Why does Sonography pay more than nursing?

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Mar 13, 2010

Whoa... hold up.
I am not comparing ADN to BSN, nor do I think either is better than the other -- both are equally as competent.
However, I was making a point regarding nurses who feel they should be making more money than a sonographer. I am making the point that for nurses to begin to demand more pay (I agree, nurses should be making more money than other technical fields -- we carry far more responsibility and nurses are required to do a lot of critical thinking... among other things) that the nursing profession needs to recognized as a PROFESSIONAL profession.
The problem with the nursing profession is that many nurses consider their ADN as their terminal degree, when it should really be the beginning.
As someone who is very heavy into research and into advancing the nursing profession to be more respected by other healthcare professionals, I can attest that there are many in our profession who trying to make it that the BSN is the entry level degree by in the next 20 years.
Again, I am not making this an ADN vs. BSN debate but rather am responding to why you will find that many other healthcare technical careers make similar or more money than nurses -- because nurses are often viewed as similar to other technical healthcare professions.

My post wasn't to you at all so I am hoping you didn't take it that way. I have no idea what a sonographer makes and what path they have to take to become one. I knew there was no way it was field for me. Babys are about all I can understand sonograms LOL I was more so speaking on what was said by the other poster because I had just had a conversation with someone who was trying to tell me that how much more training the BSN gave, (extra 2 years) when that first year they were saying how they had to take A&P and stuff and we had to take that prior to even starting our program. The bridge programs I have seen from ADN to RN are 1 year. But they were trying to say that the BSN was 2 and sometimes 3 more years of NURSING ONLY classes from my degree.

Anyway so that was all I was speaking about and my post wasn't directed at you specifically :)

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Mar 13, 2010

I have yet to see an Associate nursing program catalog book that doesnt include prequisites within their 2-year time frame. Post it please!

http://www.frontrange.edu/FRCCTemplates/FRCC1.aspx?id=1063

This link shows the PRE requisites required to get on the waitlist for the nursing program, these have to be done PRIOR to the 2 year program.

If you hold a previous Bachelors degree you don't have to have these done prior, you can do them WHILE you wait.

This link if you go down to nursing curriculum shows the classes you take DURING the 2 years.

http://www.frontrange.edu/FRCCTemplates/FRCC7.aspx?id=306

They're are 3 you can take Prior and it's highly recommended. Those are the Pathophys, Nutrition (bsn will eventually require a 3 credit one so we can do that instead which is what I did) and the elective requirement.

Some of the Pre Reqs might have their own Pre Req requirement like I stated previously. I had to have Psychology 101 before I could take the Life Span one, My other college had more requirements so I had all those too which will be useful when I do the bridge BSN program, will have less I need to do.

Clearly though you can see, the Pre Reqs are NOT part of the 2 year nursing program. Hope that clears up what you were asking.

aztova · Mar 14, 2010

Why do many professions pay more than a teacher's salary and we are relying on teachers to educate our children? Why do movie stars make millions and still get free stuff galore while most other people bust their ass everyday to make a living? There are many jobs/professions that should be paid more but never will be. I would actually love to just find a career that I loved more than anything and that I would do for free if I had to. :)

PopeJane3rd · Mar 14, 2010

Why do many professions pay more than a teacher's salary and we are relying on teachers to educate our children? Why do movie stars make millions and still get free stuff galore while most other people bust their ass everyday to make a living? There are many jobs/professions that should be paid more but never will be. I would actually love to just find a career that I loved more than anything and that I would do for free if I had to. :)

Maybe because teachers salaries are state regulated and we all know the state government can be cheap. Movie stars make more money because the movies they star in are paid for by people like you and I which number in the millions, so they get a cut off of that. If you star in a movie and 5 million people go see it at $8 a ticket that is a $40,000,000 rack in for that one movie. Being the star, you had a lot to do with why 5 mil people went to see it, because you were bankable, famous and the film was good. So with that kind of money, I can see why stars make that much. Even if you made just 1% (which is low) you would still take home $400,000 and that is just when the movie is at the show. What about all the extra money you make from it being rented on videos and cd's. Usually stars have a contractual agreement before they even do a pic. anyway. Plus they get free stuff because they are celebrities whom people worship and adore.

smilie1 · Mar 14, 2010

I am a BSN RN who is also a Registered Diagnostic Sonographer in Ob/Gyn. I have often thought about going back to being "just a nurse" but cannot afford such a paycut. Illinois ranks on the lower end for nursing salaries with most making in the mid $20/hr range. Adding the RDMS credentials, I make at least $10 more than that. Having worked in this field for 12+ years with a sprinkling of management experience thrown in, I have seen the pay ranges for sonographers - they make more, bottom line. You can check out the SDMS salary report. For the diverse experience, I cannot beat my job. Being a nurse AND sonographer, I can have the best of all worlds. I highly recommended it.

cherrybreeze, ADN, RN · Mar 15, 2010

Whoa... hold up.
I am not comparing ADN to BSN, nor do I think either is better than the other -- both are equally as competent.
However, I was making a point regarding nurses who feel they should be making more money than a sonographer. I am making the point that for nurses to begin to demand more pay (I agree, nurses should be making more money than other technical fields -- we carry far more responsibility and nurses are required to do a lot of critical thinking... among other things) that the nursing profession needs to recognized as a PROFESSIONAL profession.
The problem with the nursing profession is that many nurses consider their ADN as their terminal degree, when it should really be the beginning.
As someone who is very heavy into research and into advancing the nursing profession to be more respected by other healthcare professionals, I can attest that there are many in our profession who trying to make it that the BSN is the entry level degree by in the next 20 years.
Again, I am not making this an ADN vs. BSN debate but rather am responding to why you will find that many other healthcare technical careers make similar or more money than nurses -- because nurses are often viewed as similar to other technical healthcare professions.

Um, wow.

How is this a "problem" with the nursing profession??? :mad: Whether you are content with an ADN or choose to further your degree is a PERSONAL choice, and it doesn't do anything to harm the profession or it's image. An ADN passes the same NCLEX as a BSN, and if someone chooses to be, say, a staff RN for the duration of their career, rather than advancing it and going into management, teaching, etc, good for them! It's no one else's business, and furthering your degree isn't a requirement, the only requirement is a license, which an ADN can get. The nursing classes between an ADN program and a BSN program are obviously comparable.

You say that you're not opening up the age-old debate, but the rest of your post is in direct contradiction to that statement. I have an ADN, and no solid plans to further it (I'd like to, lack of funds is the current obstacle) but I don't feel that I *have* to go back, it's a want. If someone DOESN'T want to, so be it, their ADN fits their need.

RunningRNBSN · Mar 15, 2010

Um, wow.
How is this a "problem" with the nursing profession??? Whether you are content with an ADN or choose to further your degree is a PERSONAL choice, and it doesn't do anything to harm the profession or it's image. An ADN passes the same NCLEX as a BSN, and if someone chooses to be, say, a staff RN for the duration of their career, rather than advancing it and going into management, teaching, etc, good for them! It's no one else's business, and furthering your degree isn't a requirement, the only requirement is a license, which an ADN can get. The nursing classes between an ADN program and a BSN program are obviously comparable.
You say that you're not opening up the age-old debate, but the rest of your post is in direct contradiction to that statement. I have an ADN, and no solid plans to further it (I'd like to, lack of funds is the current obstacle) but I don't feel that I *have* to go back, it's a want. If someone DOESN'T want to, so be it, their ADN fits their need.

You obviously did not read my posting very well. Do some research on PROFESSIONAL professions (nursing is not considered one of them) and you will begin to see why the nursing profession will need to begin to require the BSN as an entry level degree if the nursing profession ever wants to advance and become more respected by other healthcare professionals.

Heck, I have spoken to a few people and have read some doctoral capstone papers that discuss creating the requirement into nursing practice at the masters level or even doctorate level by 2050.

cherrybreeze, ADN, RN · Mar 15, 2010

You obviously did not read my posting very well. Do some research on PROFESSIONAL professions (nursing is not considered one of them) and you will begin to see why the nursing profession will need to begin to require the BSN as an entry level degree if the nursing profession ever wants to advance and become more respected by other healthcare professionals.
Heck, I have spoken to a few people and have read some doctoral capstone papers that discuss creating the requirement into nursing practice at the masters level or even doctorate level by 2050.

:icon_roll

BabyLady, BSN, RN · Mar 15, 2010

In my area, the pay is the same.

However, how many sonographers can a hospital employ versus RN's?

It's about job security.

imageman RDCS · Mar 17, 2010

Job security is right. I just graduated with a degree in cardiac ultrasound. I have earned my registry credentials (RDCS) and cannot find a job. I am now in nursing school and plan to combine both degrees with the hopes of obtaining employment in a cardiac care unit, cath lab, or cardiologist office. The only work that I have been able to find that is relevant to my cardiovascular tech. degree is a few contingent EKG jobs (we received training in this area our first year).

netglow, ASN, RN · Mar 17, 2010

Running, (arrrrrgh)

Research papers :anbd:

I've written several myself about many different things. If I had a :twocents: for all the ideas people research and compose dissertations about that never went nowhere.

sunrock · Mar 17, 2010

You have got to be kiddin, yes a bsn is better, but give me a break, i have 4 yrs my self, there is still a ladder, more theory, management, love hands on, on secretarial.