If healthcare reform resulted in salary caps of $40k for nurses would you stay?

BigRussKCMO · Jul 24, 2009

I don't get all these NO comments. 40K annually is not to shabby. I've got an MBA and right now would work with less just get me a job. A 36 hour work week is fantastic. But whatever...

Heogog53 · Jul 24, 2009

I live in a state that just mandated a pay cut through out state government employees, have frozen salaries for the next two years and have done away with an esoteric thing called longevity pay for the next two years. Why? Because the state is going broke, and by taking the small cut, we all get to work for awhile longer. Did any of us enjoy taking a pay cut? Nope. None of our jobs are safe,either. So we all go to work hoping that things will work out for us all.

No one quit, but certainly, there were a large number of unhappy people. I'm grateful that the pay cut wasn't as bad as it could have been. Just remember- if nurses are making say 60k/yr, you know that the surgical techs, the other people who all help make the hospital run- well, they make a goodly amount less and they had to take the hit just as we did...

So now we wait to see what happens in our futures.

PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN · Jul 24, 2009

I don't get all these NO comments. 40K annually is not to shabby. I've got an MBA and right now would work with less just get me a job. A 36 hour work week is fantastic. But whatever...

Okay...$40 K

to:

Deal with Sh**

Deal with Vomit

Deal with Blood

Deal with HIV

Deal with Hepatitis

Deal with people trying to either bite you, kick you, hit you, throw things at you

Deal with dysfunctional families

Deal with dysfunctional management

Deal with politics, policies that make no sense

Deal with doctors who scream at you because you're only doing your job

Deal with codes and trying to revive an adult

Deal with codes and trying to revive a child who was ABUSED ($40 K, really?)

Deal with a code trying to revive a newborn (Yeah, YOU tell me if $40 K is enough)

I could GO ON.

Are you for Real? I'm thinking you're sitting behind a desk and have never done this stuff. That's what I'm thinking.

PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN · Jul 24, 2009

I only have 3 years experience as an RN and make about $65,000 a year..could make even more if I went the next state over. I'm wondering if the OPs figures are from a few years ago?

Must be. In my region, I know many who make more than just $100 K.

These are super experienced people you wouldn't want to leave the job. They are awesome. There is NO WAY they would ever go back to $40 K. They are worth way more.

cherrybreeze, ADN, RN · Jul 24, 2009

ok let me redirect since many don't believe a salary cap could ever happen, lets use a cost cutting measure already implemented by hospitals in a crunch... no OT and if your charting is not complete by the end of your shift, you do it on your own time. and lets add that your hourly wage is locked at its current rate until there is more money available (read indefinitely)!

I didn't finish reading the posts, so sorry if I repeat something........but I don't think this is a fair "proposal" either, as they cannot make you chart on your own time, working off the clock is illegal and they are not going to change that entire law (as it applies to any business) to make nurses chart off the clock. Sorry.

cherrybreeze, ADN, RN · Jul 24, 2009

For all of the comments saying 40k isn't a bad salary; that's what other professions (teachers, social workers, etc) make; etc etc........

I haven't made 40k in at least 6 years, possibly 8....my base starting salary was just under 40, I believe. I make 10k more than that now (and I don't live in a high cost of living area, at all), and have made more than that for years. That's not from OT, either, I work my scheduled hours. I don't care what other professions make, I care what I make. I love my patients, too, but NO, I don't want to take a 10k pay cut AND have it capped in order to do it. No way. Be realistic.

I'm not patting myself on the back, either, but I am a smart person....I don't think I'd have trouble forging a new career path, should it ever come to that. To say nurses are worth only a certain amount after years of many (most?) nurses making more than that is an insult. Comparing it to other career choices isn't fair to do, and doesn't justify it. If I wanted to be a teacher, I would have been. Their salary is irrelevant.

Lastly, I do think that throwing numbers out there without basis is inflammatory. I don't fall in the "average," or even the high average, and I'm sure many others here don't, either.

nicurn001 · Jul 24, 2009

I would do it... who cares about the salary. I'm in it for the patients. :igtsyt:

JoPACURN , quoted is the reason why nurses salaries are not always reflective of the effect of supply and demand , you have a number of people who view nursing primarily as a calling , these people would probably do the JOB ( remember after all , nursing is simply another line of employment ) for nothing . Employers know they can almost always find some one to take what they offer .

NB . I do think you should work in a job you enjoy , but simply feel nursing is a career choice not a calling !.

beachbutterfly · Jul 24, 2009

Okay...$40 K
to:
Deal with Sh**
Deal with Vomit
Deal with Blood
Deal with HIV
Deal with Hepatitis
Deal with people trying to either bite you, kick you, hit you, throw things at you
Deal with dysfunctional families
Deal with dysfunctional management
Deal with politics, policies that make no sense
Deal with doctors who scream at you because you're only doing your job
Deal with codes and trying to revive an adult
Deal with codes and trying to revive a child who was ABUSED ($40 K, really?)
Deal with a code trying to revive a newborn (Yeah, YOU tell me if $40 K is enough)
I could GO ON.
Are you for Real? I'm thinking you're sitting behind a desk and have never done this stuff. That's what I'm thinking.

