What do you think should be the starting salary for nurses?

[Plagueis]

I've been looking at this site for a few years, and one thing that I've seen is that many of you feel that nurses are not paid enough, and others have stated that $25 to $30 per hour for a starting salary is still too low for what nurses do. I was just wondering what you all think the starting salary should be for nurses, either LPN/LVN or RN, and what the actual starting salaries are in your area. I'm still a CNA, but here in the south Jersey area, I've been told by nurses that LPNs usually start at $17 to $20 per hour, and RNs start at $23 to $25 per hour.

[CiCigirl]

While I agree that we need to think of ourselves as being worthy of high compensation and present ourselves as such, I also agree with the particular post you were responding to. To be talking about specific numbers is ridiculous. When we fail to consider the cost of living, the compensation numbers become meaningless. I appreciate the other poster's efforts to state her desired level of compensation in terms of the standard of living that her desired wages will give her.

As for physicians and fancy cars, etc. ... We will never be compensated at those levels until we require a similar level of education (which isn't going to happen in our lifetimes -- and probably shouldn't happen).

Considering the differences in educational levels ... What would you say the standard of living should be?

...for an entry-level position requiring only the minimal education

... for nurses with additional education working in advanced positions that involve taking more responsibility

Thanks for your post, llg--

A couple of the things I was responding to specifically were the statements, "I think that being an RN should afford you the ability to drive a decent car..." and "provide adequately for their families".

Please pardon my post if it was taken personally, or seen as too aggressive or opinionated or what have you and please remember that I was not speaking of specific numbers. But what I was trying to convey is that I feel that the work nurses do is invaluable to our communities and although the educational requirements are not the same as required of M.D.s they are above and beyond the average educational level attained by many citizens of our country, (as well they should be).

I am currently a second career nurse hopeful to be and I take the level of responsibility, dedication and committment it takes to be a good nurse very seriously. I understand the monetary compensation could never equal the level of dedication and expertise required to be a good nurse. But I am simply very much against the idea that nurse should only look for "decent" and "adequate" compensation for their immeasurable contribution to the community.

Should nurses be paid as much as physicians? Surely not, b/c the requirements for each position are so different. But should they be paid more than they are currently being paid? Absolutely YES!

Although a beginning nurse is entering an entry level nurse position, their education level is not minimal compared to the average education level of citizens of this country. (And neither is their responsiblity level, for that matter.)

As for how much entry level nurses should be offered, I agree with you, it depends on the area, and specifically the cost of living of that area. In my area it's about $25/hr.

Do I think that's enough for all the work nurses do? NO. But am I willing to accept that as a starting salary for the work I want to do? Yes.

And I do think advanced practice nurses and nurses with advanced degrees should be compensated above and beyond that.

Although I'd be one of the last people to purchase one of those glorified rollerskates that we call BMW or Lexus, I'm sure you would agree that there's nothing wrong with wanting more compensation for you and your family, the ability to contribute more to your 403b and IRA and a more comfortable lifestyle when you retire.

Because, as our great president has warned us all, social security may not be there when we retire.

:wink2:

[Plagueis]

While I agree that we need to think of ourselves as being worthy of high compensation and present ourselves as such, I also agree with the particular post you were responding to. To be talking about specific numbers is ridiculous. When we fail to consider the cost of living, the compensation numbers become meaningless. I appreciate the other poster's efforts to state her desired level of compensation in terms of the standard of living that her desired wages will give her.

Thanks to everyone who has responded to this thread. I know that cost of living varies around this and other countries, so that salary numbers by themselves don't tell the whole story. However, I have seen numerous posts here where someone has stated that nurses don't earn enough, or that $25 per hour as a starting wage, for instance, is too low. Therefore, I am assuming that based on the cost of living in their area, the posters consider that salary too low, so they must have some idea of what they think the proper compensation should be for nurses where they live.

[Xbox Live Addict]

As a patient recently said to me while he was watching a football game (his wife is a nurse): "You should be getting what they make, and they should be making what you make!"

Amen to that!

Amy

:lol2:

I'm rather opposed to college football for that reason. Bob Stoops, head coach at The University of Oklahoma, is by far the highest-paid employee there. He makes ten times what a REAL professor makes.

Plus, it burns me up :angryfire that you can get a full ride just because you can catch a leather ball, while most people working hard at their academics have to kill themselves just to make ends meet.

[Xbox Live Addict]

I'm an LPN and I make 18.67. Yes, I would like to make more but I'm okay with it.

And most LPNs where I live would kill to get THAT much...

[RNDreamer]

there is a basketball player in my biology class. the professor will get upset when a student asks him a question, but has no problem sitting there talking to the basketball player about what team he is about to play against and what team he played against the other day and blah, blah, blah...what annoys the most is that when we have practicals, he announces that " if you don't have a lab coat, you cannot take the exam", but says NOTHING to this student who nevers wears a lab coat.

:lol2:

I'm rather opposed to college football for that reason. Bob Stoops, head coach at The University of Oklahoma, is by far the highest-paid employee there. He makes ten times what a REAL professor makes.

Plus, it burns me up :angryfire that you can get a full ride just because you can catch a leather ball, while most people working hard at their academics have to kill themselves just to make ends meet.

[Xbox Live Addict]

there is a basketball player in my biology class. the professor will get upset when a student asks him a question, but has no problem sitting there talking to the basketball player about what team he is about to play against and what team he played against the other day and blah, blah, blah...what annoys the most is that when we have practicals, he announces that " if you don't have a lab coat, you cannot take the exam", but says NOTHING to this student who nevers wears a lab coat.

Lab coats are supposed to be PROTECTIVE equipment against noxious chemicals and dangerous microbes. I guess no chemical or bacterium would DARE touch this precious basketball star, hmmm?

And if your professor doesn't want the common rabble asking him questions, he isn't fit to be teaching. Higher education doesn't really work when you are expected to just sit there and absorb everything in absolute silence.

Preferential treatment for high school and college athletes really pisses me off.

[CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN]

Since gas prices are soaring and it costs more to feed my family. I would say make it $30.00 minimum beginning hourly wage for nurses. And this is from the nurse who began the are nurses in it for the money thread. LOL

PS. I agree with other posters. Present yourself in your best light to a future employer and expect to be paid fairly.

[Xbox Live Addict]

Since gas prices are soaring and it costs more to feed my family. I would say make it $30.00 minimum beginning hourly wage for nurses. And this is from the nurse who began the are nurses in it for the money thread. LOL

PS. I agree with other posters. Present yourself in your best light to a future employer and expect to be paid fairly.

HELL YEAH! Gas prices are a major expense, especially in poorer areas of the country in the South and Great Plains. The cost of living in these areas has risen MUCH faster than wages have (wages have barely moved over the past several years). With every nickel a gallon the gas price rises, people are cut more deeply to the bone, and there are plenty of crooked oil traders willing to gouge us for more, who are salivating greedily at the prospect of $4.00/gallon. What will happen when people are forced to choose between food and gas so they can get to work... just to buy more gas???

[S.T.A.C.E.Y, LPN]

It will vary from area to area, so providing a number here would be kinda useless.

My problem with RN wage here is progression. My starting wage is totally acceptable, $27/hr, as I know many people with degrees now returning to working in offices or factories for $10/hr. However, I think its dumb that our top pay is only ~$38/hr. Thats sad. And, because a nurse is a nurse is a nurse, I get paid the same as nurses working in every other area of health care. There is no way a nurse with specialty certification, requiring several advanced certification courses, and numerous added skills to just do her daily job should NOT be financially credited for that. I definitely think there should be differentials for critical care, and ER.