I just wanted to take the time to sigh, and vent all in one. I just passed my NCLEX-PN last week and already I am getting the "so when are you going back to school questions". It makes me very angry:angryfire , and somewhat rushed when people who are close to me approach me and ask me that. My answer is maybe next year, and then of course I get a lecture about why I should just do it now. I don't have 1) the money to pay to go back to school right now, heck I don't even have my own place, and there is alot that needs to be done before I can even think that far ahead. and 2) I want to at least get some experience as a PN first before taking on another difficult task like school. I feel a bit bad, and almost as if they are saying your still not good enough. I went into nursing because I like the medical field, and when I use to stay in the hospital as a child, it was always the nurse who made sure everything was going okay. I remember their names, but can't recall any of the doctors. When I was pregnant with my son, I had a nurse midwife. One day she was out ill and I had a PA and I wanted to say some few choice words to him about his bedside manner, and just plain out right rudeness. I worked really hard to get my PN license. It took me 6 yrs. of trying, but I got it. All I want to do is bask in the glory of having not given up when it seemed like the odds where against me. I am being pressured into starting another program, when I am not even sure yet if I WANT to go on. Any words of wisdom are greatly appreciated.
I, at one time, also thought of going back to school to get my RN simply because of those comments (why didn;t you get your RN...), but I have a job in a large medical clinic. I am a triage nurse, and I work from home. I only actually set foot in the clinic 2 days/week, and I'm full time with benefits. I don't think that my clinic would pay an RN wage for this, even though I only make about $2 less/hour. I am fortunate to work for a facility that pays LPN's very well. I went the LPN route because I had my son at 16, and I needed a job that paid decent and had benefits. I've worked in 3 different clinics, and no one really pays attention if your an LPN or RN, at least where I'm from...
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I, at one time, also thought of going back to school to get my RN simply because of those comments (why didn;t you get your RN...), but I have a job in a large medical clinic. I am a triage nurse, and I work from home. I only actually set foot in the clinic 2 days/week, and I'm full time with benefits. I don't think that my clinic would pay an RN wage for this, even though I only make about $2 less/hour. I am fortunate to work for a facility that pays LPN's very well. I went the LPN route because I had my son at 16, and I needed a job that paid decent and had benefits. I've worked in 3 different clinics, and no one really pays attention if your an LPN or RN, at least where I'm from...
What do you do as a triage nurse? I am glad to hear that you have a rewarding career, and such a sweet job. I probably wouldn't seek being an RN, either if I had it that way. And, for $2 less, that is a plus!
The RN's here only make about 4 dollars more an hour, but have a worst retirement and way more stress and responsiblity to deal with. There is no reason for me to become and RN at this time..although I never rule out the option of becoming one later.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
The RN's here only make about 4 dollars more an hour, but have a worst retirement and way more stress and responsiblity to deal with. There is no reason for me to become and RN at this time..although I never rule out the option of becoming one later.
This really fascinates me...in some other states, RNs do not make much more money than LPNs! In New York, the RNs make considerably more...the average LPN salary seems to range on the higher end to about $43,000 per year and RNs are about $60,000 (low end salary). It horrifies me to hear that an RN may make about maybe $5.00 per hour more than an LPN and have all of the responsibility and accountability...that would just kill me. The difference that I see by reading these boards is that the RNs would have more job opportunities.
My example is specific to only one location..the Dept of Mental Health in California which pays there LVN/MTA's the highest LVN wage in the country....but they don't pay there RN's much ($6,700 -$6,900/month.) This is low for RN's in this area. In most other areas the RN's will make much more than LVN's and have so many more job opportunities.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
My example is specific to only one location..the Dept of Mental Health in California which pays there LVN/MTA's the highest LVN wage in the country....but they don't pay there RN's much ($6,700 -$6,900/month.) This is low for RN's in this area. In most other areas the RN's will make much more than LVN's and have so many more job opportunities.
I have heard rumors about Virginia's salaries for RNs, (that was about 5 years ago), because I had a friend who mentioned that she thought about moving down there until she heard the salaries for RNs. Is there anyone here from Virginia that can clarify this? I can certainly agree that the opportunities for RNs are more vast.
