$25-$30 bucks an hour is peanuts!!

BadBird, BSN, RN · May 31, 2003

I agree PhePhe, we are our own worst enemies, for some unknown reason many nurses just expect to be underpaid. For this reason I stick with agency nursing, I just don't think I could ever go back to staff for less than twenty dollars a hour. I would love to learn about pharmaceutical opportunities especially that pay well, hmmmmmmmmmmm, something to investigate.

nightingale, RN · May 31, 2003

The rate of pay can be pitiful if you are regular staff and do not hospital hop for more money. They are so proud, in the small town hospital I am in to pay the nurses with 5 years experience $ 24 an hour (M/S)!

Yikes..

thank you... agency and Entrepreneural for me as long as I can do so.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · May 31, 2003

Well, since pharmacists attend school for 5-8 years, depending on degree, maybe.

And all of the Physical Therapy (not assistant) majors that I know of require 5 year degree.

oramar · May 31, 2003

Don't want to upset you guys but my hubby is a plumber and makes $36.

PhePhe, RN · May 31, 2003

Carolbelle: Pharmacists can go to school for 4 years for a BS or 5 years and get a PharmD. OT you say is 5 years. This adds fuel to the fire that a 4 year year degree should be the minimum qualification for RNs. Maybe that is why the pay remains low--AD, Diploma, or BSNs basically make the SAME salary. Many RNs do not have what is considered a "professional" 4 year degree.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · May 31, 2003

Originally posted by PhePhe
Carolbelle: Pharmacists can go to school for 4 years for a BS or 5 years and get a PharmD. OT you say is 5 years. This adds fuel to the fire that a 4 year year degree should be the minimum qualification for RNs. Maybe that is why the pay remains low--AD, Diploma, or BSNs basically make the SAME salary. Many RNs do not have what is considered a "professional" 4 year degree.

Heavy Siiighhhh.

While I may not agree with the facts of low Nursing pay:

From The US Labor Statistics BB:

The minimum length of postsecondary study currently accepted for a US Bachelor of Science of Pharmacy is five years of academic study.

The minimum length of study for a PharmD is two academic years of prepharmacy courses leading into four years of Pharmacy, which equals six years. In addition, many students opt for a Ph.D in Pharmacy or undergo an internship which may tack on a year or two (I know a couple).

In Addition,

In 1992, the majority of Accredited Schools of Pharmacy in the US voted to make the PharmD degree, the degree required to be a practicing pharmacist.

And, as of 2005, the BS in Pharmacy degree will no longer be offered.

Uuuhhh - sounds alot like 5-7 years to me...and quite soon to be at least six years minimum.

Please feel free to check the stats - they are easily available on the US Bureau of Labor BB.

And while you are at it, check on Physical Therapy requirements. The people I know from several Florida programs all went five years (FAMU).

Kind of resembles our "3 year long with prerequisites that we do not get credit for" Two year Associates in Science degree.

Of course, people that go to school that long (5 to 7 years) do not want to deal with the ........stuff...... that we do.

And...FYI..PhePhe, it is Carolina or Caroline or Caroladybelle.

Please be so kind as to use it.

H ynnoD · May 31, 2003

6 years and it is'nt even hard anymore.They have a machine that counts the pills for them.They fill bottles and label them now days....From what I hear no making certain drugs.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · May 31, 2003

Originally posted by Donny H
6 years and it is'nt even hard anymore.They have a machine that counts the pills for them.They fill bottles and label them now days....From what I hear no making certain drugs.

People that think like that also tend to believe that nurses just hand out the pills that the MD orders and pick up trays and stand and giggle when the MD walks by.

Please demonstrate a reasonable amount of respect for other healthcare workers. That was extremely rude and totally uncalled for.

Would you want to have them say some of the same things about us??????????????

PhePhe, RN · May 31, 2003

All right Carolina you have made your point. Those other professions have upgraded their educational requirements and have made financial gains for their trouble. If nurses have 4-5 years of prerequisites and clinicals we are still not getting paid a professional salary whether AD or BSN.

Pharmacists are in demand. From what I can see behind the counter, they fill prescriptions and check insurance coverage on the computer. The information about each drug now comes automatically with the prescription. I also know that they answer questions about medications too. Their training is rigourous in the amount of science and pharmacology courses they take.

Maybe you can't compare pharmacists to nurses, but I know that nurses have not made gains in salaries like pharmacists have, given both professions have about 5 years of educational requirements. There are lots of women pharmacists too, so we cannot say that the pay is low in nursing because it is a female profession.

I would like you to be pleasant to our fellow posters too, who have a right to their opinion, however different than yours. You can agree to disagree.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Jun 1, 2003

Originally posted by PhePhe
From what I can see behind the counter, they fill prescriptions and check insurance coverage on the computer. The information about each drug now comes automatically with the prescription. I also know that they answer questions about medications too.

Well, from what the Public sees regarding Nurses, we take temperatures, blood pressures, hand out medications that are ordered by the MD and check on orders/info on the computer. The Xray tecs/Phlebotomist/Pharmacist/Diabetic Educator/Wound care department/RespiratoryTherapist/Speech Therapist/OT/Nurse Aides/ etal. do all the work "automatically".

Based on what they "see", what is the big deal about Nursing that it should be paid well?

The point being made is that Pharmacists do a lot of things that we don't see "behind the counter". And nurses do many things that the Public does not view, that should be valued. We should not be demeaning their job as many of the same comments could be thrown right back at us.

The problem has little to do with education. One the world's richest men, Bill Gates is a college dropout, yet I know plenty of Ph.Ds without jobs. Teachers are notoriously underpaid, badly treated, and overworked despite many having advanced degrees.

It has to do with what we as a society value.

I personally could care less about being paid $75,000 or more a year. What I would like is a decent schedule, management that has some vague idea about how to improve morale and manage staff, and a public/MD population that does not heap abuse on us on a daily basis.

Grace Oz · Jun 1, 2003

PhePhe.... Nursing is not just a *FEMALE* profession! Feel I must correct you there, with the greatest of respect, of course! :-)

While it started out as a "FEMALE* profession, today it is not restricted only to females working in the profession. I'm sure our male colleagues would be most offended to hear thair chosen career is *FEMALE*. Nursing is gender NON-specific! :-)

As for the wages.....we've ( my generation *Baby boomers*), been fighting the 'good fight' for 3+ decades now & here in Australia, while the pay has improved, it still has a long way to go in order to anywhere near compare to other professions with close to, or equal, qualifications.

If nurses unite together & stand firm together, eventually, we might achieve a better outcome in relation to better wages, conditions. Sadly, somehow, I feel it'll be a long, ongoing arduous process. It's been that way over the past 34 years that I've been in the profession & I can't see it changing rapidly in the near future. Change is inevitable... but, it IS slow!

Cheers,

Grace