So Ok in other words you would rather work at McDonald for 8 per hour,not being able to to afford the rent,performing tasks that dont really bring you any personal satisfaction.Most nurses from other countries make very little the pay is very low,we should be lucky that we have the opportunity to make decent salaries here in North America,but as always I state American has been spoiled.

Ps.Anyway if you know how to handle you money you can definitely survive and even travel on a 40$ salary!!!

Soyrizo · Jul 24, 2009

Okay...$40 K
to:
Deal with Sh**
Deal with Vomit
Deal with Blood
Deal with HIV
Deal with Hepatitis
Deal with people trying to either bite you, kick you, hit you, throw things at you
Deal with dysfunctional families
Deal with dysfunctional management
Deal with politics, policies that make no sense
Deal with doctors who scream at you because you're only doing your job
Deal with codes and trying to revive an adult
Deal with codes and trying to revive a child who was ABUSED ($40 K, really?)
Deal with a code trying to revive a newborn (Yeah, YOU tell me if $40 K is enough)
I could GO ON.
Are you for Real? I'm thinking you're sitting behind a desk and have never done this stuff. That's what I'm thinking.

Paramedics deal with similar daily, and average 40K. Teachers deal with dysfunctional management and families, and have to wrangle 20+ children and actually teach them to the state's satisfaction, and average 40K. Social workers whole job is to deal with dysfunctional situations, often have masters degrees, and average 40K. Nursing has an awesome amount of responsibility and stress, but so do other professions.

I understand if people can say, "I've done it and I wouldn't want to do it again for that much money" I was a paramedic and I won't go back to it as a profession for similar reasons (I did not make close to 40K!) But 40K is very much a livable, standard wage for professional jobs across the nation.

Wages have stagnated, and there should be a push to increase them for all professions. Singling out nursing to me strikes as an entitled way to view it, and possibly lose bargaining power as a political group. There has been more than enough entitlement in the US for quite some time and IMO it's why we are in the financial mess we are in now. There has to be a reasonable way to address it without marginalizing anyone and gaining respect, including financial, at the same time.

But I am sure that somehow makes me an unreasonable Commie of some sort. :lol2:

cherrybreeze, ADN, RN · Jul 24, 2009

Paramedics deal with similar daily, and average 40K. Teachers deal with dysfunctional management and families, and have to wrangle 20+ children and actually teach them to the state's satisfaction, and average 40K. Social workers whole job is to deal with dysfunctional situations, often have masters degrees, and average 40K. Nursing has an awesome amount of responsibility and stress, but so do other professions.
I understand if people can say, "I've done it and I wouldn't want to do it again for that much money" I was a paramedic and I won't go back to it as a profession for similar reasons (I did not make close to 40K!) But 40K is very much a livable, standard wage for professional jobs across the nation.
Wages have stagnated, and there should be a push to increase them for all professions. Singling out nursing to me strikes as an entitled way to view it, and possibly lose bargaining power as a political group. There has been more than enough entitlement in the US for quite some time and IMO it's why we are in the financial mess we are in now. There has to be a reasonable way to address it without marginalizing anyone and gaining respect, including financial, at the same time.
But I am sure that somehow makes me an unreasonable Commie of some sort.

Well, we're singling out nursing because this is.....allnurses. Other professions have every right to push to increase/maintain their own wages. I don't think anyone is saying that no other profession in this world deserves to be better (or simply properly)-compensated, and that we're the only ones; we just have enough on our plates worrying about our own. We will fight our fight, teachers can fight their fight, etc etc.

GadgetRN71, ASN, RN · Jul 24, 2009

To all these people that think American nurses are spoiled: Are you freakin' kidding me? Not my problem that other people are not willing to fight for what they deserve. And to the person that asked if I'd rather work at McDonald's- I shouldn't have to, because I worked very hard to get where I am..I worked full-time during nursing school and paid my own way. Working at McDonald's is unskilled labor-nursing is not.

When the CEO's of hospitals stop making millions of dollars, then you can talk to nurses about taking a pay cut. And I'm not kidding about the millions of dollars-the CEO of one of our health systems in my state made 3 million dollars last year.

GadgetRN71, ASN, RN · Jul 24, 2009

So Ok in other words you would rather work at McDonald for 8 per hour,not being able to to afford the rent,performing tasks that dont really bring you any personal satisfaction.Most nurses from other countries make very little the pay is very low,we should be lucky that we have the opportunity to make decent salaries here in North America,but as always I state American has been spoiled.
Ps.Anyway if you know how to handle you money you can definitely survive and even travel on a 40$ salary!!!

Not the point- when I started out as a nurse, I made more than 40k annually. I can handle money just fine..been there, done that. I feel that I more than deserve my $65,000 a year and also feel that all nurses deserve far more.

But like I said, I don't think it will come to that- because nurses are generally a smart and pragmatic bunch of people. You'll have your few Martyr Mary's that will stick around but the vast majority of nurses will leave in droves.