What are you worth in pay?

fergus51 · May 21, 2001

I would be happy getting 50K US$ a year. Actually I would be ecstatic....sigh

CashewLPN, LPN · May 21, 2001

Seriously, I think we should be paid according to a stress-o-meter...RN/LPN on the SAME PAYSCALE!

Starting at $20 an hour for a moderate to low level of stress--(little paperwork, good, stable walkie talkies who are a&ox3 compliant happy, pain free pts...)

coming in at $21 an hour involves slightly more work/stress for slightly more pay...

the pay scale goes up in this manner...

now, up higher, at about $26/hr, I'm thinking of moderate stress, or simple admit/discharge...not high stress... orders are correct, no problems there...

then, the scale begins to jump dramatically... but we;ll skip to the worst case scenerio... Just figure your worst night in a while... ever... that is rated up at the $50,000,000 night level, our top ranking... this level involves a pts in a horrible code in a REHAB unit, with a traching on the unit... 3 smurfs (you know what they are...) 4 confused people who are practicing no bungee bungee jumping from the side rails... one of which needs stitches, and the other who needs ORIF of something that she broke in the fall... one whining about her cigarette (take me out for a SMOKE!!!) A lazy prior shift nurse who picked up no orders, and clarified nothing with the attendings who are leaving in 1/2 hr after you arrive, 3 people on CPM machines for their knees, who begin to wail in pain after the aide sets them all to 100 degress flexion... then, the 'pleasantly confused' bungee jumper begins to freak out after his family doesnt see him... Why?? Because he's flying into DT's and hasnt had his g-n-t for the day...

ok... a night like that is definately worth 50 mil... dont ya think?

laters

--Barbara

Jenny P · May 21, 2001

Sorry, people, but $50,000 doesn't cut it anymore on nights in the critical care units. I definitely feel that the way we've been working is worth at least twice that much; as I told a supervisor sometime in the past 4 months, "people DIED before they got this sick 2 years ago"-- and we still get yelled at when we wake the doctor because the patients' condition has changed for the worse. We are dealing with peoples LIVES here (in any type of nursing!); isn't a life worth more than $50,000? :confused:

kennedyj · May 21, 2001

I agree. Pay is often not to scale with what we do. I Received my BSN from Colorado springs last May. Most of the new grads started out at $13.50/hr in the local area. I made $14 delivering for dominoes pizza a few years back. Luckily I am in the military with 10 years in and am somewhat overpaid especially while I am in Europe. However, they put me in an area that I loath (which is another story). Nursing does have a great future I believe. We all just need to hang in there. Always remember our motto (20% nursing care 80% charting). If you didn't chart it you didn't do it. I guess according to this analogy the better you chart the better your care is. sorry.... I am just stressed cause we have a JCaho inspection comming up and everyone is getting stupid.

Jared

nurs4kids · May 21, 2001

"Seriously, I think we should be paid according to a stress-o-meter...RN/LPN on the SAME PAYSCALE"

Ok, Barb, I've defended LPN's until I'm blue in the face, but you just went a little too far. If we're all to be paid on the 'SAME PAYSCALE", then what would encourage ANY of us to be educated beyond LPN? Also, "stress" is relative to coping skills. What's stressful to me may not be to you....

[ May 21, 2001: Message edited by: nurs4kids ]

fergus51 · May 21, 2001

Originally posted by Jenny P:
Sorry, people, but $50,000 doesn't cut it anymore on nights in the critical care units. I definitely feel that the way we've been working is worth at least twice that much; as I told a supervisor sometime in the past 4 months, "people DIED before they got this sick 2 years ago"-- and we still get yelled at when we wake the doctor because the patients' condition has changed for the worse. We are dealing with peoples LIVES here (in any type of nursing!); isn't a life worth more than $50,000?

Obviously a life is worth more than 50 000$.

Maybe I should've mentionned I live in Canada and no nurse here in our province makes that much. A doctor can make what you want for pay (100K), so I don't see that happening for nurses here. The top pay wage is 18$US an hour for staff nurses, so if I was making 50K US (about 75K CND) a year instead of 45K Canadian (about 30K US) I would be ecstatic. Is it any wonder so many Canadian nurses move to the States every year?

fiestynurse · May 21, 2001

"EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK"

There has been studies done about nurse's pay. The male dominated profession that we are usually compared to is Engineers. We should be making what the average engineer makes. We have similar educational requirements and job stress. Taking this into consideration, the average experienced nurse should be making about $60,000-$70,000.

[ May 21, 2001: Message edited by: feistynurse ]

Mijourney · May 22, 2001

Hi. I think wage compression is the reason you're not making $50K already. I felt that my wages were compressed after five years of working in the hospital setting. I became irritated anytime a new graduate was hired in making only pennies less than I did. This clearly demonstrated the need to improve the pay for all nurses, new and experienced. I'll settle for $75K right now, since I've never made that amount before, and I believe that it is ahead of inflation. I'll also accept generous benefits with that.

fergus51 · May 22, 2001

I honestly don't think nurses should be paid as much as doctors. I agree that our job is hard and we are the ones on the front line, but educationally and responsibility wise I have to give the docs credit. If we want what they make we can go to med school.

We don't make a lot of money here because we are a provincial union. There are 6 steps and you work your way up. Right now we are asking for our most experienced nurses to make about 50K US in our contract negotiations.

Q. · May 22, 2001

Ok I am the first to complain about pay. Realistically, I think $50,000 a year to start would be fair - but again, I would like to see some differentials for BSNs, as well as a critical care differential for Labor and Delivery to start.

I've heard some people throw out $70,000 - $90,000 - I know our job is important but for some reason I feel that is a little over the edge. I don't compare myself in the least compared to physicians - not to mention, I would feel horrible collecting that kind of pay when the resident working along side me is making only $30,000.

I really don't know how to determine what would be "fair and adequate compensation." I just know what sounds right. I think educational levels should be compensated for, positions should be compensated for (ie: a nurse manager or CNS)

And yes, Barb, I also agree with Nurs4Kids. I think there needs to be SOME incentive for higher education, and there needs to be some sort of recognition/compensation for that - despite the same job. Also, I think many would argue that RNs and LPNs have very different roles.

CashewLPN, LPN · May 22, 2001

Ok... realizing what I wrote...

I do admit it, RN's should get paid more than LPN's...

What I meant--

RN's and LPN's should get paid in the same manner--- as in via the stress-o-meter, with the RN's one paying out more...

My typo, and I apologise...

--Barbara