What are the top paid nurses?!

Hopalong · Sep 4, 2005

CRNA are the highest paid they make more that practitioners![/quote
Agree, totally. Gas passer's are easily in the 6 figure range, a lot of call though. Some have there own business and employe M.D.'s. Don't ya love it? :rotfl:

shodobe · Sep 4, 2005

I work as a OR nurse and make a base 0f $40/hr. Now I do alot of call and this adds up quite quickly because of the O/T. I also work doubles when they need extra help, so this comes out to 16 hr days. As you can see, I am a workaholic. This translates out to over 100.000 a year. I also work at several OPSC during the week in the am. I probably make about an extra $10,000 a year from this. I can honestly tell you that there are very few areas that will allow this type of O/T because ALL hospitals want you to go home after your shift, be it 8,10 or 12 hours, because they DON'T want you to accumulate O/T. Pre-authorization of O/T here at least is unheard of. Good time management is what they preach here, get your work done in your shift hours, no exceptions! My specialty has it's advantages because I don't need these OKs from higher ups because it is my job to be available after hours. I could make a ton of money if I didn't want to sleep! My wife can't understand why I waste those 8 hours and put them to better use. Just kidding! I do sometimes have to remind myself that I do need some me-time and just turn my back on these offers. So if O/T is what you desire, then your specialty may not allow it and you would have to look elswhere. Good luck, Mike

nursedesire · Sep 4, 2005

I guess it all depend on the geographical area and experience. My SIL make $50/hr and a friend of mine make $75/hr with night differential including overtime, but we live in the most expensive state, California, they are not even CRNA.
Nat

Hi Nat,

I was just curious what type of nursing your friend does for $75/hr. Having lived in the Bay area I know the cost of living is so high but I was just curious.

Thanks.

suzanne4, RN · Sep 5, 2005

Notice that the poster stated with overtime, that was the rate.

$50 at night is not unheard of. The last four hours would be at time and one-half if doing a 12 hour shift.

shodobe · Sep 5, 2005

I have never heard of any nurse making more than $50/hr for base pay anywhere in the state. All of that has to be with OT factored in and is probably not consistent every day. If this is the case I want to know where these great paying hospitals are at.

Nat_gagui · Sep 5, 2005

I'm not sure if i'm allow to post the hospital where my SIL and best friend are working but they all work in Bay area. :w00t: The Big factor of earning that kind of salary is experience, they been a nurse for more than 10 years.

Nat

shodobe · Sep 5, 2005

Some hospitals have a number of incentive programs that allow a considerable amount of OT. Where I work if you pick up an extra shift in a dept other where you normally work it is 1 and 3/4 times your reg rate. So if you factor all this in you could concievably get 50+ an hour, but I would still be leary of any place that would pay 50-75/hr even with 10+ years of experience. With that said my 28 years would translate into $100+ and hour. Pay rates are all relative to WHAT you do and WHERE you do it at. I just figured out my last paycheck and with my gross being over $5000 for the two weeks, I did avg about $60 an hour. Your SIL and friend must work somewhere that gives incentives for extra shifts worked. Plus living or working in the Bay area can be very expensive.

nursedesire · Sep 5, 2005

I'm not sure if i'm allow to post the hospital where my SIL and best friend are working but they all work in Bay area. :w00t: The Big factor of earning that kind of salary is experience, they been a nurse for more than 10 years.
Nat

Thanks Nat,

I didn't want you to post the name of the hospital :: :eek: :: :chuckle , I was just curious what type of nursing they did as in icu, ob, or, etc. If that even was a factor which a lot of times it's not.

When I lived in the bay area I knew quite a few nurses making good money but when you live there it's all relative. I miss the bay area tremendously!!!! :crying2: , but when you leave and live somewhere else you realize how crazy expensive everything there is.

Good thing I have family still there to visit. :)

grimmy, RN · Sep 5, 2005

i work as a or nurse and make a base 0f $40/hr. now i do alot of call and this adds up quite quickly because of the o/t. i also work doubles when they need extra help, so this comes out to 16 hr days. as you can see, i am a workaholic. this translates out to over 100.000 a year. i also work at several opsc during the week in the am. i probably make about an extra $10,000 a year from this. i can honestly tell you that there are very few areas that will allow this type of o/t because all hospitals want you to go home after your shift, be it 8,10 or 12 hours, because they don't want you to accumulate o/t. pre-authorization of o/t here at least is unheard of. good time management is what they preach here, get your work done in your shift hours, no exceptions! my specialty has it's advantages because i don't need these oks from higher ups because it is my job to be available after hours. i could make a ton of money if i didn't want to sleep! my wife can't understand why i waste those 8 hours and put them to better use. just kidding! i do sometimes have to remind myself that i do need some me-time and just turn my back on these offers. so if o/t is what you desire, then your specialty may not allow it and you would have to look elswhere. good luck, mike

ditto with the o/t here. we don't have preauthorized o/t here - all you have to do is say you want it, and you'll have it. if i wanted a double, it wouldn't be difficult to arrange! i haven't had a paycheck without o/t and/or call-pay since last year. when called in, i get premium pay ($40/hr) for the first 4 hours. just carrying the pager is $2.00/hr. premium pay o/t is very common, too. i don't see too many floor rns making that. that's why i mentioned the or as highest paid: yes, icu rns do get o/t and sometimes are on-call, but rarely as much as we are in the or, particularly large ors.

SeekUrBliss · Sep 6, 2005

ditto with the o/t here. we don't have preauthorized o/t here - all you have to do is say you want it, and you'll have it. if i wanted a double, it wouldn't be difficult to arrange! i haven't had a paycheck without o/t and/or call-pay since last year. when called in, i get premium pay ($40/hr) for the first 4 hours. just carrying the pager is $2.00/hr. premium pay o/t is very common, too. i don't see too many floor rns making that. that's why i mentioned the or as highest paid: yes, icu rns do get o/t and sometimes are on-call, but rarely as much as we are in the or, particularly large ors.

i'm actually a newly hired "floor nurse" and i don't miss that amount by much :)

shodobe · Sep 6, 2005

"I'm actually a newly hired "floor nurse" and i don't miss that amount by much "

I am very skeptical about that statement because after a number of years on this web site I have found that Tennessee isn't particularly a high paying place, especially for floor nursing. Calif is going to be the highest paying state going, maybe New York, so this person is probably getting Per Diem pay w/o benes. Also "new" hired nurses would never start that high no matter what state you are in. So please elaborate on this so we can all understand how a newly hired floor nurse can make so much. Thanks

RNKitty · Sep 6, 2005

Working in a union hospital, our wages are negotiated, and we are paid by years of experience, regardless of our level of education (ADN or PhD) or area of expertise. The Health Clinic nurses love it - hospital wages for an 8-4 doctor's office job.