Category: Nursing Information For LPN / LVN / RPN

How Much money Do LPN make in Florida? | LPN Pay in Florida | LPN Salary Florida

Hello I’m Alpha Nurse Guide, I’ve been a licensed practical nurse since October 2016, today I’m going over all the jobs that I’ve had and what I got paid in each of them. This is LPN pay in south Florida, this video is not reflective of everywhere in the United States.

Job #1 – Long term Facility Nurse

At my first job as an LPN, the pay was 16.25 dollars per hour for a night shift position at a long term facility, this is terrible pay even by Florida standards, but I didn’t know any better at the time. One of things nursing school should do is to teach nurses how to negotiate salary. I did eventually get a raise to 18.25 dollars per hour, which is slightly better.

Job #2 -Flu Shot Clinic Nurse

My second job as an LPN was a mobile job where we would go from school to school giving flu shots. This was a seasonal job from October through December. The pay was 17 dollars per hour for my first year, but I did get a raise to 18 dollars per hour the following year.

Job #3 – Home Health Visit Nurse

My third job as an LPN was at a home health agency where I would go from houses doing skilled nursing visits. The Pay was 20 dollar per visits with no mileage reimbursement

Job # 4 – Methadone Clinic Nurse

My fourth Job as an LPN was at a methadone Clinic, where patients would come and get their dose of methadone and leave. The starting pay was 22.45 dollars per hour , I did get a raise to 22.70 dollars per hour a year later.

Job # 5 – School Nurse

My fifth job as an LPN is a school nurse. I get paid 19 dollars per hour by one agency and 2o dollars per hour by another agency.

Job # 6 – Testing and V-ccine Nurse

This is a job where I did testing and v-ccines for you know what. The starting pay was 23 dollars per hour, but I did get a raise to 32 dollars per hour.

Job # 7 – Home Health Visit Nurse

My seventh job as an LPN was at a home health agency where I would go from houses to houses doing skilled nursing visits. The pay is 30 dollars per visit with mileage reimbursement.

Why I (LPN) Don’t want to be a Registered Nurse (RN)

Reason #1 – I’ve worked everywhere that I’ve wanted to work

As an LPN, I’ve worked everywhere that I’ve wanted to work, the only two places that I haven’t worked are the hospital and corrections. Becoming A Registered Nurse (RN) wouldn’t open that many places to work except the hospital. I have no desire to work in the hospital, I know many nurses that do, they hate working there. Corrections I hear are interesting, I might investigate it in the future.

As nurses, we tend to fall into the trap of seeking more, a lot of people place pressure on us. When you get your LPN, the next question people ask is when are you going to get your RN? Once you get your RN, the next question is when are you going to get your BSN? Once you get your BSN, the next question people ask you is when to get your masters? Once you get masters, the next question people ask is when are you going to get your nurse practitioner? It’s a never-ending cycle where your current position is never enough.

Reason #2 – I don’t want the added responsibilities of being a Registered Nurse (RN)

I’ve seen the kind of stress the nurses at the hospital and even the ones at my current job. I don’t want the added stress of paperwork and supervising other nurses. I’m perfectly just coming in and just doing my job. I like to be able to go to my RN supervisor for help. Once you become an RN, you don’t have that kind of support, you’re expected to know everything.

Reason #3 – I’m content with my income as an LPN

I’ve made as much as 32 dollars an hour as an LPN in the state of Florida, and I’m content with that kind of income. I’m a minimalist, I don’t need a lot to live on, I’m not married, nor do I have any kids. I’m able to sustain myself perfectly on that income.

LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) vs RN (Registered Nurse)

Reason #1 – There are less prerequisite to enter the LPN program

Typically, in order to enter a Registered Nurse (RN) program, you need English, math, chemistry, microbiology, and Anatomy 1 & 2. These pre-requisites can take up to a year to complete. For the LPN programs (at least in the state of Florida), you just need a TEAS test and TABE test (if no HS diploma). With LPN programs, you can get into the program much faster.

Reason #2 – The LPN programs are shorter than the RN programs

In the United States, it takes only one year to complete a licensed practical nurse program compared to a registered nurse program which takes two years to complete. With LPN, you can get out much faster to start practicing.

In Canada, it takes two years to become a Licensed Practical Nurse, it’s called RPN, which stands for Registered Practical Nurse. To become an RN, you need a Bachelor of Science (BSN), which typically takes four years to complete.

Reason #3 – LPN school is less expensive than RN school

The price varies from state to state, but typically the price for LPN school is significantly cheaper than RN school. In my state (Florida), I found a price of 5,550 for accredited programs compared to RN school which was 10,869 which was close to double the price for LPN. In the end I would say the Licensed Practical Nurse route is the way to go.

If you are prospective students, I have a lot of resources on this site and on YouTube, feel free to check them out. Links are below.