amen sister! you are preaching to the choir. I despise the ANA and have ever since I became a nurse, mm 8 years ago is it? wow. I was a CNA for years before becoming an RN. I have worked everything from DON of home health, occupational nursing, case management, TCV, transplant, you name it I have done it, with the exception of peds and L&D, though I floated to that unit once to take care of surgical patients. Now I have to return to school to get advanced degrees to teach- I was injured on the job badly when I very very large patient fell on me and ruptured several discs in my back. I ended up with complications from surgery and can't work now due to physical limitations and sever pain. but I love working with nursing students, so I am hopeful I can teach. I adore being a nurse, is who I am to my very core...though I may end up leaving it entirely to start my own business instead. I don't know LOL.

I have worked everywhere, with nursing students of all kinds, with new grads of all kinds..and the bottom line in terms of your preparedness is what kind of program you have. I started to hate the ANA in nursing school when in order to maintain our accreditation, the highly successful program was going to have to change. because they said that a student should be able to "sit in" a class at my school, or the community college associated with us 50 miles away to make up a class and not miss anything. But yet there is NO continuity among degree programs across the STATE, let alone the country! everyone does it differently, and as the student you have to try and figure out where the best program is that will fit your needs.

What disappoints me are the nurses who tear each other apart over this issue, making it a divisive wedge issue in order to make themselves feel better about whichever educational choice they made. BSN's who look down on RN's and think we are selling the profession short and causing problems because of our stubborness, and that we lack leadership skills (as if ANY new grad is prepared to lead ANYTHING LOL), the ADN's who become defensive and start telling the BSN's they were stupid to spend all that time in school learning BS, that there is a reason its called a "BS"N degree- when we need to be embracing each other and supporting each other, as we BOTH take the same exact test, we BOTH work in the same environments and we need each other. Do I have my own opinion on the merits of a BSN degree? absolutely. I think it is a necessary evil for some avenues of nursing, because it is required to work there. Do I think it has a lick of anything to do with what quality nurse you are? absolutely NOT. And I resent my teachers, or anyone, trying to justify ridiculously wasteful stupid classes by saying that I lack leadership and critical thinking skills without them. if that were true, then not only would I have not passed my boards with all those critical thinking leadership skills questions on them, but I would not have been successful in my career choices.

BUT..I would never berate anyone for the choices they make with their education..it is just that..THEIR education. and I think we need to do more remembering of that fact and less screaming at each other about what makes a professional..cause DUDE..the screaming fishwife routine is definitely not advancing our image.

I am off to work and don't have time to fully respond but try this site. Work injured nurses group, started by a nurse who hurt her back and is advocating effectively for safe patient handling acts. There are nurses out there making a difference in unity!

http://www.wingusa.org/ If it does click on just google wing usa

awesome website, found it no problem, thanks so much!

Salaries
I am a fairly new nurse of two years (LPN)
In Ms the average pay of a new nurse at the hospital is $14.50 an hour. I went to training to get IV certified and that raised my salarie to only 30 cents more per hour. For the extra amount of work I do being IV certified it is not justified to me at all. That is only a raise of $12.00 per week!
At our hospital we do everything an RN does except IV pushes. I am in NO way saying that an RN does not deserve to be payed what she knows or what she went to school for.... NO WAY. My sister is an RN and she works for every single cent she makes. I am just saying that when you go the extra mile to furthur your ability as nursing you should be paid for it... not an extra little $12.00 a week! I can work a extra hour at work to get that little $12.00 a week intstead. Before I became certified as IV as an LPN I worked hard but not as hard as I do now setting up IVs. The next job I have I will NOT tell them I am IV certified! No way... that only doubles my work for a little $12.00 a week.
BTW the starting salary at the nursing homes for new LPN grads are $19.00.
And we wonder why nurses don't want to work at the hospital's where the pay raise usually is alot less. And the responsibilies are more.
I am a 53 year old woman that went back to school to become a nurse to make a difference. However, it does not mean that I don't want to be paid decent for what I do either.
Just some of my thoughts is all.

Yeah, welcome to my world! At my current job, there is no payment to be in charge of our 22 bed ICU. When I tell men in the business world that nurses take great pride and would cut another nurse's throat to take on that kind of responsibility for NO PAY, they are incredulous. I laugh and tell them it is just that nurses are so starved for the tiny amount of respect and empowerment they think they get by being in charge, they jump at their own exploitation...Nursing is the only field that advancing your education has very little impact on pay, but then we don't need to worry about pay, we are all in it because we are "angels of mercy" and it is unladylike and ungodly to negotiate for MONEY. It is time to wake up fellow nurses and unite and empower ourselves. Join the local ANA, then throw out the old guard in the next year's elections. Then let's make a difference in Washington DC!!!