Opportunity seems to be the key role, in my opinion, that really makes a difference in what pay is. Since there seems to be a shortage of RNs, there seems to be more room to negotiate salary, and many companies are adding stuff like huge sign on bonuses to attract RNs. I just want to get the experience of being a nurse. I worked hard to get those letters behind my name, just as all of you have too, and I think that for right now, that should be enough. I have worked in a facility where there are Nurses who have been LPN for over 15 years, and when asked why they chose to stay where they are at, the response was, they don't want the added stress, the pay is good and they are happy. I just tired of some people thinking that the only nurses that count are the Registered Nurses (no offense to any of the RNs). I feel a bit better, and I am getting the heck outta dodge very soon. I will have a place to call my own, where I can sit and stare blankly with a big smile at my diploma, and then get up and do my happy dance in my PJ's
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I have met several LPNs that voice the same thing (myself included), that they didn't want to become RNs because of the added stress. I am not paid well at my full time job, but my part time gigs are more generous with pay. I work for one agency that sends nurses out to vaccinate army soliders before they ship out and I also do home care with a steady client. I only owe about $2000 on credit cards which will be paid in full at the end of next month and I don't have a mortgage because my mother left me the house paid in full 8 years ago when she died. I am not that hungry. I didn't spend above my means and don't intend to.
Being an LPN was what I wanted because I do admit, I don't mind knowing almost as much as the RN but not having to be accountable for it in the same manner. I can't complain.
Specializes in acute, med/surg/ER/geri/CPR instructor.
First I would like to say "YAY!!! WOOHOO!!! CONGRATS AND WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF NURSING!!!!":balloons:Next, I would like to say I have been a PROUD LPN for 13 years and I have put up with those questions also. Others say "you are such a good nurse, why are you just an LPN" Just an LPN??????? What does that mean??? I am very proud of the work I do. I went to PN school after running from an abusive marriage. I had 3 small children and needed a job quickly. I always wanted to be a nurse but MY abuser would have none of that(afraid of my independence) Well, PN accepted me and I graduated with honors. I have been asked to speak at several of the PN graduations since I have graduated. My children are now 21, 19, 16 and I am proud to say they are independent with home life. So, Jan '08 I will be enrolling in my first class to becoming an RN. WIll it make me a better nurse..mayb..maybe not. LPN are great nurses (just a little under paid) Hold your head high when you say "I'm an LPN!!!"
congratulations on passing your boards and on your career choice! as a lpn, and a mds coordinator (which many of my peers don't know exactly what it is that i do) i can tell you that you can set your sights to whatever you desire. it is much harder as a lpn since many medical institutions don't give fair recognition to lpn vs rn. however, i know many lpn's that can run circles around many rns. i am very appreciative for this forum so that many lpns can get together and vent, share and detail their experiences. you are on your way to being the best nurse you can be and that is the most important part not the initials behind your name! good luck to you.
Specializes in Onco, palliative care, PCU, HH, hospice.
I have heard rumors about Virginia's salaries for RNs, (that was about 5 years ago), because I had a friend who mentioned that she thought about moving down there until she heard the salaries for RNs. Is there anyone here from Virginia that can clarify this? I can certainly agree that the opportunities for RNs are more vast.
At my facility in VA most of the RN's with about 3-5 years experience make about $10 more an hour than me not including shift diffs, which the shift diffs for RN's are double what they are for LPN's
catrob123
1 Post
I, at one time, also thought of going back to school to get my RN simply because of those comments (why didn;t you get your RN...), but I have a job in a large medical clinic. I am a triage nurse, and I work from home. I only actually set foot in the clinic 2 days/week, and I'm full time with benefits. I don't think that my clinic would pay an RN wage for this, even though I only make about $2 less/hour. I am fortunate to work for a facility that pays LPN's very well. I went the LPN route because I had my son at 16, and I needed a job that paid decent and had benefits. I've worked in 3 different clinics, and no one really pays attention if your an LPN or RN, at least where I'm from...