Elementary school teachers earn about $13,600 more than RN's in 2000 per Gov. survey

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

HRSA's Projected Supply, Demand and Shortages of RNs

8/05/02

The report, "Projected Supply, Demand, and Shortages of Registered Nurses: 2000-2020" by the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis, Department of Health and Human Services was released on July 30, 2002. Using data on supply trends drawn from the 2000 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses, supply and demand projections of registered nurses (RNs) for the period 2000 through 2020 are analyzed in this report.

To read full report, go to http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce/rnproject/report.htm

Check out:

Declines in Relative Earnings:

Salaries are likely playing a role in the declining supply of RNs. While actual earnings for RNs increased steadily from 1983 through 2000, "real" earnings -- the amount available after adjusting for inflation -- have been relatively flat since 1991. Thus, on average, RNs have seen no increase in purchasing power over the last 9 years. (See Chart 7) In contrast, the average salary for elementary school teachers has always been greater than that for RNs and is growing at a faster pace. [2] In 1983, the average elementary school teacher earned about $4,400 more than the average RN; by 2000 this had grown to the point where elementary school teachers earned about $13,600 more. [3]

Furthermore, a good portion of the wage growth for these nurses appears to occur early in their careers, then taper off with time. In 2000, staff RNs employed full-time in nursing, who graduated 5 years earlier, typically earned wages 15 to17 percent higher than those newly entering the field, depending on basic nursing preparation, but only 1 to 3 percent less than nurses who graduated 15 to 20 years earlier. As their potential for increased earnings diminishes over time, staff nurses may be motivated to leave patient care for additional education and/or other careers in nursing or outside the profession.....

Interesting reading!!!

[2MagnoliaTrees]

I want to know what state did they get the teachers' salaries from. In Louisiana everybody almost makes more than the teachers. The garbage men make $13.00 an hour. Just another government report trying to put out not so accurate information. When I was nursing part time as an LPN only 3 days a week I made more than what I make working full time as a classroom aide and that's 5 days a week. I know nurses that have gone to the bigger hospitals and have worked only weekends and make more those 2 days than what they'd make all week working at the smaller hospitals. Don't believe everything in print. God Bless.

[Repat]

I think maybe the point here should be where are our priorities? Teachers should be paid more - education is important! Nurses should be paid more, and access to the kind of healthcare that should be available to the citizens of the richest country in the world should be universal, not based on whether you can pay or not. We all should be embarrassed by the state of education and health care in this country, as well as how we treat the less well-off in our society.

[rebelwaclause, ASN, RN]

It gets even more thought provoking to consider the millions we pay hollywood celebs and athletes, but can't keep teachers because of low salaries here in California (and everywhere else?). The nurse shortage crisis is about the same as teacher shortages. Go figure.

[2MagnoliaTrees]

Scary ,but I'm afraid there will come a day when the crisis in both education and nursing will be at a fever pitch and the ill and our children will have to fend for themselves. They will hire people off the streets to take care of these 2 needed areas and it will be a sad situation indeed. I just pray that I'm not around to see it when it gets that severe.

[MQ Edna]

My husband is a substitute teacher for our county (he has a BS in Political Science). When he went to orientation, some of the "substitutes" had only a high school education! Shameful. Last year, we homeschooled our son. In order to "pass" he had to take a state test and rank in "at least" the THIRTEENTH percentile!! I couldn't believe it when the guy at the school board told me that. I made him repeat it three times to make sure I heard it right. Unbelievable.

[rebelwaclause, ASN, RN]

Originally posted by LauraRN0501

My husband is a substitute teacher for our county (he has a BS in Political Science). When he went to orientation, some of the "substitutes" had only a high school education! Shameful. Last year, we homeschooled our son. In order to "pass" he had to take a state test and rank in "at least" the THIRTEENTH percentile!! I couldn't believe it when the guy at the school board told me that. I made him repeat it three times to make sure I heard it right. Unbelievable.

W-O-W and unbelievable.

[Repat]

We, too, have been very disappointed with the public education system. How can anyone possibly justify these factory schools with thousands of children in them? I have read where administrators in some of the really large high schools don't even know all the staff at these institutions. What chance does a shy child have? Or one who is different? It is frightening. We live in a very prosperous part of our town, and tax increases for schools have been routinely voted down by people living in half million dollar houses and driving 60,000 dollar cars. It's shameful.

[eltrip]

It's the values & priorities of our society, ya'll. We value entertainment & sports over education. Ever hear someone ask, "What will I ever need to know _______ for?" An educated citizenry is one that is not readily susceptible to tyrants.

Education, children, the sick, nor the poor are valued by our society. It's all about what you HAVE, & how you look...not what you know.

Children don't have jobs...the poor don't have money. Our society emphasizes the desires of the one over the needs of the many.

The direct customers of Teachers are children. The direct customers of nurses are the sick. Neither are valued. Quite sad, but true.

Just my cynical viewpoint for the day.