Why can't I do everything a RN does as a LPN? We should be equal.

Nursing Students ADN/BSN

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Why do RN's make more when we practically do the SAME THING. I don't understand how RN's having the ability to start IV's and give a few medications IV push make them more valuable than an LPN. Those extra courses you take to become RN's, heck even BSN's don't add anything clinically. When I am on the floor, WE DO THE SAME THING, yet I take home 30% less than my RN/BSN colleagues. Does anyone else agree that us as LPNS should be able to make the same salary? I hope the Affordable Healthcare Act (AHR) addresses this issue with EQUAL PAY for EQUAL work. We are a lot cheaper to higher than RN's so hopefully the (AHC) will realize this and create more of a demand for efficient LPN's that are easier to train, and cheaper to higher, thus bringing RN wages on par with our wages. It just doesn't make sense for the hospital to pay a RN $25-30/hr to start, while I make $22/hr and have more than 18 years experience. Any thoughts?

Specializes in Leadership, Psych, HomeCare, Amb. Care.

Did you take the same NCLEX exam as an RN? Same level of training?

you may do many of the same tasks as an RN, but if you read the Nurse Practice Acts, you'll see the difference between the two.

I have and it varies state to state, but from I see it states "LPNs must report to Docs and RNs. LPN may be prohibited from performing certain tasks, such as starting IV's and dictating important decisions regarding pt treatment" doesn't justify the 30% difference in pay?

No, sorry.

Even as a former LVN, I disagree.

The day-to-day routine of both LVNs and RNs may look the same in your area of practice, but that cannot be generalized to all clinical areas and all states where LVNs/LPNs and RNs practice.

Depending on the state's scope of practice, the skill set of a RN (and the education and legal responsibilities required to practice said skills) may differ substantially from a LVN or LPN's. Hence the difference in pay and demand in the job market.

Also, I think you are looking at some skills too narrowly. It's not "just" being able to give IV medications. With that skill comes the responsibility of knowing how to give IV medications, which could be as benign as IV Protonix all the way up to Levophed and nitroprusside.

(Does this mean RNs are inherently better and no LVN/LPN can match up in terms of practiced skill and knowledge base? Of course not.)

It still doesn't justify the 30% in pay difference? If you could point to one thing that justifies that difference what would it be? Many of my RN co workers agree that they just get paid more, for doing exactly the same thing.

And Mr. Chicago, a lot of times my clinical judgement is better than my nursing coworkers. They ask me what to do a lot of the times. So what does adding another year or schooling or 2 for BSN which is just fluff according to many people who are now RN to BSN. Although administration jobs open up, but regards to floor nursing, there is also no difference.

It still doesn't justify the 30% in pay difference? If you could point to one thing that justifies that difference what would it be? Many of my RN co workers agree that they just get paid more, for doing exactly the same thing.

Again, this may apply to where you work but it sure does not apply to my state and where I work.

The California scope of practice makes the LVN role in acute care (much less critical care) fairly narrow. If a med-surg LVN had antibiotics for each of his/her patients, he/she is basically dependent on the RN to do a lot of meds. And in the ICU where we deal with vasopressors and such all the time? Forget it. A patient could be dead before a LVN (no matter how smart, capable and quick he or she is) could wrangle up a RN who is legally allowed to titrate IV meds.

This impracticality in putting LVNs in California acute care settings alone justifies the pay difference.

And I have to emphasize that pay is not dependent on social value but on brutal economics. Nurses have a lot of social value but, as with all institutions who want to remain financially solvent, hospitals will pay as little or as much as the market will allow. They will pay high enough to keep nurses around, but low enough to keep a profit margin. I also have to add here that there is a huge glut of LVNs in the California job market so where's the economic incentive to pay them well? Close to none, unfortunately.

When you can manage critically ill patients on multiple vasoactives, tubes, lines, drains, then we'll talk.

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Well in oncology they don't do the same Job so no they shouldn't be paid the same. If it means that's much to you then feel free to get the same education that we RNs have.

I see what you are saying with the ICU, but at the same time the physician's orders will clearly state the parameters for titration. I can look up press it's and learn them pretty easily, I work on a Intermediate Care level floor with tele patients. It's not that difficult. Annoying when I have to get the RN to push the IV pressors because legally I can't. Makes no sense. Government should move out of the way and let the market decide what is best and affordable to the patient.

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Does anyone else agree that us as LPNS should be able to make the same salary?
As a current RN and former LPN, I do not agree that the two types of nurses should earn the same rate of pay.

I agree that the vast majority of LPN skills and tasks overlap with those performed by the RN. I agree that the LPN does mostly the same things as his/her RN counterparts.

However, you are failing to understand that RNs are not paid for what we do. Rather, we are multifaceted professionals who are paid for what we know.

OK, SweetPoo. You have two options-

- Rail against the system and campaign for nationwide change

or...

- Accept that life sometimes has rules that are irrespective of what we find logical, and go back to school to become a RN and get legal and financial recognition for your abilities.

I do not think there is anything that will change your mind in regards to the original topic of this question so good luck in whatever option you choose.

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