nursing salaries

Nurses General Nursing

Published

What are some common nursing salaries for ER, Med surg, OR ICCU

Highs and lows

I just graduated in May 2000. I am starting an RN position at a major teaching hospital in the Chicagoland area. This hospital is offering 18.60/hour + 1.75 pm diff and 2.00 noc diff and 2.00 weekend differential on top of the shift differential. I turned down a job at a smaller community hospital in the ICCU. They offered 19.00/hour plus a 2.50 pm diff and 2.75 noc diff and also a 2.00 weekend diff on top of the shift diff.

I turned down the job because as a new grad I didn't have the confidence to start in critical care. Just wondering, because there is a nursing shortage, should hospitals hire new grads in the ER, ICCU or OR. What do you think

I know nurses are underpaid, but reading these messages, I think I am pretty lucky. I thought SC was one of the lowest paying states. With only 1 1/2 yrs experience I work 11-7 in upstate SC. New grads start around $15-15.50. plus shiff diff 11-7 is 2.40/hr and weekends add an extra $5-8/hr more.

I am an LPN working in Canton, Ohio in an extended care facility. I have 7 years experience and have started my new job at $15.00/hr. Most LPN postions in this area I have found start between $12 and $13/hr.

After reading some replies I am curious as to whether a union has made a significant difference overall? Also, seniority in Nursing does not seem to increase one's income as proportionately as it does in the private sector. We seem to be settling for less than we are worth.

Originally posted by natbrat:

What are some common nursing salaries for ER, Med surg, OR ICCU

Highs and lows

I live in Northeast Tennessee and the starting pay in the area I work in, which has a level One Trauma ER, is only 12.51-13.08/hr for new grads. The cost of living in NE TN is really high too. A nice house would cost you 210-350 thousand. And I don't mean a really big house. More like a 2-3 bedroom 1 1/2-2 bath 1500-1900 sq. ft kind of house. So, the cost of living compared to our starting pay really stinks! I have read the demographics for our area on the net and they say nurses in NE TN are supposed to be making around 17-19/hr and well we definitely are not. Shift diff. is about 8% for 2nd shift and 12% for 3rd. I am a new grad and start in the new born nursery in one week and I start @ the same pay rate as the ER and ICU nurses. Hope this helps. Donna ;}

frown.gif I live in a rural community in western South Dakota. I work in a clinic as their Orthopaedic Nurse. I also scrub and assist my dr in surgery. I also fill in as the Urology Nurse, Cardiology/Internal Med Nurse, Surgical Nurse and for various family practice Nurses. I have 2 years experience and am the only nurse in the clinic to apply and remove casts, scrub, and fill in the various areas of nursing shortage. I make less than some in our medical records dept. The hours are to be 8-5pm with occasional Saturday Urgent Care coverage with no pay diff. and put in typically 10-12 hr days. The only benifits they offer are a time share program. In this clinic there is no standard of pay. In fact a nurse they hired 1 1/2 yr after me with no more education or experience was hired at $0.60/hr more than I after being there for 2 years. Plus her position is lower than mine! humpf go figure. I make....are you ready for this one? .......... $10.91/hr and that is after a raise! I am an LPN, but there are some RN's there that have over 20 years experience, and have been working there for 7+ years and only making $13/hr. At our local hospital they are hiring new RN grads with no experience at $13. The cost of living is NOT cheap here at all. If I were a man and worked at one of the area Sawmill's or other corporations, just graduated from high school, I could be making over $14/hr! I am in the process of getting my ASN, but the only difference between an RN and LPN in South Dakota is being able to start and infuse IV's. I could get IV certified however..but still be an LPN (Low Paid Nurse) ha ha So chins up! See how much better you got it?! wink.gif Happy Nursing!

Originally posted by HoJo:

This dollar figure might frighten some of you, how about $14.15 an hour. $16.00 sounds pretty good to me. Of course I live in South Dakota where everyone is underpaid. I might also add that $ figure is in the largest city in SD, I'm not sure how much the more rural nurses make here, but I'm sure it's even less than what I make!!

