When did the pay start to get better and why?

[HeartsOpenWide, RN]

My teacher was saying the other day that not too long ago (I do not know what "not too long ago means to her) that she was only making 12/hr as a nurse. She has been a nurse a long time and has certifications for the ICU. For those of you that have been round longer, when did the pay start to increase and what do you think caused it?

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

It's been increasing steadily over the years. I'm trying to recall what my hourly wage was when I started in 1973. I'm thinking it was around $5 or $7 and hour. I remember working private duty in 1978 and being thrilled to make $11 an hour at that time. That was much higher than what the hospital nurses were making, but we also had to pay our own taxes from that money. When I became a nursing supervisor in an acute hospital my wage went up to $16 an hour and that was in 1987.

[oneLoneNurse]

A pivotal contract:

http://www.una.ab.ca/conferences/historydocs/002816A2-000F7D10

[llg, PhD, RN]

I started as a new grad in 1977 at $4.51 per hour with a $.50 differential for nights. I was thrilled when I left there 2 years later and crossed the $6.00 mark when I was in Charge on nights.

llg