is seen further up the job ladder.

From what I've heard on AN usually the answer is no, it likely wont. Reason being is that it's experience in a completely different role. Sure you have 10 years experience as a nurse, but you still have zero experience as an NP.

There seems to be 2 trains of thoughts on this, one is that RN experience can be an asset, and the other is that it can hurt because one might get stuck in the RN frame of mind.

So it might give you an advantage in that they might hire someone with experience, but they may not pay extra for it.

Basically what the PP said, depends on the employer.

Riburn3, BSN, MSN, APRN, NP · Aug 21, 2015

Typically it doesn't matter, although some larger institutions will count all previous medical experience into calculating your pay.

I know this is an anecdote, but many of the nurses I graduated had very little RN experience and settled for lower pay because it was still a large raise from their RN pay. Those of us with lots of RN experience took jobs that paid more or negotiated for more because we didn't want to make a lateral move in salary. The main advantages to having experience is many physicians will value it whether or not they pay you for it, and it will give you lots of connections when it comes to the job hunt.

BiotoBSNtoFNP · Aug 21, 2015

No, RN experience typically does not count when calculating your new grad NP salary. That is why RNs with many years of experience post that they are not making more as an Np. They start out at the new grad NP salary, which may be equal or less than what they are making as an RN.

PG2018 · Aug 21, 2015

This is an organizational preference. I think the VA uses some time as a nurse to somehow board your salary as a NP. I could be flat out mistaken on that, however.

I sincerely hope that no employer uses RN experience to pay a NP. I think that's demeaning to advanced practice.

honeykrown, MSN, NP · Aug 22, 2015

At my hospital, they considered my RN experience although they took off a couple of years cod I was a new grad NP. I guess it varies per employee cos most threads I read here said RN had no basis for NP pay

Jules A, MSN · Aug 22, 2015

This is an organizational preference. I think the VA uses some time as a nurse to somehow board your salary as a NP. I could be flat out mistaken on that, however.
I sincerely hope that no employer uses RN experience to pay a NP. I think that's demeaning to advanced practice.

VA does count RN time and as for other employers in my experience what I found is that my inpatient acute unit psychiatric experience as a LPN and RN absolutely added to my rate negotiation ability initially. For the first inpatient job I got as a NP the medical director really wanted me because I had worked a couple of hardcore units in the area and they knew if I was able to hack that as a nurse I'd be fine as a NP. Perhaps with outpatient it isn't as big of a deal but for inpatient my inner city acute unit nursing pedigree has been invaluable from the contacts I have, the presentations I have managed as well as the confidence prospective employers have that I won't be freaked out by the acuity of the patients.

Trauma Columnist · Aug 22, 2015

When I was hired as a new grad APN 9 years ago, I was hired because of my ER/ICU experience. However, didn't increase my salary.

Phillysteve · Aug 28, 2015

I think it should matter, but not as significant as we would want it to & it does makes some sense that NP is a different role,but you can't be a NP, until you've become an experienced RN! Should attach at least 2 years experience starting off,but we'll know that isn't happening anytime soon!!

allnurses Guide · Aug 29, 2015

Depends on the employer, but also on the employee and how well you negotiate. People I graduated as an NP with accepted lower pay as new grads because they wanted a job. I said heck no, I've been an ICU nurse for almost 10 years as well as being a new grad NP (with their organization for >5yrs) and now I have more knowledge and experience. I ended up starting $10/hr more than some of my classmates.

sadiemae1123 · Aug 29, 2015

My employer did count my RN experience, but all that really did was boost their embarrassingly low base pay up to something close to the average NP salary in my area.