Ok, so as I'm scrolling these forums, I keep seeing posters post things like "$30/hr is normal for a staff nurse", etc.
In Indiana as a RN(BSN) with 3.5 years experience (2 years M/S, 1.5 years Periop), I only make $23/hour... and I was excited about that until I saw these posts! I started at $17.78/hour!
Obviously I'm disillusioned and need to know what a good pay rate to ask for is, because I thought $30/hour would be good...
First nurses are very underpaid relative to their level of responsibility. Once they (California Dept of Corrections) raised wages they had no problem hiring nurses, and still don't. Well you have clearly stated the official line.
Responsibility is a lame argument for sure. That was popular 25 years ago when nurses made less than median pay. I can tell you that I make more than the average pediatrician. Where is the justice there? And what about the pay/responsibility ratio for nursery school teachers?
All that matters is what the market will bear. And since folks are waiting years to get into nursing schools, clearly they believe it is a good thing. If jobs were hard to get, those lines would evaporate.
Do you have any idea how many travelers California uses in their prison system? Clearly they are not able to hire enough staff nurses.
Where does one find the "official line"? I've never seen it, and would have no idea who these officials might be.
And where does one find facts to support your "arguments"? Nice belief system you have going there, but it doesn't fit reality.
Argo, I may PM you for advice because it seems EXTREMELY hard to just move and start all over. Especially as a female. We need help with things that make us vulnerable targets to be taken advantage of, at least, I do (for instance, moving and having heavy furniture that need to be lifted)
Anywho, I love the northern California idea. I'm seriously considering your advice. Especially because I'm single with no kids. Question: Is travel med/surg even harder than perm staff positioned med/surg in regards to acuity, nurse/patient ratio, etc.? I ask because, assuming that the hospital needs travelers, they are most likely scarce on resources.... Basically - will every day be like hell?
It really is just a choice, once you make the choice and get past your brain it is really easy to do it.
As far as work being hell or not..... This is kind of a choice that you have to make. Even in the worst places I have worked I make the best of it. I am kind of oblivious or at least am good at blocking out people negative behavior.... I work in Surgery so either way I am getting 1 patient, working trauma it can be someone that is dying/bleeding out and requires 60 units of blood product during the surgery..... Living in TX and CO I usually took home around 1800/week working 40 hours with some call and OT. Traveling is close to the same but working less hours, I make sure to get jobs with just 3 12s and no call.
Just do the math on it, research where you want to go and ultimately the hardest part is to flip that switch in your head and do it. If you live in fear of what can happen for your whole life you will be sitting in the same place 30 years from now. That may be bad or good, that is your decision to say....
Especially as a female. We need help with things that make us vulnerable targets to be taken advantage of, at least, I do (for instance, moving and having heavy furniture that need to be lifted)
Everyone needs help moving furniture, not just women.
I'm a 28 year old single female who has moved to both coasts and several places in between by myself.
Specializes in Provided temporary travel RN care to pat.
Back to the origins of this post about wages - I have been considering moving. So, I started looking around for pay information, I found a site that gave me a basic idea of what salary or hourly rate I would make depending on where I would move. The site shows nurse's salaries in many cities across the states. It's at Pacific Medical Training . Hope this helps!
Back to the origins of this post about wages - I have been considering moving. So, I started looking around for pay information, I found a site that gave me a basic idea of what salary or hourly rate I would make depending on where I would move. The site shows nurse's salaries in many cities across the states. It's at Pacific Medical Training . Hope this helps!
I would not put a lot of weight in those list. I have seen similar list like this before and they are always off by about $8-15 usually stating higher wages, so be aware of that. For example I have a friend that is a nurse in Miami, she has been a nurse for about 4 years in ICU and only makes about $28 plus dif.
The list is inaccurate to say the least. The methodology is suspect. My local area pays far less than it says. Their number is supposed to be midpoint between entry and senior pay (I'm guessing a phone conversation with someone from a local facility), but was actually $4 an hour higher than I was quoted for 20 years of experience per diem (full time benefited would be less).
I have no doubt that an accurate list would be difficult to make so kudos for the effort. Bureau of Labor has better real numbers, but is not very granular.
I have been an RN for 1.5 years. My base pay for full time employee at the hospital I work in with no experience is 22.25 an hour. My base pay is 23.75 given my experience. I work night shift full time and average 27.00 an hour with my differential. I am about to switch over to full time prn day shift and I will be making 32.25. (I won't receive health insurance) . I live in central florida. Idk if this helps but I always find it interesting the pay differences with nurses
yes, that is low. I don't know what the average rate is for your area but in houston the average is 31.75/hr. The cost of living isn't that high either! I would ask for more especially for a med surg unit!
Wow...I need to move out of this area! Cost of living has went up but pay has not. The hospital I work at hasn't given raises in 8 years! I make 19.05 base pay with 20 percent dif after 11pm. I work in icu. There are no pay increases to go from working floor nursing to icu nursing.
People say cost of living determines wage but where I live this is sooo not true. I live in this weird cross between farmland and the beach. So because we are rural and also a resort town our cost of living is pretty high. 2 years as an RN and 2 years as an LPN I make $24.60 an hour, 8% extra for nights and 20% for a weekend night. I live in a 2 story condo, nothing fancy, and the payment is half of my monthly income. I personally think that's nuts. BUT, because part of the area is farm land we are considered to have a low cost of living which is completely crap. Nurses in another part of the state make double what I make and it's cheaper to live there.
Wow...I need to move out of this area! Cost of living has went up but pay has not. The hospital I work at hasn't given raises in 8 years! I make 19.05 base pay with 20 percent dif after 11pm. I work in icu. There are no pay increases to go from working floor nursing to icu nursing.
People say cost of living determines wage but where I live this is sooo not true. I live in this weird cross between farmland and the beach. So because we are rural and also a resort town our cost of living is pretty high. 2 years as an RN and 2 years as an LPN I make $24.60 an hour, 8% extra for nights and 20% for a weekend night. I live in a 2 story condo, nothing fancy, and the payment is half of my monthly income. I personally think that's nuts. BUT, because part of the area is farm land we are considered to have a low cost of living which is completely crap. Nurses in another part of the state make double what I make and it's cheaper to live there.
NedRN
1 Article; 5,785 Posts
Responsibility is a lame argument for sure. That was popular 25 years ago when nurses made less than median pay. I can tell you that I make more than the average pediatrician. Where is the justice there? And what about the pay/responsibility ratio for nursery school teachers?
All that matters is what the market will bear. And since folks are waiting years to get into nursing schools, clearly they believe it is a good thing. If jobs were hard to get, those lines would evaporate.
Do you have any idea how many travelers California uses in their prison system? Clearly they are not able to hire enough staff nurses.
Where does one find the "official line"? I've never seen it, and would have no idea who these officials might be.
And where does one find facts to support your "arguments"? Nice belief system you have going there, but it doesn't fit reality.