Higher Paid Nursing Jobs

scceda, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2013

Yikes, that doesn't sound like a lot! Everywhere I've worked, night diff was around 18-20%.

Our facility pays 50 cents more for second shift, and 75 cents for the nights. :blink:

klone, MSN, RN · Jul 3, 2013

Actually, it is that ICU is "somehow worth more than med/surg or OB", and I am an ICU nurse.

Please, let's not get into a ******* match. I think every single specialty (yes, including M/S) could have an argument for why they have unique challenges that make their job more difficult, thus they should be compensated more. I could make a sound argument for why L&D is way more challenging than ICU. But I'm not going to, because it's insulting and and I don't believe it. Like I said, each specialty area has its own challenges, and one area is not better or worse, or deserves more than another, unless it also requires an advance degree to be there.

GM2RN · Jul 3, 2013

I'm in the midwest and work for a union and a non-union hospital.

New RNs at the union hospital make approx. $31 to start, with guaranteed yearly raises of approx. $1/hr. Shift diff for nights is 8.25%, plus an extra 20% for weekend shifts that are not your regular weekend. Float pool nurses make $42/hr. Casual RNs are paid a bonus of $35/8-hr shift and $60/12-hr shift for every shift in which a shift diff is paid. Bonuses are paid quarterly. For FT/PT RNs, OT is paid for any hours worked beyond your normal work week. So if you are normally scheduled for 24 hrs/wk, OT would be paid for anything worked beyond 12 hrs/day or 24 hrs/wk (or beyond 8 hrs/day if that is your normal shift). Holidays are paid at a double time rate.

At the non-union hospital, RNs start at approx. $23-24/hr. Shift diff for nights is 12%. Raises are not guaranteed and there have been years when I got none. Other years I got approx. 20-60 cents/hr. No bonuses or extras are paid for casual RNs, OT is paid after 40 hrs/wk, and holidays are paid at time and a half.

I do agree that rate of pay depends greatly on the area in which you live, but it also depends on whether you work for union or non-union, which is what I wanted to show by going into so much detail above.

SalineFlush · Jul 3, 2013

All nurses should be protected by a union. When we aren't, we are the perennial sacrificial lambs and long-suffering servants of the hospital.

MagsMom · Jul 3, 2013

It depends on what you are interested in. I have done research for many years and that always paid more than bedside- now with my research background I have moved into a quality role. I absolutely love what I do and am getting a lot of experience in different areas based on the project. For example, the project I am currently working on allows me to collaborate with risk management, our provider group leadership, and a contracted insurance company. I think you have to network. In fact, that is the way I have gotten my last 2 jobs, both of which I was "hired" before it was posted.

SNB1014, RN · Jul 3, 2013

PRN at another facility , but that was said already.

I am planning on working at a *********** clinic when all the kids have to get ready to go back to school. A couple nurses I know did it and said it was easy money. Also you could be prn substitute school nurse for a local school system.

An older nurse told me that she did travel nursing and stayed at a extended stay hotel for cheaper and pocketed the difference of her housing stipend. Ladies gotta hustle! Haha

SNB1014, RN · Jul 3, 2013

If you are in ICU you could maybe try a leadership position like stroke coordinator or gamma knife nurse coordinator, quality improvement etc

friesk01 · Jul 4, 2013

Wow this is depressing

I've been an RN for two years and make 18.56/hour, started at 17.36/hour. I am in the midwest though in one of (I've heard) lowest paying cities in my state (IN.) Our ICU nurses make the same rate as us med surg nurses and we can get $1 extra an hour for charge.

candyimage16 · Jul 4, 2013

Wow this is depressing
I've been an RN for two years and make 18.56/hour, started at 17.36/hour. I am in the midwest though in one of (I've heard) lowest paying cities in my state (IN.) Our ICU nurses make the same rate as us med surg nurses and we can get $1 extra an hour for charge.

Hint for better pay, change jobs! I have been a nurse for 3 years and have increased my pay rate by over $12/hr! Of course one of those increases was due to moving to a different location, Oklahoma to Texas. I feel my pay (over $30/hr with diff) is very well compensated. I'm acutally about to start travel nursing to save on rent because I have a massive amount of student loans to pay off.

I also did PRN at LTAC that paid tremendously. I found that I had more "take home pay" working a PRN job versus just picking up OT/extra at my primary hospital. LTAC's pay a good amount more money than a true "hospital" setting, all while still having the same level of care (the focus is just a little different). I made $35/hr working PRN at an LTAC in oklahoma, if that's not good, I don't know what is.

LPN2BSNRN · Jul 6, 2013

Try case management or utilization review for insurance company. In LPN and make 26.26 hr and most of the you can work from home. I have been doing UR for 8 years with major health insurance provider and working from home for 3 years.

LisaNicolePN · Jul 6, 2013

This won't help you much, butI'm an RPN in Ontario, Canada and have been for 3 years. My salary is >27$/hour but I'm capped out. The RNs start around 29$/hour and cap out at approx 40$/hour at the end of their career.... If I were you, I would consider looking around, mind you, it all differs based on need/demand of nurses and jobs, as well as location,location,location...

ked20 · Jul 9, 2013

Try specialties like dialysis or procedural sedation.