Doctorate vs MSN

[Dr.Naija_Glam]

My job recently implemented a pay scale that offers APRNs with doctorates 5%-15% pay raises than APRNs with an MSN. There are levels from NP I- NP IV. Each level depends on years of experence, research participation, involveIt isn't surprising that some of the veteran APRNs with MSNs are not happy. Has something like this happened where you work? How was it received? What are your thoughts?

[mzaur]

I'm curious what kind of setting is this? And what specialties are the NPs?

[zmansc, ASN, RN]

I agree with mzaur, what kind of setting is this? I'm guessing rather large organization....

[Dr.Naija_Glam]

Yes it is a large organization. Sorry for the delay. It is a pediatric hospital with clinics and many specialties. There's a APRNs in every specialty. Clinical Nurse Specialists are employed as well as NPs. I'm also just noticing all of the typos in my post. Sorry about that, I typed it on a tablet.

[BlueDevil, DNP]

The University hospital and it's associated practice groups here pay DNP prepared APRNs more, but I don't know how much more. Not surprising to me, nor do I understand why it would be surprising to anyone else.

[elkpark]

The large academic medical center at which I work pays people more for higher degrees. There are nurses on my service who are not psych CNSs but have (other) MSNs. They get paid a lower rate than I do as a psych CNS, but they get paid more than they would as generalist psych nurses if they didn't have the Master's. Another psych CNS on our service gets paid more than the other psych CNSs because she has a PhD. I agree with Blue, no big surprise.

[Dr.Naija_Glam]

Thank you for your thoughts. It's not surprising to me either, but it is to some APRNs at my job who have decades of experience. The main argument is that their many years of experience should be taken into consideration in lieu of a doctorate. Some of these APRNs have over 30 years of experience. I wanted to see if any other organizations were doing this since mine had just started.

[Corey Narry, MSN, RN, NP]

I also work for a large organization with a 3-tier salary grade for NP's from NP I to NP III. Majority of NP's in the system are NP II. I would assume NP III would be more along the lines of NP's with doctorates and substantial research output but that hasn't been ironed out I believe. To complicate matters, we have 11 salary steps within each of the salary grades so that an NP III on step 1 will make less than an NP II on step 8 on the salary grid.

The steps are determined by years of total nursing experience so even if we have DNP's on NP III designation, experienced NP II's may still make more. This, however, is an institution where NP's are part of the CNA-NNU bargaining unit and the union is quite active in ensuring equitability in salary determinations. Our salary grades are also public knowledge and are posted online.

[BlueDevil, DNP]

Thank you for your thoughts. It's not surprising to me either, but it is to some APRNs at my job who have decades of experience. The main argument is that their many years of experience should be taken into consideration in lieu of a doctorate. Some of these APRNs have over 30 years of experience. I wanted to see if any other organizations were doing this since mine had just started.

I don't agree with "in lieu of a doctorate," but I'd agree with in addition to a doctorate. The Uni here has an algorithm for salaries that takes into account education AND experience, and very generously considers all health care experience from one's first candy stripper position, all the way through advanced practice. I don't work there, I don't know specifics, but someone with years experience may well earn as much as or more than a new grad with a DNP and a total of 2 years in health care. But side by side, all other things being equal, the doctorally prepared person is going to be paid more. I think this is pretty much standard across most industries, more education = higher earning power.