In AF nursing, no differential pay in hospital, right?

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Hello,

Am I right in assuming that there is no differential pay for hospital shifts in the AF on base? We're trying to figure out if we can live on the O-1 pay grade with 4 kids, since I'm working nights now with shift and charge differentials.

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Specializes in critical care: trauma/oncology/burns.

I can speak for the Army side-of-the-house:

You get paid for your 40 hour work-week. Straight pay. No charge, weekend, night or evening shift differentials.

athena

Iraq

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Specializes in Certified Pediatric Nurse.

No there is not. Base pay is based on time in service and time in grade for everyone in the Air Force. Nurses do not get shift differential...I'd say about half the jobs in the Air Force work 12 hour shifts, usually rotating every 4 or 6 months from days to nights. Each base is different on how they work shifts so it's best to find out from someone currently working at the hospital you will be assigned to.

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Specializes in EMT, ER, Homehealth, OR.

Like the above have stated there is no OT, shift diff, etc. in the military. They can work you for 24 hours 7 days a week if they like or give you time off up to 96 hours with out effecting your pay or using leave(vacation time)

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Specializes in Flight/ICU/CCU/ED/Trauma.

If you are looking just at O-1 base pay, though, you're not getting a good idea of what you'll be making. There is housing and subsistence allowance that is factored in as well. You need to figure on those as well. They're better than night shift dif or charge pay.

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Specializes in EMT, ER, Homehealth, OR.

True, per DFAS the 2010 regular military compensation for a O-1 is 53,755.25. For a O-2 with 2 years of service it is 67,546.88. What this is what you would be making if your BAH(housing) & BAS(food) where at a taxable level. ie if BAH is 1,000 (tax free) it would have to be 1,250 (if taxable).

Pay for an O-1

base pay $2,745.60

min. BAH $840.90 Depends on location, and is higher at most bases.

BAS $223.04

$3,809.54 or $45,714.48/year or $21.98/hr.

You did not say how much time you have as an RN. You will recieve constructive credit for most types of work done as a RN towards your rank. This could bring you in as a O2 or O3 which will only increase your pay.

You also have to consider you do not have to pay for health insurance for yourself or your family. Depending on what you pay now that can be a couple of dollars an hour that you will not be spending.

Do you know where you would like to relocate to if you join the military? Use this address to find out what the BAH is for the area. http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/perdiem/bah.html

What I tell everyone is to talk with all 3 services before you make up your mind which one you are going to join. Each service has its pros & cons and you need to see which one is the best fit for you and your family.

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will the increase in pay for military that was approved for this year be applied to new nurses as well? i would assume it would go across the board but my recruiter hasn't mentioned anything about it.

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Specializes in ED. ICU, PICU, infection prevention, aeromedical e.

The pay is across all service branches. It has nothing to do with time in service, only rank. Go to military.com under benefits. You can even see the BHA based on location on that site. It makes the budgeting for life a bit more tangible.

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that's a very helpful website, thanks!

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Specializes in Certified Pediatric Nurse.

ksk33,

For clarification of what you would receive for pay, just in case you are confused:

Base pay is based on rank and time in service.

BAH is based on assigned location and rank. Also, there is a w/o dependent rate and a with dependent rate. Regardless of how many dependents you have everyone at the assigned location with the same rank receives the same with dependent rate. So for your situation with a spouse and 4 dependents, you will get the same with dependent BAH rate that someone of your same rank with just their spouse and/or 1 dependent would receive. This might seem unfair to some but the quote I've heard before of "the military doesn't pay for you to keep having dependents" holds true. Keep in mind though that if you were to reside in military housing you would be given a 4 bedroom house to live in (most likely but it would depend on the age and gender differences among your children...you could end up only being eligible for a 3 bedroom). Depending on where you were stationed, most bases have nice new privatized housing built within the last 1-8 years. Your rent for the military house would be your BAH minus 110% of their assigned utility estimate for usage in that specific floor plan. This 110% deducted from your rent amount is used to pay your electricity and such. The military does this so that their occupants will try and conserve energy. So some months you might bank some of that money and other months you might have to pay out of pocket.

BAS is the same rate for all officers.

Hopefully this helps clarify any questions you have regarding military pay.

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, Home Care, Med-Surg,.

The other thing is your pay is guaranteed, it will increase automatically with rank and time in service. In the civilian world, even at the best of medical centers, you can not always be guaranteed things. Plus as mentioned the free health care, low cost of health insurance, educational benefits. Also if you get a bonus, you can add that to your pay to figure what you will be making the 1st year(minus the 28% taxes).

Also from what I understand, with the Service Members Civil Relief Act, some pre existing loans i.e auto, mortgage interest rate can be decreased to 6% while Active duty, which may also "free up" monthly income.

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Like the above have stated there is no OT, shift diff, etc. in the military. They can work you for 24 hours 7 days a week if they like or give you time off up to 96 hours with out effecting your pay or using leave(vacation time)

OMG, why why WHY do people say this stuff...THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN IN THE AF UNLESS YOU ARE DEPLOYED.

I was an enlisted COP in the Air Force - and believe me, cops have the worst ops tempo and get treated the worst of any personnel in the USAF, and WE didn't have this happen to us....

C'mon, folks - be a bit more realistic and stop sounding so bitter.

And yes, your housing allowance and your BAS ($223 a month for officers) isn't included in your base pay. On average, expect about a grand a month for housing plus your BAS. So you'll make about $3600/month with no prior service time. (Of course, your housing is based upon where you live, but a grand is a good average. And - your entitlements are tax-free - AND you no longer pay for health insurance.)

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