higher pay for BSN grads?

BeHappy! · Feb 20, 2007

I do agree there needs to be some middle ground...but, there are also RN's out there that have previous Bachelor's degrees in another field. Bachelor's = research is what I have been told by professors which divides ADN and BSN RN's. So that being said...research is done by other non-nursing bachelor's degree as well. If they are going to compensate the BSN's with higher pay than they should do the same for RN's with a Bachelor's in anotehr field.

gerry79 · Feb 20, 2007

Yes, I agree:) I have a friend who is an Associates Degree educated Dental Hygeinist and she just laughs at the ADN/BSN debate. Hygeinist also have dual entries into the profession but coexist just fine. She thinks that their is a lot of insecurity within the nursing ranks hence the never ending ADN/BSN debate. At times I tend to agree.

gerry79 · Feb 20, 2007

I do agree there needs to be some middle ground...but, there are also RN's out there that have previous Bachelor's degrees in another field. Bachelor's = research is what I have been told by professors which divides ADN and BSN RN's. So that being said...research is done by other non-nursing bachelor's degree as well. If they are going to compensate the BSN's with higher pay than they should do the same for RN's with a Bachelor's in anotehr field.

I agree. There needs to be some middle ground....but my point is that there is but one exam that we all take regardless of our education, and once we pass the test we are all considered entry level nurses. And BeHappy is correct, what about those with advanced degrees already. Should they not be compensated also?

BeHappy! · Feb 20, 2007

(copy of my posting from another similar thread)
Personally, I don't think any new grad nurse should be making the same as an experienced nurse. Orientees should be on a lower pay scale until they are taking a full-load.
I have to disagree with this statement. Orientees should be paid the same amount even if not taking a "full-load." New RN's are constantly overwhelmed by the unfamiliarity of hospital protocols, etc and actually are taking a "full-load" just by the sheer volume of information being thrown at them. The new grad RN's I have been around work just as hard as others and try to be the best nurse they can be by triple checking EVERYTHING and spending a lot of time with their patient's. All this makes it that much more difficult and should be compensated fairly.

jjjoy, LPN · Feb 20, 2007

So BSNs shouldn't be paid MORE because they don't offer MORE/BETTER nursing care, but orientees shouldn't be paid LESS although by nature of being inexperienced and on orientation provide LESS nursing care?

Of course, a new nurse works EXTREMELY hard. That doesn't mean he/she should be earning as much money as a full-fledged nurse. heck, nursing school could be overwhelming as well and we were PAYING for it! Doctors doing their residency certainly work EXTREMELY hard and they're making peanuts because it's understood that they are still learning (and that they'll make more later).

It's an interesting side issue, the pay for newbies, but it I suppose it is off-topic... so back to your regularly scheduled programming....

:smilecoffeecup:

Tweety, BSN, RN · Feb 20, 2007

At my job new grad RNs, both BSNs and ADNs, make a lower salary during their orientation, and then after they pass boards and are done with orientation which is typically three months, they get a raise.

A lot of professions have this probationary period. Even when I worked for Pizza Hut we got less the first few months.

However, experiences nurses on orientation are making what they will make for the entire year and don't get a raise after orientation.

SmilingBluEyes · Feb 21, 2007

I would like to see enhanced pay for both increased experience AND education.

Shame on places that do not recognize the value of these.

NO way should a new nurse out of school make what an experienced colleague does....nor should an ADN make what a BSN or higher does. I think it's a shame nursing does not tend to appreciate either. We don't even recognize our own value as a profession. (And I am an ADN w/less than 10 years saying this).

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Feb 21, 2007

At my job new grad RNs, both BSNs and ADNs, make a lower salary during their orientation, and then after they pass boards and are done with orientation which is typically three months, they get a raise.
A lot of professions have this probationary period. Even when I worked for Pizza Hut we got less the first few months.
However, experiences nurses on orientation are making what they will make for the entire year and don't get a raise after orientation.

Interesting. All the hospitals in my area offer recent grads the same base pay, whether they are ADN or BSN, and whether they are GN or board-licensed RNs. A new nurse=new nurse. The pay is not lowered during orientation or increased once orientation is passed. Obviously experienced nurses will earn a different base pay, but they too have the same $ on orientation, no raises afterward.

Perhaps it is a reflection of how hard it is to get the employees they seek, but nickel-and-diming during orientation periods wouldn't win any hospital any awards around here. It would just get them fewer applicants!

Sheri257 · Feb 21, 2007

Those are all interesting comparisons...but I think what really is meant by the OP (Less of them = more money to obtain their services) is the difference WITHIN the profession..not a comparison of degree level across professions. What you would really want to look at is what the average PT salary was before the entry point was changed to MS--did it increase and by how much? When looking at these numbers I am sure you will see a substantial increase--and I think this would cross over to the nursing world if implemented

I see your point but, I couldn't find much data on it. The only thing I could find was a Canadian study that says it didn't make much of a difference.

Salaries have not increased for recent entry-level master’s occupational therapy graduates in Ontario relative to clinicians with bachelor’s degrees. The credential change from undergraduate to graduate degree entry-to-practice, for both speech-language pathology and physical therapy in Alberta, has not resulted in an increase in salary.

In other jurisdictions in Canada and the United States the master’s degree-prepared therapists do not receive increased salaries. Other factors such as type of practice, funding, setting and union environments appear to influence salaries of health professionals.

http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/rehabmed//pdf/OccupationalTherapyFactSheet-Alberta.pdf

:typing

Tweety, BSN, RN · Feb 21, 2007

Interesting. All the hospitals in my area offer recent grads the same base pay, whether they are ADN or BSN, and whether they are GN or board-licensed RNs. A new nurse=new nurse. The pay is not lowered during orientation or increased once orientation is passed. Obviously experienced nurses will earn a different base pay, but they too have the same $ on orientation, no raises afterward.
Perhaps it is a reflection of how hard it is to get the employees they seek, but nickel-and-diming during orientation periods wouldn't win any hospital any awards around here. It would just get them fewer applicants!

I think more than nickel and diming it during orientation, and "lowering pay" it's more of an incentive to stick with us by raising pay later. "If you pass boards and make it through orientation" you get a raise after just 3 months! Come work for us! We give raises in 3 months!!!"

jjjoy, LPN · Feb 21, 2007

:yeahthat:

And many newbies can attest to the fact that many experienced nurses are not sympathetic to their being just out of school and not ready to take on a full-load. They might be less harsh on a newbie who is struggling with "only" 3-4 patients while they have to deal with 6-7 patients, if they know that that newbie isn't getting paid the same as someone who DOES have 6-7 patients.

BeHappy! · Feb 21, 2007

:yeahthat:
They might be less harsh on a newbie who is struggling with "only" 3-4 patients while they have to deal with 6-7 patients, if they know that that newbie isn't getting paid the same as someone who DOES have 6-7 patients.

Ha! Doubtful. :rolleyes: