Why do doctors office pay nurses pennies to work for them?

[danursern]

Almost every doctor office I submitted applications to in my tristate area pays an RN, so it seems graduate wages or lower? I am a 20 year experienced nurse first LPN then RN. I was shocked since this is one of my alternatives to staying in the field. I cannot no longer keep up with LTC, there are to many issues; low staff ratio, and poor equipment to work with. I hurt my back helping move a 400lb woman, because theses facilities will take anyone for the money regardless if they have enough help. The hospital I've been there done that and cannot cope with it anymore. It's more so the long hours or 12hr shifts I do not like. I have this FMS, so I try to work more compatible jobs to avoid becoming fatigued.

I am presently giving Flu and Pneumonia vaccines with a clinic until November. It is so nice. I love meeting people and educating them. I really want to work for a doctor something I've never done before I certainly have the tallent to master the office ways, but it's accepting the low pay and revamping my lifestyle or should I say downgrading my lifestyle. I can do it though It just makes me sad that doctors offices pay so very little to the RN and LPN.

Any thoughts?

[danursern]

I work outpatient/MD office and yes I am paid considerably less. And I run my butt off all day! We're always running way behind, adding people on, , people keep calling, gotta get the labs for that er visit and the SHOTS are out of control this time of year in a practice that sees children. I spend half my day drawing/documenting/giving shots for school vaccinations. I miss lunch, get out late and have to force time out to pee.

That said, it's STILL better than the floor.

Amen!

[themoreyouknow]

I guess I can understand why they make less.

They DO less.

My friend works in a pediatrician's office and all day she takes vitals, does immunizations, and does discharge teaching. She gets every holiday off and is home by 6:00 pm almost every night. She used to work med-surg and says her office job is a piece of cake.

Hospital RNs are often taking care of acutely ill patients who are, well, sick enough to need hospitalization. They aren't here for a well baby check up or because they have the sniffles. They have the flu and need IV fluids. They are in a diabetic crisis because they manage their diabetes poorly. They require more care than a patient in a doctor's office.

I think that is why. There is an increased responsibility in taking care of hospital patients vs. pts in a doctor's office.

There is no way I'm working in a hospital for the $14 an hour. A doctor's office? If I could afford it, I would def. consider it. Great benefits.

~Sherri

[sibilo]

icu float pool 45 bucks an hour, north carolina. been doing it for 3 years.

[anurseatlast]

Most of the doctor's offices here use EMTs and CNAs with the occasional MA or LPN.

Frankly, THEY DO NOT NEED THE SKILLSET OF AN RNs, SO WHY PAY? All they need is someone to do vitals and blood draws. They can use the MA for an injection.

What makes me nervous is the appearance of MAs in the hospital setting.

I think that doctors DO need the skills of a nurse in the office. Sure a MA or CNA can do tasks but they cannot assess patients. Some doctors recognize the difference and want a nurse who can use their assessment and critical thinking skills to keep the doctor from some stupid mistakes.

As a new grad, I worked in a peds clinic with some great MA who had been there for a long time. They knew more than I did about how the office ran and some of the procedures. I learned a lot from them but they were task-oriented; that is their job and training. Even as a new grad, I was able to think critically in a way that did not occur to them. We dealt with patients with very complex health needs (the clinic was associated with a large renown teaching hospital) and admitted at least one directly to the hospital most days. Though the MA could identify some questionable orders, (the docs were great - I would love them to see my grandkids but we all make mistakes, especially under stress) there were others that they would not know to question.

When a friend of mine was doing clinical during her NP training, she worked in a clinic which used RN staff. She asked the doctor about it and he said, "I know it would be cheaper to use MA but I need someone to cover my back. I figure that is worth more than what I pay to have nurses." How about that! A doctor who recognizes that nursing is not tasks - I don't think many do. That is why they use MA.

That said, a nurse is not likely to make much money in a clinic setting. As others have said, overhead is high and reimbuusement is low. On the other hand, you don't have to work holidays or weekends (usually). I loved the opportunity to do patient teaching but the reality is that the pace is usually very busy and there was not as much time for that as I would like. I now work in public health in a home-based program and I love it. My days are still very busy but I have time to develop a relationship with my patients.

If you are ready to get out of hospital nursing, keep looking. There are many other types of nursing out there. You just have to find a good fit for you.

[himilayaneyes]

I think it's universal that doctor's offices just don't pay nurses that much. I know you hurt your back..so my question for you is have you ever considered becoming perhaps a clinical educator....or doing home health full time.

[danursern]

I think it's universal that doctor's offices just don't pay nurses that much. I know you hurt your back..so my question for you is have you ever considered becoming perhaps a clinical educator....or doing home health full time.

I prefer the adult client in home health and there doesn't seem to be a demand. All I see is care givers for seniors in the paper and that means like a CNA. The demand is high for PEDS home health nursing and these babies are on Vents, have trachs and g-tubes. I do it part time when their is a case, but I do not like it really, because it is to slow for me. I need a happy medium something I can be busy with, but not LTC or hospital busy. You need a Masters for teaching in this state, and I really am done with that level of school. The only classes I want to do are for my CEUs yearly and my Certifications. Thanks anyway.

[nursel56]

I haven't read everyone else's answers yet but I worked in a doctor's office and multi-specialty clinic in the early 80s, and they've always paid less than a hospital job. I believe it's because of the relative luxury of a a normal schedule (maybe some Saturdays and evenings here and there) but usually you get all your holidays off and no weekends. That becomes a desirable situation for lots of nurses with young families, evening classes or whatever. I didn't mind the pay cut- I knew that would be the case going in.