That's why I'm looking elsewhere. Does any one know how much a nurse makes in AZ, I'm looking at moving there.

[This message has been edited by Jo_deye_yuh (edited July 28, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Jo_deye_yuh (edited July 28, 2000).]

I'm a new grad and just got my first nursing job yesterday! I live in Northern California and will be making $22/hr. to work on an Alzheimer's unit in a SNF. In my opinion, not a bad way to begin my nursing career.

To add on to your message.....agency RN's in San Antonio are making $20+/hr and the larger hospital systems are paying about that for experienced, specialized RN's. Dialysis clinics are paying a little less than that...about $18/hr + to start. But you also have to consider what they will deduct from your pay for med/dental benefits.

Hey, I am psych nurse in Illinois. I have read all of the previous postings and agree with everyone else. I make a base of 15.23/hr plus .85 shift diff, in a small town in the middle of Illinois. Our benefi packet could be better, no dental. I am a BSN psych nurse with 3yrs of experience. I have been thinking about that legal nurse consulting, can you give me more specific details on just how profitable this field can be. Including yourself or anyone reading this, please e-mail me if you have info on this field to share at [email protected]. Thanks.

Originally posted by PattieD:

I just finished reading all the previous postings on this subject and I agree that our salaries suck. And, unfortunately, the reasons are quite obvious. We are a predominantly female profession and our "voices" (being NLN and our state nurses associations) aren't doing anything other than collecting our dues. I, for one, feel that until our voices are heard, it won't change. I agree with the unions, but we need to be unionized nationally, not just in certain localities. I'm not quite sure how we go about this, but I intend to find out. I have a friend who's brother works for the union and I am planning to meet with him to start a union here in the Richmond, Va. area. But, I don't want to stop there. We would have a lot more say if we were all united. Does anyone know how to light a fire under the NLN? If anyone has any suggestions, I would welcome them. I know there is a union in northern Va. and I have seen their contract. It sure looks a lot better than what we have here. I presently work in home health, making $35/visit, $45 for openings. But it is a medicare agency, so by the time I actually do the paperwork, I make about $11.25/hr for the work I do. I also do staff relief, but we have to contend with HCA hospitals that treat us as badly as their own employees. My only reprieve is my legal nurse consulting and life care Planning business, for which I am paid very well, but just getting going good right now. Please contact me if you have any suggestions on how to get a national union for nurses. Or maybe we just need to take over "our" NLN and run it like it should be run.

Well let's here from Mississippi...Who is so far behind...I have been a nurse for 18 years and i am a manager of OB NSY and PP for the going salary of 16.42/hr.....We have been forced to cover 24hr shifts for a month until we have trained help, but no on wants such high risk area.....

Binky

I have worked just short of 2 years and make 17 HR plus a 2 dollar shift differential in Kansas City. I am a BSN and there may be a ladder but no one is sure. The individual wages varies wildly with little rime or reason. Some experienced BSN's make a lot less than the Associate GN's hired at about the same time. The agency staff can make 40 dollars an HR on days and who knows what they make on nights.

It is sad nurses put up with the poor staffing and low pay. If wages don't go up I may vote with my feet. I can make more in a lower stress job with no experience and no training!

[This message has been edited by Joe (edited August 16, 2000).]

Hello from Mississippi.....I am a nurse manager of a OB/PP/Nursery unit and my base payis 16.97....I get 1.00 for being the manager....I also have to be included in the staff for pt care (which I love).but then there is all the extra things such as budget, managing and I just don't think 1.00/hr cuts it.....so I requested to go back to staff nurse and give them the 1.00/hr back and the BIG headache... RN's and LPN's get 1.00 night shift diff.....EMT's and CNA's don't get the diff.....which causes resentment

We have a hospital which is afraid of growing and it is and the administration is freaking out...No nurses are even applying and this cheap place would not ever offer a bonus or anything to attract a nurse........................

+ Add a Comment