Steller you crack me up!
What state do you live in?
Reminds of my first glance as a nurse in the hospital...
ALOT of Politics to tend with!!!

nursing pay
hi guyz, i just need an advice.I am an or nurse here in the philippines and i wanted to work abroad.
Where state have the highest salaries with just a low cost of living.Thanks a lot!!!!!!!

nursing pay in MA
Hi all,
I am a recent RN BS grad. Nursing pay in Massachusettes is better than average. the average is approximately 52k / year at base. I was lucky enough to find a job that is amazing as one of a team of nurses working with children with autism. I started at 58k at baseline, 8-4 mon - fri, so no complaints here (not to mention 6 weeks vacation, If you can stand the New England winters, MA is the place to look in to. Hospitals in Boston have much higher pay rates than mine obviously. But, don't forget to figure in the cost of living expense as compared to southern states.
But, in general, payrate doesn't equate with happiness / job satisfaction.
Best of luck in the world of the RN!

hey guys
im an ADN staff nurse with pride and like my user id, im a good nurse. im not going to get on board with all the animosity so ill just answer the original question. i work in SC and i make $40.00/hour and after weekend and night diffs of $11.00/hr i make decent enough money to allow me to work 36 hours per pay period/ yes every other weekend. and i love knowing that i make alot of money for something i love doing

What animosity?

nurse pay
I work in Southern Alabama. Make 32/hr in a w.o.w program w/ benefits. Day shift. I am a BSN and work in a rural area.

pay good benefits bad
I am an ADN, 17 years, have been working in LTC my current salary is $24.95/hr which is great but the benefits where I work suck. Our insurance paid $25 on a $3000 hospital bill. I would take less an hour to be able to afford prescriptions and things. I live in Iowa but have just put my notice in. The pay is not worth they hassles at the facility I work in. I am the only nurse 90% of the time-2nd shift, responsible for 80+ residents, supervise staff and pass pills for 1/2 the residents. I am going to relocate to the Denver area to be with my fiance, the pay rate there seems comparable when I figure in the better health insurance and state taxes. I love hands on nursing and my current position gives me that but I leave every night wondering what i missed.

Re: Nursing pay



Hi there!

I am responding to your request about hourly nursing wages. Please keep in mind, that I am a LVN (Licensed Vocational Nurse) living in Southern California. BTW, this area is considered a very high cost of living, just as comparable to the East Coast. I have been a LVN for 22 years. My background consists of hospitals, clinics, home health, hospice, and nursing education, and managed care.

I work as a nurse case manager in the insurance industry, also referred to as managed care. My hourly wage is $34.00 per hour....this is not a typo! Benefit package, perks, etc are also extra. I make about
$ 65,000/ year. Managed care is mainly RN dominated, but here in California there are some companies that do welcome LVN's, and are willing to provide intensive training. You can work for hospitals, clinics, insurance companies, rehabilitation and skilled nursing facilities. It is challenging, can be demanding and stressful at times, but rewarding at the same time, and keep you on your toes.

Re: No Power!




Yay Chuck!!!! Say it like it is!!!! I really enjoyed your post on this topic, and definitely believe in standing up for what one is worth. I live about 20-25 minutes from Los Angeles, and they are always screaming for nurses...
be it RN or LVN.

WAGES
I MAKE 55/HR AND THAT IS WITH MY SHIFT DIFF.....AND WITH BENEFITS...I FEEL BAD CUZ I AM ALWAYS BITCHING I SHOULD MAKE MORE...I FEEL BAD NOW THAT I HAVE HEARD WHAT OTHER NURSES ARE MAKING...

PARIS

Re: ADN vs. BSN
I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU..I STARTED OUT IN THE ER AND DID NOT KNOW SHIT...SCARY...

PARIS

Re: nursing pay


Hi, it's really important to put in your years of experience so that we have an idea what pay we should be at..

Denver pay
Anyone get anymore than 25/hr in Denver? Surely these travel companies make gobs of money off their travelers....why not more per hour?

pay rates
Don't know where you're from, but I have 12 years experience, all critical care and I've never made less than $25/hour. Right now, staff ER nights, in Phoenix, I make 34 + 4 shift diff/hour (non-trauma). In Detroit (level I trauma) as a contingent (ie staff pool), I made $37 +4 shift diff (PM)/hour. I won't even consider a position that pays under $30/hour. It always depends on the state you work in, years experience, area of expertise, and what the shortage is in that state. Work in an area with a big shortage you make more money because they'd rather pay staff than agency rates anyday !
Angela ER

I make around $43000 per year.