Nurses Please Help Me!

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:eek: I am sOoOo confused on what I should do. I am currently enrolled in a nurse aid program and have already completed a medical terminology class. The instructor for my nurse aid program suggests that I get a job, probably a part-time job, as a nurse aid after I complete the program and then go to school to become an LVN. From there she says I could get a job as an LVN then go to school for LVN-RN transition. She said she thinks LVN's, here in Texas, start out making $30/hr and that RN's make $45/hr. Her reasoning for this is that when she started YEARS ago, she's an elderly woman, she started out making $13/hr. and with inflation the pay has gone up. With the little bit of research I have been doing, it seems this might not be the case. I just need and want to go the route that will make me the most money the quickest then pace myself from there. I know it is going to be hard for me, because I have two children...an 8 and 3 year old, but I NEED to make this happen for me and my family. I just want advice and what to do and to know what to expect. Can anyone help?
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Specializes in LTC/MDS/PPS.

You're on the right track, here's what's goin on in my corner of Tx..CNA's can usually start on the floor of a LTC facility after 16 hrs of class time, this is totally up to the facility, but may not hurt to look. Your LVN program will take 1yr full time (usually days) or 2yrs part-time (usually nights), GVNs/new LVNs start at around 17.00 an hour and top out at $20 for floor nurses and higher for adin/mngr positions..higher in home health and lowr (much lower) at clinics and hospitals. Hang in there, it's tough for a while just realize that you can do it and don't give up. Good luck

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:yeah:In my opinion you are most definitely making the right choice. I have a 8y/o and a 3y/o also, they were 6 & 1 when I started LVN program. It was a long year, but soooooo worth it. I'm waiting until my youngest starts school to transition. If you go full time days to LVN, some hospitals have tuition rembursement:up:, contracts to work(CNA) fri and sat nights, but get paid 40hrs/wk. That would be a very nice option. The pay in my area of TX is about $2-4 less than udonomi said, for GVN. But at home health in close spots is about $22/hr.:prdnrs:

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Specializes in Mother-Baby, Rehab, Hospice, Memory Care.

Unfortunately those "inflation calculations" are just a bit off.... Depending on where you are in Texas you will be starting of at about $17-20/hr in a nursing home and slightly lower in a hospital. New RNs start off in the low twenties. However you can still make a decent living. I made $42,000 last year and that's not even working full time.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I started at $17.75 hourly in the Fort Worth area as a new LVN in early 2006. I have had a string of different full-time and PRN positions in the DFW area. The least I've been paid is $16, and the most I've received is $25 per hour.

Many RNs in this area would love to get $30 hourly, so expecting to start out at $30 as an LVN is inaccurate and highly unrealistic.

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