Nurses' Salary: How Much is Fair Enough?

I became an LPN in 1974. I have heard LPN referred to "Look, Practically Nothing". Personally, I would prefer LPN referred to Licensed Practical Nurse. We are supposed to work under the supervision of an RN.

When I went to school, we went 6 hours per day: 4 hours practical (with patients), and 2 hours of school per day. This was for nine months as the first three months were devoted to anatomy and physiology and some practical work such as learning to make a hospital bed with the patient in in, giving bed baths, injections, enemas, digging out bowel impactions, i.e. the basics of nursing.

We took a state board at the end of the year that consisted of, I think 650 questions. Passing was 450; I was fortunate to make 602, so that helped me get a better position at the hospital. Boards are not done that way today. They are done by computer on a pass/fail basis so as not to give preference to higher scores.

As far as money, in 1974 I made $450.00 per month. After we passed boards we got a raise to $480.00. I worked alone in the emergency room with narcotic keys in my pocket; a "sitting duck" I suppose. The doctors did not stay at the hospital, they were called and they gave you phone orders unless some type of "repair", i.e. sutures were required. Then they came in. If I got swamped, I could page the charge nurse and she would help, but it was pretty much my department.

Nurses have received quite a nice raise since I left the profession, even LPNs. But I think some LPNs are just as well educated if not better educated, than some RNs.
When I practiced, the standard for paying LPNs was 3/4 of RN pay. I don't know what it is now. I left in 1979 to go to work in industry as a chemical lab tech, which paid much more. Now, LPNs make more than a lot of lab techs, so the table has turned.

In conclusion, I think nurses of any type in any department deserve our thanks for what they do, and should be fairly compensated. It's hard work, and learning never stops. "Burnout" is high due to the stress of dealing with life and death situations. BUT, they shouldn't be nurses if they are working just for the money...that's not what it's about. If I could have afforded to live on the meager salary of 30 years ago, I would have probably stuck it out. I never dreamed we would be paid fairly.