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...
I live in the south and my base pay is 21.50. I make about 26.50 an hour since I get differentials. The cost of living in my area is not really that cheap, but I live about 25 minutes away from work to save cash. My house payment is $800 for a 2 story 3 bed and 2 bath with garage. If I lived closer to work I would be looking at over $900 a month for a one bedroom apartment. My last apartment (a 35-40 minute drive) was in the 1100-1200's for a 3 bed/2 bath.
There are some nurses in surrounding areas here that start out around $18.00/hr and I don't know how or why they do it. I could NEVER see myself doing such a stressful, important job like this for $18.00. I barely make enough for it now!
There are different ways to analyze compensation. For example, your commute costs you about an hour plus total costs of running you vehicle daily to work at around $25.
If you 8 hour shifts, your pay is about $20 an hour adjusted for your unreimbursed time and commute costs. You do better with 12 hour shift with an adjusted hourly at about $22 an hour.
There are psych consequences to commuting farther. Some people are able to effectively meditate and so arrive to work ready to go. For me, I'm likely to be annoyed by other drivers and arrive at work grumpy or stimulated by a near miss or extreme stupidity (of others).
Working a a night shift has real health impacts and proven reduction in lifespan. It is difficult to estimate what that is worth to you, but you cannot pay me enough to work night shift. That is or should be a big part of career decisions.
If you did work locally and reduce your commute time significantly (perhaps even able to enjoy health benefits from walking or cycling to work), that commute hour saved could be an extra hour of daily overtime making your net pay a wash or better.
This scenario may not apply to you, but I'll bet you didn't think it through. Workers get very hung up on hourly rates and don't examine the big picture and fringe benefits of working for a particular employer (stress and professionalism) as well as fringe benefits actually offered such as family health, education, and PTO and maternity/paternity leave.
This thread is posted in the travel forum but is mostly staff responding. I can tell you not looking at the big picture applies double for us travelers. We often have a low hourly but good overall compensation so much math and analysis of compensation offers is required. But many cannot go beyond the low hourly to look at total compensation and the local cost of assignment housing.
This is SO TRUE. Dont take for granted LIKING your coworkers and having a manager that's approachable and friendly. I may not get paid a lot, but I LOVE MY UNIT and the people I work with. I don't dread coming into work everyday. No weekends, no upstaffing, no on-call, no holidays. These are all certainly worth while non-monetary compensation.
Wow, talk about research before choosing a profession! Well done!
I simply looked at what my roommate (a British L&D nurse working in Los Angeles) was making doing agency every shift, found out I could get a degree in 2 years flat (with my prior college), that California would pay for it in full, and I was sold. I also had hopes that I would find the work personally rewarding, but it has turned out to be just a job. Which isn't a bad thing.
i would LOVE to hear more about how you got into nursing, your education, etc. The fact that you describe nursing as "just a job." I'm worried that this will be my experience but i don't feel as bad because you say this isn't necessarily a bad thing..
It's habit for me to distance myself from work; is it necessary to have an overwhelming amount of compassion to be a good nurse? This is WAY off topic, but i can't PM so :/
I don't think overwhelming amounts of compassion is required and could interfere with your ability to take care of patients. You need to make them feel welcome and liked, just as in any service job from McDonalds up. Being non-judgmental and making your clients feel safe is pretty fundamental.
You our have a lot of specialty choices as a nurse to fit your personality and emotional needs. Don't like sick people? Try ortho, L&D, or case management. Operating room has limited time with awake patients.
My first post! I worked in KY, but I have over 20 years experience and I made over $35 per hour 4 years ago. I am thinking that the new grads made about $24 per hour, but I may be mistaken. I think you are underpaid, but hopefully someone will reply that knows more about your state and your level. I am in CA now and the starting rate of pay at the local fast food joint is $12 per hour here. Sounds like a lot until you realize a studio apartment is $2200 a month and gas and food is 25% more than the IN/KY areas.
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 that condo payment is ridiculous! Why are things so expensive? There is never a balance. When wages go up, everything else goes up and we cannot get ahead.
My papaw was telling me the other day that for 50 cents, he could get a drink, candy bar, and gas for his car, and still have money left over! That was "back in the day" 😀
Butterflyxx0621
53 Posts
Little old Delaware!