Starting LPN Program in Sept 2014 HELP

xxMichelleJxx · Jun 19, 2014

My first job was in December 2012. I had no experience, was a new grad. My starting salary was $21. Now I work at a different setting and had around 1 yr experience. I currently get paid $24. I live in NYC. I did my LPN program in HS. But if you are looking to get into nursing, just go for your RN. Im in college now and my majors nursing. There are a lot of LPN to RN programs if you wanna be a LPN first. But there are some LPN programs that are 1.5 yrs. There are some ADN RN programs that are 2. I would go for the RN, because like previous users have said, I think LPNs are being fased out. Kinda sad, but yea.

Mortpm1 · Jun 19, 2014

I have been a LPN since 1991. When I graduated I was offered a job as a LPN intern in a hospital and I made $17 per hour. This was not my only job offer. I had many to choose from. this was in los angeles so perhaps the cost of living had something to do with the salary I don't know. in 1993 I moved to Washington State and was not able to find a job paying more than $10.50 per hour. I was disappointed but there was nothing I could do about it. I worked for a unionized employer and through the years I moved up in pay to the point where I was making $29.46 per hour. I believe this wage placed a big red target on my back because I was recently terminated under a brand new manager, for supposedly violating a policy that I did not violate.

She brought me into her office for a meet and greet soon after she arrived, and the subject of my very high salary did come up. She asked me if I realized that she could hire two new grad LPN' s for what I was being paid. I had no idea what the market rate is for LPNs as I have been with this company for 22 years but I did tell her that basically I had gone up only 1.00 per hour per year for 20 years. my salary was not based on merit because any LPN having the same number of years at my company would receive the same amount of pay but I did have excellent reviews for 22 years. I also did many things that typical LPN's in my facility did not do. I acted as a case manager for a chemical dependency program that we were piloting. I was the only nurse in my unit for several months at a time when we were between RN team leaders. I was IV certified and wound care certified. I had been through three separate company-wide reorganizations whereupon I had to rebid for my job each time. I had stayed throughout the process of our inpatient hospital closure, and I transferred and trained as a clinic nurse, and I was working as a telephone advice nurse, something that usually only registered nurses do. I brought out literally dozens of written patient comment cards praising me. I told her I thought I was worth every penny of my salary, as I was basically functioning the same as an RN without the title, something she obviously disagreed with.

Since I am now looking for a job I find that LPN's are no longer being used in acute care facilities, so my 15 years of inpatient experience means nothing. Outpatient clinics now utilize MA's. I have no long-term care experience and I doubt if I have the physical capabilities at age 51 to pass meds and do treatments on 30 or 40 or 50 patients. after saving for years I finally was able to come up with a down payment and bought a house 3 years ago I will lose the house because I can no longer pay for it.

I'm going through a union process to grieve my termination and be reinstated but I have very little hope that it will pan out, as I have discovered the union is more interested in what's going on in Washington DC then what's going on with its members. Sad because I calculated that I have paid approximately 25,000 dollars in union dues over my career.

The entire process has left a bitter taste in my mouth for the field of nursing. if I have to work for 12 or 15 dollars per hour I would rather just start over in a new field altogether and not have to put up with all the ******** that goes along with working with nurses-- the cliques, the petty jealousies, the outright meanness that women can show to each other at times. the only good part about it was being able to help patients, something I treasured. frankly, that's why I never became a registered nurse because I wanted to stay out of the politics and my only joy in nursing was to work with patients. I was at the top of my pay scale and I knew I would never make more money but I was happy with my salary and I just wanted to keep my head down and work with patients until I retired in a few years.

my 28 year old son who graduated with a degree in theater arts of all things is making more than $30 per hour as a stagehand. I now feel like I could have gone into any other line of work and done better than this I would never recommend for any young person to be a nurse. becoming a registered nurse is not the answer I have seen them be treated like s*** my entire career with the liabilities and lawsuits and crazy nurse managers, it just isn't worth it.

shan409, ASN, BSN, LPN, RN · Jun 24, 2014

You have have a passion for caring for others to be a nurse, or you will not be a happy camper. I know 3 people that have their MSW (Master's in Social Work) that don't make more than 50,000 a year, but absolutely LOVE their jobs and that they would be nurses if they could "stomach" it so social work was the next best thing for them.

It all depends on the person. You will be happy doing what you love as long as you can live comfortably doing so. And with that being said you will not struggle if you love what you do.

Mortpm1 · Jun 25, 2014

If the salaries are the same now as when I graduated in 1992, I would not recommend LPN/LVN. I love nursing, but I can't pay the mortgage. With the pressure to use unlicensed nurse assistants in acute, and MA'S in clinics, the only living wage is in LTC, where the nurse patient ratios are not consistent with safe care, in my opinion. The OP specifically asked if she should quit her current job to go to school. I wouldn't, unless I planned to bridge straight into a RN program, or want to work in a SNF. Most people go to school to improve their financial situation.

shan409, ASN, BSN, LPN, RN · Jun 26, 2014

Bridging is a great suggestion, and I believe that is what most people that are getting becoming LPNs are doing. Most LPNs that want to live comfortably will continue their education at least tp the associates level.

Personally, I've been on two waitlists for more than 2 years each for ADN programs (with a 3.6 GPA and long term care and hospital experience), so I finally applied to an LPN program (got in after a few months). Here in Michigan it is much easier to get into an LPN-to-RN program vs getting straight in to an RN program. But I love LTC/Rehab anyway, so that's where I plan to stay.