Should BSNs be paid more?

mariedoreen · Jul 31, 2005

I think BSNs should get 3-5 dollars more an hour. LOL. But it'll never happen. IT IS A MARKET FORCES ISSUE.

It could also be a union-initiated benefit. Throw it on the table and start making it a standard bargaining chip.

camay1221_RN · Jul 31, 2005

No. (that's all i'll answer here)

I'll second that!!!

camay1221_RN · Jul 31, 2005

A facility worth working for should offer incentive pay for obtaining a higher level of education. My husband is a police officer. When you enter the profession in our state you do so at the 'basic' level. If you obtain a certain amount of training hours, years of experience, and college credit you may apply to the state for an 'intermediate' certificate and then with even more training, experience and college an 'advanced' certificate. The agency he works for offers extra pay per month for any officer that voluntary obtains a higher certificate. The higher the certificate, the more the pay. Yes, they're all doing the same job BUT incentive pay is offered for those who take the initiative to further their education.
IMO Facilities interested in recruiting and retaining an excellent nursing staff should adopt a similar plan: the more experience and education you have, the higher the pay.

The hospital I work for pays RN's according to their years experience as an RN. They also offer wonder opportunity for all staff to continue their education, with reimbursement of up to 100% of your schooling based on grades.

smk1, LPN · Jul 31, 2005

I don't know why people have a problem with a BSN differential or a differential for certifications. Yes, we all do the same job but, I am doing the same job as a nurse with 20 years experience yet she does get paid more because of her experience. I don't see why education should be treated differently.

this is a good point that i never thought of. Kind of changes my view a bit.... :imbar

ali_gator · Jul 31, 2005

I feel that higher education should be more strongly encouraged within the nursing profession. If higher pay for a B.S.N. rewards higher education, then why not?

mrdoc2005 · Jul 31, 2005

One thing I don't understand.....

Why are you against a peer making more money than they currently are. That is what you are saying by saying NO. If nurses do not start pulling together that we are providing ammo for the other guy (hospital, corp, insurance co. ,....). Think of it like this, healthcare is a corperate business today. When you go to a store you expect the one with the most training to be payed more. Why isit not like that in nursing. And yes, you should be payed more for years nursing.

The only thing that I see in my area: My hospital hired about 100 new grads this summer. Of us new grads about 5 or 6 were adn, everyone else is bsn or higher. So, the only benifit is job placement. Yes, I agree education is an award. Still though most professions pay more for more education.

live4today, RN · Jul 31, 2005

A facility worth working for should offer incentive pay for obtaining a higher level of education. My husband is a police officer. When you enter the profession in our state you do so at the 'basic' level. If you obtain a certain amount of training hours, years of experience, and college credit you may apply to the state for an 'intermediate' certificate and then with even more training, experience and college an 'advanced' certificate. The agency he works for offers extra pay per month for any officer that voluntary obtains a higher certificate. The higher the certificate, the more the pay. Yes, they're all doing the same job BUT incentive pay is offered for those who take the initiative to further their education.
IMO Facilities interested in recruiting and retaining an excellent nursing staff should adopt a similar plan: the more experience and education you have, the higher the pay.

I don't see the comparison between nurses vs. police officers training because police officers do not graduate from college in order to become police officers........they graduate from a training program and are able to acquire more "certification"...also not a degree) whereas all nurses must graduate from an accredited nursing program be it diploma or college. They sit for state boards to receive their license to practice nursing. Graduating from the nursing programs alone will NOT make them an automatic nurse.

Should "certifications" be paid extra? Yes, but until this country decides on ONE solid nursing program for nurses we still come by way of our license in the exact same fashion..............the ever loved NCLEX.

