How much is your pay?

NYCRN6 · Apr 4, 2008

i honestly dont understand why we make such a difference in pay.... im a new grad and get paid 2x more than what people have been workin for 30 years make. I dont get it

Code_VSA · Apr 4, 2008

When I left Tennessee in April 2002 I made just under $21/hr in the Emergency Room. Don't remember or know how big the hospital was....the population of the town was around 56,000. A hospital in a smaller town 45 minutes south of that offered $16/hr :chuckle. And I did take a part time job in Franklin, TN and they paid $25/hr. Further into Nashville they paid higher.

Now, I am in Ontario, Canada and we just accepted a new contract. The pay for RN with over 8 years experience is $40.02/hr.

I'll be coming back and living either in East Tennessee or around the Kentucky Lake region in two years and I fully expect to have my salary slashed by 50%.

I don't think Nurses make enough and I have felt that way for almost thirty years now. My husband the firefighter didn't have to go to university for four or more years, neither did my neighbor the police officer. Yet, they start out after graduation from their training with the same pay as a new nurse...don't forget the free perks either. Every 12 hour shift I work is grueling and back breaking and I'm always in a sweat running around. My hubby has maybe, just maybe worked "hard" three times out of last year. After 11 pm he has a nice bed with a shower, kitchen, TV/DVD, washer and dryer....and no, he doesn't work a 24 hour shift. He's never been cussed at, screamed at, spit on, pinched, slapped, punched, threatened, had his titty squeezed or pinched, his butt touched, never been stuck by a dirty needle, had blood spashed in his face, or his foot peed on, or even got feces on his skin or clothes, nobody has ever puked on him either, never been exposed to meningits, or all those other nasties that prompts a call from Occupational Health to come in a get some antibiotics.

Sour grapes? No...Nurses just don't get the recognition for all that they go through, and it shows in our pay and how the public perceives us.

hencyn57 · Apr 4, 2008

26yrs experience. 51yo. Working public health- central FL (one of the lowest paying states)- county health department- doing QA and Nursing Education coordination- love the job!! :typing Making only $40,000/yr =~ $19.00/hr (pathetic if you ask me). I do not work weekends or holidays and work 7-4 M-F and my job is fairly low stress. I have very little client contact with this position. I give a few flu shots during Oct-Dec if the clinic sites need help. I am required to work in Special Needs Shelters in the event of a disaster (most common are hurricanes here).

I left the health department after 5 yrs of service- following the 2004 horrific hurricane season to pursue better pay and search for a new niche. My background was psychiatry, substance abuse, pedi homecare, med surg, high risk pregnancy and case management. I had 5 jobs in the two years that I was gone- but found that healthcare was so stressful, with an unspoken requirement to give so much of yourself (work overtime- chart at home on unpaid time...etc) and so disorganized (the left hand never knowing what the right hand is doing in administration) or top priority being making money over patient needs.......... So I came back to public health and accept the low salary for the payoff of lower stress and job satisfaction. :nurse:

twinmom07 · Apr 4, 2008

You can go to the bureau of labor statistics. They have lots of actual wage information with specifics by some states. It will give you average actual paid wages. I have found that salary.com is an OK resource, but sometimes high.

Readyforthenextstep · Apr 4, 2008

Independent Contractor. RN in ICU/CCU 8 yars of exp. $75/hr. With OT about 5-6k/week.

I am impressed what was your carreer path if you don't mind telling or pm me. I haven't started yet but really into it.

dld, ASN, RN · Apr 4, 2008

With the housing market falling, any RN thinking of moving should seriously consider California. As an experienced RN, I work 24hrs a week, nights and weekends. I make 59-73/hr, with the higher amount on the weekend. This is the San Francisco Bay Area, one of the highest paid in the country. This is with full benefits, and paid health care for the family. Kaiser in areas like Fresno and Sacramento pay the same as Bay Area, but the housing is much less. This is the perfect time to relocate here, especially if you have experience. The hospitals are in big need of OR, ER, and specialty units. There are hundred of homes on auction, but the best neighborhoods are not having this problem.

Code_VSA · Apr 4, 2008

The pay sounds good. I use to live in San Diego and my parents still do. BUT,

ekkis · Apr 4, 2008

I work in Southern California. I have 4 years of experience. I make $38.50/hr straight pay plus bennies, etc. I work in a Critical Care Unit. Hope this helps.

I agree with the previous emailer. I think Nurses should be more open about their salaries. How else will we make sure we are maxxing out our earning potential? That's one way administators can get us and keep us for cheap - treat us like mushrooms. That is, put us in a dark corner and feed us BS. If we are educated about what our particular set of skills and experience are worth, they have to offer us the max pay for an assignment.

Cheers!

noblige · Apr 4, 2008

I don't have any problem believing. Especially with overtime. My most recent two week gross was $5200. That was for a 55 hour week with bonuses. In northeast ohio area. One nure was just offered a contract to work in ED @ $47/hr locally

mclovin · Apr 4, 2008

38.25/hr in la county as a new grad rn. since im new i usually take a while to catch up charting towards the end of the shift so i get a little overtime. usually get 1800-1900 after taxes every two weeks

acaringnurse! · Apr 4, 2008

Indianapolis, 34 years experience--work ER--base is a quarter shy of $30.00 per hour...CCRN, CEN, current iwth CPR, PALS, TNCC and ACLS--- work PRN with no PRN diff...NURSE FOR HIRE! :-)

Dancin'Mom · Apr 4, 2008

Starting wage for new Omaha NE grad at the hospital I work at, is $18.75/hour. I am working for this hospital for a 4-year contract and they have paid all of my nursing tuition in advance. They also pay $200/month toward any existing nursing student loans. :nurse: