Nursing Pay
When I left working as a Staff RN at a local VA hospital in Ohio, 1-1/2 yrs ago, I was making $43,500/yr., plus benefits (not as great as you would think, either). We were always short staffed and were told "we're working on it". I did Charge, special assignments to other units, trained other nurses and was involved in root cause analysis reviews. I have an ADN degree. I have been a DON and a Nursing Supervisor in LTC facilities, DON at a Home Care company and in charge of other places that I've worked. I've had more experience as an ADN than some BSN's. I was told that to get anywhere in the government facilities that I would have to get my BSN or I'd never get anywhere at the VA or make any money. I would always be a "Staff Nurse". New grad BSN's started out at more than I was making! They got to work the specialty units (ICU, ACU, GI lab, etc., but I couldn't). I was there for 3-1/2 years and got no respect because I didn't have my BSN. This is the only place I know of in this area where they differentiate between ADN's and BSN's. As far as I'm concerned there's no difference except 2 years of research.

Nurses will NEVER make what we're worth because of the burecratic red tape and BS that we have to put up with!

I quit working because I am a single mother with a child that has medical disabilities and now I stay with her to home school her. She's gotten healthy enough now that I can look for work from home jobs like Medical Transcription and other consulting jobs that I can do on my own time.

BSN VS. ADN
I got an ADN first, then went and got the BSN. I have to say I learned far more in the ADN program. The BSN program was so easy, and the courses had nothing to do with clinical nursing. In the ADN program, you had to make an 84 or above on everything; an 83 was an F. In the BSN program, a 70 was passing and considered a C. The BSN students got out of school and couldn't do anything. The ADN students got out of school and could function in ICU or anywhere. The biggest difference was that the BSN program required more humanities classes. I have never understood why people think a BSN is superior, because a few extra literature or history classes does not make you a better nurse. I love being a nurse that can function in any environment; most of the BSN nurses that I know cannot function and prefer to sit behind a desk. That is not what I went into nursing for. By the way, I had a bachelor's degree already before I ever went into nursing, so don't think I don't like school. I have only two classes left for my psychology degree, also. My son has four bachelor degrees. I am just saying I think the ADN nurses get a better education for an actual nursing job.

Nursing Pay
Thank You Peaches

i work in oklahoma...have been a nurse for 11 years and work in the or now. I make 21.50 an hour... just to let ya'll know....
we make double time for any overtime over 1 hour...and we may get anywhere from one hour over or 30...
bs

i havent become a nurse yet. I am in my last chem class before i can apply for the RN training program.
I am posting to state that as a STNA in ohio, i make 9.25 / hour 2nd shift. And you are all correct. if you dont love the work, it doesnt matter how much you make. the sacrifices we make to be a benefit to others is something to keep in mind. We are making a difference in peoples lives. If we are the nurse that is that one that takes the time to care, to do the dressing correct--to do the job right, at the end of the day, we have made a difference to help others.
and to me, that is part of my payment for doing what i do.
Those hugs and thank you's do help.
And I am not denying the fact that my struggling days will be coming to an end when i land a decent job as an RN or similar.
That will definately feel great.
I just like to remind myself that some of my reason and payment / rewards are: making a difference in peoples lives.
And that you wonderful nurses, you can get any geographic location anywhere.
i have encountered wonderful nurses in my life experiences.
and i just always--always want to be a voice that applauds what you do.
as always, thank you for what you do.
And if no one else has said thanks today, well,
you just heard it from me.
THANK YOU
rascal

nurses pay
please tell this Virginian what an STNA is.

OKlahoma Pay


Okornurse what hospital are you working in? Most nurses that I know that have been working as long as you are making more than 21.50.

Pay
3 years experience, about $19.84, add $4/hr shift dif from 3p-11p. My old Baylor job, only 1 paid wkend off a year was $28 after adding the baylor pay incentive. My current agency job is $34-$36, depending on facility. They generally pay $2 extra for weekends. This is a range over small towns to larger suburban hospital.

oklahoma or nurse
i work in ardmore oklahoma...mercy...
wow!!!!! they sure do tell us that they are staying comptetive

pay
I know this may sound strange but I just was offered 3 jobs down in so cal between 26-28/ hour before shift differentials... out here where I am now in the bay area I know my classmates who have graduated make up to $39/ hour Starting!!! before shift differentials!!!

Can't compare Cali to OKC. Gas is still under $3 here. The gas here is 2.76.

