Comparing A Nurses' Salary

RNOTODAY, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2017

SL2014 said:

From what I have seen here in the Phoenix, Arizona area, hospitals start at about 21.00/hr (42K a year) but LTC facilities start RNs at 30ish/hr (60K a year). I personally think that the financial benefit of being a nurse exists in the 12 hour shifts, one could easily pick up a one-twelve per week second job and bring in an extra grand a month...

Wow that's low... 16 years ago as a GN I started out at $23.67/hr , ( Hospital) but yes I agree with the 12s... if you can do them, it's sooo easy to pick up and make GOOD money, yet STILL have time off during the week .... I love 12s I'll do nothing else.. but I'll admit, if I occasionally pick up an 8 hour shift ? When I leave I feel like a million bucks , and like I worked a half day

RNOTODAY, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2017

Now, 16 years as a RN, 7 years OR experience, minimal- a good amount of OT plus call requirement---I make well over 125k

and it's never enough!! The more I make the more we need/ spend ( yes I realize this is a whole other issue entirely ðŸ˜•)

RNOTODAY, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2017

But boy have times CHANGED since I was a new grad-- before leaving school, before sitting for Nclex, I had 4 jobs to chose from-- all ICUs, and one in the ICU I absolutely wanted ( neonatal)

now? Experienced RNs are struggling for jobs, never mind new grads!!! Wow such a contrast!!! I remember thinking nursing was a sure thing, you'd never be without a job... wow

RNOTODAY, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2017

Agree,,, 30k? You can make that doing pretty much anything... never would I work for that, it's insulting, even in the Deep South where col is next to nothing, sorry...

Raven1994 · May 7, 2017

Where I'm from new grads earn a median of 53,000 - 58 000 Dollars. Median lifetime salary is 70, 000. The range is usually 53000 - 85 000 per year. Many RNs do earn above 100 000 though (that gives me hope! Lol). I plan to work a few years as an RN, earn a bunch of "extra" credentials, and then apply to masters programs to become an NP :)

SouthpawRN · May 7, 2017

National safe staffing level laws would have more impact than anything else in improving pay for nursing. IMHO of course. CA has it and is the highest average pay in the nation.

VegGal, BSN, RN · May 7, 2017

soutthpaw said:

National safe staffing level laws would have more impact than anything else in improving pay for nursing. IMHO of course. CA has it and is the highest average pay in the nation.

I tend to agree, however you'd be surprised how poorly paid some nurses are even out here in CA. I've seen ads for LPN positions where they seem to think that $17 an hour is an "Awesome hourly rate!" And I've seen low rates for RNs advertised as well, although not as often as the ones for LVNs.

Several months ago I interviewed for a LTC RN Supervisor position where the DON commented that my asking rate was too high (I had written "$40/hr, negotiable.") When I asked what amount she had in mind, she said "$19 to $22 or $23"! I laughed.

She called me a couple weeks later and offered me $25, but that was still ridiculously low. If employers think they can get away with paying low wages, they will. I understand that when the cost of living is extremely low, it's OK to pay a little lower, but not $19!! It doesn't matter how low the cost of living is. RNs should not be accepting $19/hr anywhere in North America!!

Raven1994 · May 7, 2017

VegGal said:

She called me a couple weeks later and offered me $25, but that was still ridiculously low. If employers think they can get away with paying low wages, they will. I understand that when the cost of living is extremely low, it's OK to pay a little lower, but not $19!! It doesn't matter how low the cost of living is. RNs should not be accepting $19/hr anywhere in North America!!

19$ an hour?!?! That's almost insulting for an RN! We go through 4-6 years of intensive university education!