Another question about nursing salaries

lilnurse · Jan 9, 2003

Ok OK

Ive given this some thought...

I agree that some nurses should be paid more but my thought is I have been in long-term care for about 18 years...now I haven't been a nurse for that long only since 1996. I worked as a cna, med tech, staff nurse, charge nurse and finally staff development nurse.......I make a nice living, no complaints here..but (there alway is one) I don't want a nurse who doesn't work as hard as me or as diligent about my resident's getting paid as much as me...I take pride in my nursing skills (as most of you do as well) and I think I am paid well for it..but I'll be darned if the lazy nurse who never wants to follow up with cnas, monitoring cares, dealing with family memebers or doctors gets equal pay..

So all in all...what Im saying is you are paid (in my area, Omaha Ne.) what you are worth!!!

TheBrainMusher · Jan 9, 2003

lilnurse!

THat is great for you, unfortunately, I guess you are in the minority! Maybe we should all move to Omaha! :)

Indiana ED RN · Jan 10, 2003

Originally posted by Mshheaddoc
lilnurse!

THat is great for you, unfortunately, I guess you are in the minority! Maybe we should all move to Omaha! :)

All Aboard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

::::::::Reserving 10,000 person bus for trip::::::::

Me

:confused:

ctiger · Jan 16, 2003

Does anyone work in a clinic? What are the salary ranges in your area???? :confused:

Heartsofangels · Jan 16, 2003

Hi. I have been an RN for 3 years. When I graduated, I made $15.50 an hour as a graduate nurse. After I passed the state boards, I went up to $16.50 an hour. Now, I make $22.50 an hour. They brought me up to $19 an hour when they wanted to use Collegiate aides and they wanted to pay them good, so they had to raise my pay. Then when they were trying to get more nurses in by giving their nurses more money, they raised 2nd shift up to $25, but that only lasted one week. They dropped us down to $22.50 and that's what I continue to make, but I am the 2nd shift supervisor. I think it's good money comaperd to what I started out at 3 years ago.

nuremrg · Jan 17, 2003

I graduated from school in Cleveland, Ohio and started at $20.00 an hour. After a year, I moved to just south of Erie, Pa and started at $15.00 an hour. Now, 3 years later and I'm almost making $17.00. Do you know with 3 kids, I qualify for the free lunch program at our school?

Let's talk benefits. No dental, No eye and very basic medical. I have to use our hospital and doctors and still have to pay the first 500.00. Then I pay 20 and the hospital may pay 80, if the hospital medical director deems it payable. Needless to say, we don't go to dr.'s.

For this I'm expected to answer phones, play waitress, host, policewomen, housekeeping and keep the patients from dying. If I have to do the job of many shouldn't I expect to be paid more?

To answer another question, no, being an ER Rn, I do not get paid any differently from any other nurse. You bet this is another hot button.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Jan 17, 2003

When I graduated with an AAS/RN in 2000, I was offered $14.00/hr at a large, for profit hospital in Phoenix, AZ. I already had 7 years experience as an LPN.

Afew months ago, I moved to The Texas Panhandle area. New grads are being offered $14.-$15./ and hour. The cost of living is very high here.

I recetly took a job as the Supervisor of Nursing (just under ADON) for $22./hr. HOWEVER, this huge for-profit corporation does not have any medical ins. available to nurses. Only the DON and administrator get and insurance.

But, the working conditions, terrible morale, and the very abusive, incompetent 80 yr old medical director were to much for me I quit.

The CNAs who have 40 hrs of training ar started at $10./hr at this facility.

I recently applied for a job at a veterinary clinic, as a vet tech. The job pays $10./hr. I didn't get the job, but wanted a big change from what I have been through, and so was willing to take it.

The job, market, cost of living, and what the market will bear vary from area to area.

Of course nurses deserve tons of money for what we do and what we put up with. But, I don't give a crap about the money anymore. I just want to find a fullfilling job that I can feel good about, in an area/facility where I would not panic if someone I loved were going to be "cared" for there.

ratchit · Jan 17, 2003

When I got out of school 8 years ago, I was offered $16.00 an hour for 3-11 in a nursing home and I was happy to GET A job.

Things are better now- LOL. As an ICU nurse, I recently made $29.25 an hour with about $1.50 added on for 3p-7p. I recently changed jobs and did well- LOL. I'm a union/city employee making just under $30 an hour base plus charge diff and $2.50 for anything after 3pm. Anything over 36 hours is OT and I don't work weekends or holidays. I get 2.5 weeks vaca plus a couple personal days. My (single person) health insurance is about $12 a week for a good HMO and I pay $10 a week for parking. Sounds great, doesn't it?

For the most part, it is. But it isn't as good as it sounds. Houses around here are at least $350K. A 2BR apt within an hour of work is about$1400 including nothing, MAYBE heat. (My 2BR is $1650.) Auto insurance is about $1000 a year.

We're a union hospital, which accounts for a lot of those benefits.

I certainly cashed the checks that had my ICU differential included, but I don't think that only "specialty" areas should get diffs. I can take care of ICU/PACU/ER patients, but I am just LOST on a med/surg floor. Those nurse make up in quantity of care and time management every bit of what I have to offer in depth/complex patient management. A strong med/surg nurse should make just as much money as a strong ICU/ER nurse. I think diffs should be paid for competence and performance, not where you report to work.

EmeraldNYL, BSN, RN · Jan 17, 2003

Originally posted by ratchit

I certainly cashed the checks that had my ICU differential included, but I don't think that only "specialty" areas should get diffs. I can take care of ICU/PACU/ER patients, but I am just LOST on a med/surg floor. Those nurse make up in quantity of care and time management every bit of what I have to offer in depth/complex patient management. A strong med/surg nurse should make just as much money as a strong ICU/ER nurse. I think diffs should be paid for competence and performance, not where you report to work.

Good point, ratchit. All of the new grads I have seen plan on going into speciality areas, in part because of the extra money. This difference in salary is just going to increase the shortage of med/surg nurses. I also think that nurses should receive raises based on performance, and not just a flat increase for everyone.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Jan 17, 2003

Originally posted by Nikki:

"hospitals are starting to slowly realize that huge sign on bonuses don't really work, because nurses leave as soon as their committment is up."

Nikki, I left my job BEFORE my committment period was up, as have several former co-workers and old class-mates.

When working conditions are so poor, many nurses would rather repay their sign-on bonuses back to the hospital than stay there. I have a class-mate who used her new sign-on bonus to pay back the sign on bonus she had jusr forfeited by quitting her old job.

I have also refused a sign-on bonus, because I want to committ to a job, if it is a good place to work. I do not not want to have to pay to leave a job, if it's a bad job.

ratchit · Jan 17, 2003

Originally posted by EmeraldNYL
Good point, ratchit. All of the new grads I have seen plan on going into speciality areas, in part because of the extra money. This difference in salary is just going to increase the shortage of med/surg nurses. I also think that nurses should receive raises based on performance, and not just a flat increase for everyone.

I didn't state my thoughts clearly, Em... I think nurses should get a universal flat increase *AND* extra rewards for performance. :chuckle :chuckle :chuckle :chuckle :chuckle

EmeraldNYL, BSN, RN · Jan 17, 2003

Originally posted by ratchit
I didn't state my thoughts clearly, Em... I think nurses should get a universal flat increase *AND* extra rewards for performance. :chuckle :chuckle :chuckle :chuckle :chuckle

HAHAHA!!! Wouldn't that be nice.... somehow I don't see it happening though... :chuckle