I cant compete with the $83,000, but as an LVN in Tx in longterm care I make $21, which is actually more than the RN's at our hospital. My DON commented the other day that another nursing home offered her $53,000/yr and she laughed...makes me think that she is making awhole lot more than that, plus the benifit package she gets is pretty nice!! Of course I live in a small town just outside the metroplex.

Be glad you guys don't live in MS. I am currently a travel nurse. My old job back home offered me $19.00/hr with 5 years L&D experience and ACLS, NRP. They said the extras were added into that and that was good money. Can we say that I laughed at them!!!

Be thankful for the money that you do make. The only reason the nurses around here stay, is because this is where they are from and all of their family is here. Nothing will change until some people start leaving where the hospitals will have no choice but to increase the pay rates or loose every nurse they have.

pay
I live in Wisconsin and I am an LPN, I make $20/hr., I will graduate next May as an RN and I have talked to some students that graduated this year and they are starting them out at $25/hr. and of course shift differentials. It really isn't bad pay. It all depends on the cost of living as to where you live. No matter how much money we make, we will always want more.

That is the thing. The cost of living here is just as much as it is anywhere else. Of course it is not as much as CA, but still the pay rates don't even copare to the cost of living.

No Power!
I'm reading all of these post regarding nurse pay, and I am not suprised to hear some nurses complaining about not getting enough pay. Nurses don't realize how much power they have. We are like a sleeping giant sometimes. They (employers) need us; we can control our salary with or without a union if we just use our voice as our weapon. Nurses work way too hard to come up short in the pay department. I have literally walked out of interviews once I heard the salary for the job, and didn't think twice about it, only to have the interviewer chase me down begging to negotiate.

Here in California, with the nursing shortage and high turnover in some facilities, a nurse can literally write their own ticket when it comes to pay. I know how to play the game, and the fact is no employer is never really going to pay you what you're worth in the beginning if they can get away with it.

Nurses wake up! Don't be intimidated. The other thing about pay is nursing is still a predominantly female profession and some employers still don't respect women the way they do men. I am willing to bet that if nursing was 90% male, the pay would not be what it is today. You are worth something, and take control of your destiny.

Chuck

STNA = State Tested Nursing Assistant
ohio calls the aids in nursing homes this because we are tested on our skills for nursing home care. it is a written exam and an ohio RN randomly picks 3 skills from the lot to test us. They then give you a certificate , not sure if it is considered a license, and you can then be an aid. A registery is kept for all Aids with this license/certificate. you can lose your license for violations of conduct, etc. you pay something like 85. to take this test.
ohio also has a PCA. patient care assistant. this is also an assistant to the RN, but with much more skilled skills.
PCA, can do ekg's, cath inserts, blood draws, tube feeding, etc.
and the test for this label is in the college class itself, with an RN monitoring the written exam and skills randomly testing.
i operate under the stna but have passed the PCA testing.
it is a whole lot different working on people rather than manakins.
i found this out real quick after beginning my first job at a nursing home.
it is great experience at the nursing home. i will be there a year before i move forward to another experience in a hospital setting. this is the plan.
thanks nurses for all you do !! you make a difference in so many lives.
God bless you
rascal

friend of mine has a job in med/ surg ..she has 17 years experirnce,but they offered her only $25-26/ hr . Is it low pay . Does anyone has any idea or a salery scale in Tulsa -Ok . She is a canadian nurse.

I am a new grad from Houston. So is this good?
I am graduating in December and I am starting to look at what jobs are available. I have a 3.6 GPA and have 36 hours towards my bachelors, which I plan on finishing while working. Ultimately I am looking to be a anesthetist so I want to go straight to ICU from school. I live in Houston and would consider relocating in if it made since to do so but given the large medical center here I am hoping to find something. What salary should I expect along with benefits etc. I have an offer in Phoenix, AZ for 23.00 an hour + benefits. A little help from the established nurses would be greatly appreciated!

I made 56,000 two years ago, by working days, three dayshifts per week one week, then four the next. I had automatic built-in overtime. Now I work six on, eight off, with no overtime. I will make about 13,000 less this year. I have a problem getting paid right- I am promised bonus pay for working extra shifts, but never see it on my paycheck. The last three checks I received were substantially less than what they should have been. I am still trying to get help with that. Also, there is a lot of unfairness involved. Some nurses get $125 extra for one shift, while others get $75, for the same unit (ICU). Not fair! If they do get someone to come in to work extra, that person will get ICU and I will get sent to Med-Surg, this is not fair because my primary job is in ICU! Our nurse assistants make $12 per hour. I do not think that RN pay is keeping up with inflation or cost of living at all. Pretty soon the nursing assistants and LPN's will make more than the RN's!!