NP Salary vs. RN salary

Specialties NP

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I have a friend who just started working as a NP about a year ago and she said she is really disappointed she didn't go to CRNA school because she is making the same money she made as a RN in the hospital. When she did agency work she made even more, she says another nurse said she should should have looked into travel Nursing, they average around $100,000.00 some years depending on the assignments they choose. I am considering CRNA school cause I want to make a great income too but if you can be a BSN with over time, travel nurse on occasion and do some agency work why bother going into debt? and suffering 30 months in a CRNA or NP program. Could anyone clarify this for me? This just doesn't make sense to me? I can see if you want to open your own clinic as a NP, that was my dream until I found out in Missouri you cannot open a clinic. I'm still investigating if this is true. That's the reason I chose to go the CRNA route. Anyway can someone explain the salary differences to me, I read NP magazine by advance and they are giving salary ranges that are for NPs who have been in the field for a while. I believe I'm confused. Any clear answers will be greatly appreciated I'm also sharing this info with nurses at work who are in limbo about what advanced degree to pursue.

Thanks!

I became an NP for one thing and one thing only. To increase my salary. I just graduated and I am waiting to take my board exam. I am currently the ADON at a Nursing Home. I love my job but I live in Mo and only make 40K a year. (but I do only work M-F, no holidays).

The facility I work for is going to keep me on and my salary will double. I will be keeping my same job duties and just doing a few NP duties here and there. Which is fine with me. As I said, I love my job, I just need more money.

This thread is very interesting to me as I am a NP who is hospital based and works 3-12's/week on dayshift. I, for one, would never go to working M-F. It has absolutely no appeal to it. I went to NP school to further my practice in critical care and could not imagine having to work 5 days/week. I have a wife and kids and this job allows me to spend lots of time with them. I just don't see the draw towards working 5 days a week. Thanks!

This thread is very interesting to me as I am a NP who is hospital based and works 3-12's/week on dayshift. I, for one, would never go to working M-F. It has absolutely no appeal to it. I went to NP school to further my practice in critical care and could not imagine having to work 5 days/week. I have a wife and kids and this job allows me to spend lots of time with them. I just don't see the draw towards working 5 days a week. Thanks!

Do you have to work holidays as a hospital-based NP?

Absolutely!

Specializes in Critical care,Psyciatric (family).

I worked 12 hour shifts as a critical care bedside nurse for 22 years. They were great when my children were small, and I was a single mother, but 22 years and several back surgeries later were enough for me. Keep in mind that was working as a staff RN. I now teach in a BSN program and basically the schedule is M-F. I have the option to work at home when needed if I do not have student activity such as clinicals going on. I am off today for President's Day, one month for Christmas, one week for spring break, all of the state holidays and almost three months in the summer. Keep in mind also that this is a 9 month contract, but I make as much as I did working all year in a hospital. I still want to practice in my NP family psychiatric field, but for now this is good experience and there is no physical strain other than maybe driving a good distance on occassion to get to clinicals.Hopefully this transition will allow me to forgoe another surgery, and eventually move into hospital-based or private practice. I am also however at home working on tests, calenders, etc. on my day off. I guess every position in nursing has its percs!:)

Absolutely!

I don't mind working three 12 hour shifts but I hate working holidays. I'd be willing to work five 8 hour shifts to have holidays and weekends off.

The holidays are just another day. They are actually quite nice to work without having all of the managers and others to bother you!

The holidays are just another day. They are actually quite nice to work without having all of the managers and others to bother you!

If you don't have kids then yeah, I agree with you. But ask your kid if it's fun to celebrate Mother's Day, Easter, Christmas, etc. without mom there.

i haven't taken the gre yet; i have to have it done and submitted with my application december 1st. any recommendations of study time before i take the gre. i have a book but i can't find time to open it and study. i have been a nurse 7 years and work full time in the air force but getting out soon. i'm also worried about how grueling np school will be going full time with a wife and 4 kids? any suggestions or advice would be appreciated j

The holidays are just another day. They are actually quite nice to work without having all of the managers and others to bother you!

I wonder if your wife and kids would say the same thing.

Specializes in NICU.

I guess to each their own. My family has several nurses and other professions that don't always get the holidays off, so we've been creative in celebrating days before or after so as many as possible get to celebrate. I occasionally miss an extended family celebration, but in general I haven't missed that much. I'd say I've missed a lot more working weekends. But all that said, I wouldn't go back to school, with the time and cost associated, just to get away from working holidays. If you've got kids, the time you spend in school and studying will affect them too. I'm planning on going back to school, but I want to go because I'm interested in expanding my clinical skills and the role of the NP.

I guess to each their own. My family has several nurses and other professions that don't always get the holidays off, so we've been creative in celebrating days before or after so as many as possible get to celebrate. I occasionally miss an extended family celebration, but in general I haven't missed that much. I'd say I've missed a lot more working weekends. But all that said, I wouldn't go back to school, with the time and cost associated, just to get away from working holidays. If you've got kids, the time you spend in school and studying will affect them too. I'm planning on going back to school, but I want to go because I'm interested in expanding my clinical skills and the role of the NP.

I would't go back to school just to get away from holidays either. I work a lot of overtime out of necessity, and going back to school would allow me to have the same income without killing myself working the extra hours. I have 5 sisters, all but one of whom are in healthcare in some form, and have personally found it more difficult for everyone to get together for holidays due to having to coordinate so many schedules. I don't have small children so that's not an issue for me, but I do have a 2 1/2 year old granddaughter that I would love to spend more time with. I haven't completely settled on a future career path yet, but NP is one that I'm considering.

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