Which level of education (for nurses) will be considered the "basic level" that you speak of? In nursing there are several ways to earn one's education towards nursing, but only one way to become a nurse.............again...pass that darn NCLEX.

spidermonkey · Jul 31, 2005

N.O. & that's all I'm going to say about THAT!!

fergus51 · Jul 31, 2005

this is a good point that i never thought of. Kind of changes my view a bit.... :imbar

Well thanks. It kind of makes me laugh when people say that we all do the same job so we should all be paid the same..... BUT, we should get more money for more experience, just not for education. I think it says something about how little we value formal education in nursing. You could argue that having a BSN doesn't necessarily make a better nurse but neither does experience, so if we are going to reward experience across the board I see no reason to treat education differently.

peds4now, RN · Jul 31, 2005

Do any hospitals pay someone with an ADN and a BA in something else a higher rate??? Just wondering. It's like having a BSN+. I'm about to start an ADN program now because I'm older and can't stay out of the workforce for very long (and no accelerated BSNs that work for me nearby). Anyway, I HOPE this whole discussion will become moot within a decade as everyone moves to BSN.

Yes
Here it's part of our "pay per skill"..........4% for certification, 4% for ACLS, 4% for a critical care certification, 4% for doing charge,4% for reading and learning telemetry, 4% for precepting, 4% for a BSN. The more education and work experience you recieve the more you get paid. I like that idea.
That way you're getting paid for not only what you do. But also for education.

Roland · Jul 31, 2005

Many of your bigger police depts. strongly prefer a four year degree, preferably in criminal justice. This is especially the case for the State Police.

I don't see the comparison between nurses vs. police officers training because police officers do not graduate from college in order to become police officers........they graduate from a training program and are able to acquire more "certification"...also not a degree) whereas all nurses must graduate from an accredited nursing program be it diploma or college. They sit for state boards to receive their license to practice nursing. Graduating from the nursing programs alone will NOT make them an automatic nurse.
Should "certifications" be paid extra? Yes, but until this country decides on ONE solid nursing program for nurses we still come by way of our license in the exact same fashion..............the ever loved NCLEX.
Which level of education (for nurses) will be considered the "basic level" that you speak of? In nursing there are several ways to earn one's education towards nursing, but only one way to become a nurse.............again...pass that darn NCLEX.

traumahawk99 · Jul 31, 2005

So, why is there a BSN program at all? If it is of such little value to the profession, then why even include the option?
The answer is that a job can encompass more than the base skill set. While the ADN or certificate grads can gain this knowledge through experience, the BSN starts off with at least the theoretical knowledge. People understand this dynamic going into college/university courses. That's why they invest the time, money, and energy into the pursuit.
Also, if the information gathered at the BSN level is a prereq for master's level programs, doesn't that infer that there's something of value in that program? If not, then why not offer CRNA ect. at the BSN level and do away with master's level programs? The answer is self evident.
The part that I find puzzling is that this attitude that a BSN carries no additional value is self limiting to any ADN or certificate nurse currently in the field. In other professions, the differentials offered by the move from an AS to a BS degree are seen as a significant step toward career (and monetary) advancement. What do ADN degree grads gain by squelching the notion that additional education can equate to additional pay? If I were in hospital management, it seems that I'd want to discourage such an equation. Then there'd be justification for keeping wages depressed for ALL nurses, regardless of experience. Capping everthing at the ADN level just makes the nursing career self-limiting.

who said it's capped? adn is an appropriate education for entry level, that's all. making the bsn a requirement is just throwing a fluff barrier in the way. what makes nursing pay reasonably well is the market force of supply/demand. those who seek additional skills/certs can earn more, because those skills/certs have a direct bearing on the job. what would you rather have working when someone codes.... a bsn or someone who had acls certification?

and i'd have to say that 50 cents an hour for a bsn doing the same job as an adn is quite generous. it's not like bsn's know a better way to take a blood pressure. the classes a bsn takes don't have a bearing on the reality of bedside nursing. what does a class on community nursing have to do with being a bedside nurse? or nursing for the family? and these classes are filled with much inane fluff.

if someone is willing to work prn agressivley, they can make 100k in nursing. and it's not incredibly hard work. i don't see a problem with compensation in this market, just wide open opportunity.