The Big Money Question

nursejanedough · Mar 28, 2001

The lowest I will take is $23.00/hr. As an RN that is expected to work without a lunchbreak or any break, and most likely will be working overtime (giving up valuable family time), and having to pay for malpractice insurance, this sounds reasonable to me.

Q. · Mar 28, 2001

I think $40,000 would be fair to start right out of college. As a new nurse, you have alot of responsibility, yes, but have alot to learn yet. I think starting at 40 would make us comparable to many other professions. From there, I think the range should be much more wide. Right now I'm interviewing for a job that the range is so ridiculously small - $16 - $18 an hour. That's only a $2,000 a year difference. Most professions offer much larger ranges, say $5 - $10,000.

I also think that maybe, this is just a thought, but specialty areas should be paid slightly higher. I know ICU nurses have differentials, but in L&D I don't. I also think nurses should be paid according to their educational level - it would offer some incentive for further education and certifications. Right now, there isn't any incentive. Sure, a brand new RN, BSN should start out at the $40,000, and would probably be making less than her RN of 7 years counterpart, but her level of raises at some point should surpass the RN of 7 years. I really feel the BSN should count for alot more. It's an investment in yourself, and I feel you should be compensated for it.

TracyRN · Mar 28, 2001

I'm pretty sure that there is a law somewhere that states that your output will always exceed your income by 10%.

I make only $15.49 per hour as an OB RN which I see some of you wouldn't even consider. I also live in an area with a relatively low cost of living. Sure, I'd like to make more money per hour but I'd hate to live in a big city. I enjoy being where I am so I guess I'll have to take that into account when I compare my wages with others'. All in all, I'm content.

Am I worth more? Sure!! Could I make more locally? Undoubtedly. Would I be as content? Nope!! I'll stick with where I am. Would I let admin know that I wrote this here? Heck NO! I'm content, not stupid.

Mijourney · Mar 28, 2001

Hi buck227. The question for me is what would be the lowest pay acceptable? What I would like to see disappear is wage compression and the tendency to start experienced nurses off at the bottom of the pay scale when they change to a new employer or position.

What do you think about establishing a national nursing pay scale with the scale starting at the current highest base pay in the nation and then getting additional pay for experience, certifications, additional degrees, etc.? If I'm correct, wouldn't this method have similarities to how physicians are paid? How are NPs in primary care paid?

RNforLongTime · Mar 28, 2001

I recently started a new job here in Ohio where I now live and I'm making 4 dollars (with a shift differential) an hour more than what I was making at my old job. The management at my hospital where I work were flabbergasted at my wages at my old hospital after 3 years of service. I think that for what I do and all of the bs I put up with I should at least be paid 23 to 25$ an hour. I work at a unionized hospital and our contract expires this October so I'm sure a wage increase will be part of the new contract especially is the face of the severe nursing shortage that all of the country is facing

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NurseMark · Mar 28, 2001

Originally posted by Mijourney:
Hi buck227. The question for me is what would be the lowest pay acceptable? What I would like to see disappear is wage compression and the tendency to start experienced nurses off at the bottom of the pay scale when they change to a new employer or position.

What do you think about establishing a national nursing pay scale with the scale starting at the current highest base pay in the nation and then getting additional pay for experience, certifications, additional degrees, etc.? If I'm correct, wouldn't this method have similarities to how physicians are paid? How are NPs in primary care paid?

First of all, the question is hypothetical. If I were an RN, I would want $50,000 a year, as many "professionals" are paid that sum and then some. 9 to 10 % wage increases maxing out at $75,000 a year seems reasonable.

Nurse POC · Mar 28, 2001

Hey BUCK..... I got an idea..... How about emailing me sometime and we can... talk

I feel we have a lot in common

POC

buck227 · Mar 28, 2001

Poc, I heard about you. You are by far the most beutiful nurse any one has ever seen. I sent you an e-mail with my phone number. Can we go out sometime?

Originally posted by Nurse POC:
Hey BUCK..... I got an idea..... How about emailing me sometime and we can... talk
I feel we have a lot in common
POC

buck227 · Mar 28, 2001

What do you think about establishing a national nursing pay scale with the scale starting at the current highest base pay in the nation and then getting additional pay for experience, certifications, additional degrees, etc.? If I'm correct, wouldn't this method have similarities to how physicians are paid? How are NPs in primary care paid? [/b]

No offense, but I think the idea of a national anything is against the American way of life. I think free enterprise should demand a higher range of pay. The Nazi's and the Communist's had national systems and look what happened with that. :-)

buffy the vampire nurse · Mar 28, 2001

Well here in Australia we have state mandated nursing awards and we are neither Nazis nor communists. It also means we a guaranteed rate of pay related to experience/years of service, cannot be forced to work mandatory overtime, have a minimum of 10 hours break between shifts, get paid for breaks that we miss due to workload, get paid shift differentials for evening, night shift and weekend work. Its not perfect but at least we have a set of conditions that we can demand that employers provide.

I don't think we get paid enough for what we do but the guaranteed conditions help a little :-)

Mijourney · Mar 29, 2001

Originally posted by buffy the vampire nurse:
Well here in Australia we have state mandated nursing awards and we are neither Nazis nor communists. It also means we a guaranteed rate of pay related to experience/years of service, cannot be forced to work mandatory overtime, have a minimum of 10 hours break between shifts, get paid for breaks that we miss due to workload, get paid shift differentials for evening, night shift and weekend work. Its not perfect but at least we have a set of conditions that we can demand that employers provide.

I don't think we get paid enough for what we do but the guaranteed conditions help a little :-)

Hi Buffy. Some variation of the above could be tried, but I still would want my employer to "show me the money."

Buffy, do you have any idea of what CEOs or senior administrators of hospitals or health care facilities are paid in your country? I'm curious.

Buck, I know you have no faith in government. I don't have reverence for any political, governmental, or economic system either. But, keep in mind that the suggestion of a national program doesn't necessarily mean government-based.

By the way, if I decided to make hypothetical into a reality, I probably would choose to bill at least $75/hour for my services to cover the expense of insurance, benefits, misc., along with patient care services. I would probably restrict direct patient care services to 30 hours or less as time would be needed to attend to other aspects of my practice. Does anyone think this is asking too much, too little, or would just about cover everything?

[This message has been edited by Mijourney (edited March 28, 2001).]