$11/hr as a registered nurse

Published

BEST: 10% of registered nurses in Vallejo-Fairfield, California make more than $78.23/hr.

AVERAGE: ½ of nurses in Manchester, New Hampshire make more than $31.51/hr. (½ make less.)

WORST: 10% of registered nurses in Joplin, Missouri make less than $11.00/hr.

(http://data.bls.gov/oes/search.jsp?data_tool=OES)

What do you think?

[i realized immediately after posting this that Joplin sustained a major tornado in 2011 (These statistics were published in 2012.) and they are in the process of rebuilding the hospital, so that affects the statistics. But there are other places where pay is poor.

The Lower Savannah (South Carolina) nonmetropolitan area has 10% of nurses making less than $15.36. And Wheeling WV-OH, 10% of nurses make less than $15.65.]

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That's insane!! I know cost of living makes a difference, but come on $11/hr. I've been to Joplin myself and it's not a huge town, but that's still so low.

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Specializes in Anesthesia, ICU, PCU.

What do I think? Being paid $11/hr is absolute crap for a RN.

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I realized immediately after posting this that Joplin sustained a major tornado in 2011 (These statistics were published in 2012.) and they are in the process of rebuilding the hospital, so that affects the statistics. But there are other places where pay is poor.

The Lower Savannah (South Carolina) nonmetropolitan area has 10% of nurses making less than $15.36. And Wheeling WV-OH, 10% of nurses make less than $15.65.

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Wow low there

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As hard as we work I wouldn't be a nurse for that low a wage. I made $12.30 as a tech. I know some people have to accept those wages but I would work a bunch of OT and move out of that area ASAP.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

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Geez. That's an insult.

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That is insane! I'd go back to waiting tables.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

This is WHY wages are being lowered or stagnant for nursing...ridiculous.

I'm all for fulfilling the "dream" of nursing, but that is a nightmarish wage....I'd rather be a waitress as well before I would take those wages.

This makes the case to increase for minimum wages above 10-15 dollars MUCH stronger.

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This means that 90% of nurses in those areas are making greater than $11/hr.

Perhaps there are nurses willing to work in areas were the pay is low; the kind of places were a nurse is interchangeable with a MA in the doctors' offices.

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Specializes in ICU.

What is the cost of living in those areas?

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I live an hour from Wheeling and multiple students have gotten jobs around the area, and they were paid more than $15.36. They cost of living is very low around here (rent about $500-700 for single family home), but they started off between $19-22 per hr with no experience. $15.65 is more like LPN pay after some experience.

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