Is there a pay gap in the nursing field?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 8, 2016

There's definitely a glass escalator effect in nursing. Males in this profession tend to be promoted through the ranks faster to higher-paying positions with less education and experience than their female counterparts.

Atl-Murse · Mar 8, 2016

There's definitely a glass escalator effect in nursing. Males in this profession tend to be promoted through the ranks faster to higher-paying positions with less education and experience than their female counterparts.

I kinda agree with you because I have seen it. It seems like half the nursing management where I work are males. They also happen to be the most hard working nurses, picking more extra shifts, jumping in to lift heavy patients, get along better and generally have better attitude, is this why they are promoted ? I dont know

Atl-Murse · Mar 8, 2016

Since there is largely a female field I wonder if there is any difference. Also let's widen the discussion. How about for asians, blacks, and latinos. Is there a pay disparity there? I have heard a lot about the pay gap in hollywood (I don't know if you guys heard about American Hustle) so it made me curious about nursing. Also how do you guys think we can close it. I don't know about any wage gaps but for me what is more interesting is the abuse nurses get from doctors or patients or other nurses. To me that seems like one of the biggest problems in the field. I've heard stories about surgeons throwing knives at nurses, nurses being pushed by patients, nurses often get the blunt of it in a sense. Anyways your thoughts?

Most organization have a pay scale for every position. Every nurse in the same scale gets paid essentially the same. Extra hours,shift diff will differ.

sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN · Mar 9, 2016

I don't know, I have hit my glass ceiling, but at 90g /year...its is about time, after almost 44 years

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Mar 9, 2016

Most organization have a pay scale for every position. Every nurse in the same scale gets paid essentially the same. Extra hours,shift diff will differ.

Not always.

I just had a meeting with my union rep that is helping us transition into a CBA; one new nurse found out that she was not getting differential at the time, while nurses who have been there longer were getting differential; all worked the same shifts.

At one hospital I worked at, nurses who been there liner complained that the new nurses were making the same rate.

The only places I know that have set pay scales are union facilities, such as the VA.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Mar 9, 2016

At my facility, there is a wage calculator to determine our pay; basically it's by number of hours worked, plus differentials for BSN/MSNs. We fill out a worksheet that lists our nursing jobs from start date to end date, and our FTE.

As for the abuse issue, I don't allow myself to be abused at work, and I encourage others not to allow it either. It starts with taking 2-minute bathroom breaks as soon as we need to. None of this holding your bladder to the point of rupture (or incontinence!) because the patients can't wait 2 minutes! Patients with dementia will hit, kick etc...but someone who is not organically altered? They get restrained for safety --theirs AND mine. Visitors who are rude but not particularly disruptive get ignored; visitors who are hostile get escorted out by our security staff. I don't know how common the knife throwing is anymore, but there will be consequences if it's reported. TJC takes safety very seriously, as do hospitals' risk management. Police don't tend to be intimidated by overgrown toddlers wielding deadly weapons, nor impressed by their education, either.