What do you think a fair salary would be for a RN?

NursesRock!! · Jun 6, 2009

I would just like to say that I am a new RN grad (ASN) and I am unhappy with what we are compensated for our services in my area (northwest Florida). Granted I am "new," but I did attend 3 years of a college (pre-reqs included). However, that is what it is- just my opinion.

Nervous1 · Jun 6, 2009

Ok, I am a newbie here, pre-nursing student. I agree that nurses should be paid more BUT I also believe that the lowest paid people in the US should not be the people that educate our kids or prepare our food. But thats an opinion. I think each career has its high and low salaries, its all in where you live and what you can live off of. An example: My DH recently went from $20,000 to $70,000 a year, you would think he would be overjoyed! His recent "moaning" is, "I'll be glad when July gets here and I get my next $2.00 raise". I think its preprogrammed in our brains to always be WANTING more. I chose nursing as a second career for the job stability and it being a lifelong dream.....of course the going rate for new hire nurses around here is not bad either**Sorry if I rambled, my brain is strung out on TEAS and HOBET study today.

littleneoRN · Jun 6, 2009

I think that I live in an area with generally higher pay for nurses than many other areas of the country. I am very happy with the pay that I receive for having two years of experience. I don't have many friends in other professions a couple years out of college making nearly what I make. It would not be necessary for me to pick up extra hours or a second job to feed my family. On the other hand, the upward salary potential (over a career) for my friends in many other positions is greater. Meaning their is a more clear ceiling if I stay at the bedside. I have co-workers who complain of a tight budget at home, but their lifestyle does not suggest they are having any trouble meeting their needs. I think it's very important that nurses are paid well for many reasons. I just wish that this could be true across the country and across the spectrum of healthcare settings. $18 an hour does not cut it in my mind for the educated, smart, compassionate soul that you want at your bedside when you're ill.

Neveranurseagain, RN · Jun 6, 2009

I paid my newly licensed plumber $65 an hour, and he doesn't have any student loads, have weekends and holidays off, and if he screws up the floor gets wet....

The shop rate for my auto mechanic is $110 an hr.

Tait, MSN, RN · Jun 6, 2009

I believe we are underpaid, under appreciated and when support staff is cut due to "the economy" who takes the brunt of the punishment? We do.

As someone said earlier, we are not "lucky to have a job" our employers are "lucky to have us".

Tait

NC Girl BSN · Jun 6, 2009

I would like to get paid $45.00 per hr. base rate. I could bring home $2200 biweekly and that would be good for me.

NurseyPoo7 · Jun 6, 2009

I paid my newly licensed plumber $65 an hour, and he doesn't have any student loads, have weekends and holidays off, and if he screws up the floor gets wet....
The shop rate for my auto mechanic is $110 an hr.

At one of my old job I had during nursing school, the guy that came to fix the copy machine made over $100 an hour.

KateRN1 · Jun 6, 2009

Altruism is a wonderful thing, but it doesn't pay the rent, the utilities, or the grocery bill. I think a good jumping-off point would be the salary for the area is at least equal to the cost of the education. If a BSN education in my area costs $35K, then that should be the *starting* salary for nurses in that area.

llg, PhD, RN · Jun 6, 2009

Don't forget ... A lot of those high hourly rates we pay people like plumbers, mechanics, etc. do NOT go directly to the worker himself. They go to the owner of the business and pay for the tools, the office, the secretary, etc. The actual worker (who CHARGED $100 per hour) does not actually MAKE $100 per hour.

Also, the figures you hear about people working on assembly lines, etc. often include the value of their health insurance, paid vacation, retirement benefits, etc. They aren't being paid that much in cash in addition to their benefits.

In general, I think most nurses are adequately paid in the early stages of their careers when compared to other jobs in which do not require a Bachelor's Degree. Of course there are exceptions in specific places and with specific employers. When you look at the starting salaries for nurses compared to the starting salaries for respiratory therapists, lab techs, radiology techs, etc.

However, I believe one of the biggest compensation issues for nurses is that the compensation does not go up much as the nurses gain experience, more education, and/or take on extra responsibility (such as Charge and Precepting). In most jobs, when you "go up the ladder" and start providing some leadership, there is a noticable increase in your compensation. I think that's where nurses have not been fairly compensated.

Callmecrazy1234 · Jun 6, 2009

About 80 bucks an hour seems fair

llg, PhD, RN · Jun 6, 2009

About 80 bucks an hour seems fair

While that sounds high ... a lot of nurses DO make almost that much when you include the costs of the benefits they earn. (Paid vacation time, sick time, health insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, retirement benefit, Worker's Comp. premium, etc. ) As a general rule of thumb, the cost of benefits is generally around 30% of a person's cash pay.

I'm not saying that we are all well paid -- just that more nurses are making money than a lot of people think.

dreamon · Jun 6, 2009

What I find the most bothersome is there seems to be a maximum salary for very experienced, veteran nurses. I was shocked to read about that. I will say I don't know if this happens in other careers though.