RN Salary | Registered Nurse Salary | How Much Do Nurses Make?

This video explores the salaries of Registered Nurses. There are several conditions to consider when evaluating the salary of an RN, as the numbers are not straight across the board. In the video, those exceptions are discussed as to why some RN's make more than others, and why. Most people starting out in the nursing field want to know some information about how much money they can expect to earn, and this video helps answer some of those questions.

BSN to PhD

     After earning your RN, you may want to further your education by earning your Doctorate degree. Doing so will help you earn a potentially greater salary as well as opening up the door to more positions and specializations. Some benefits and tips for earning your PhD are:

• Baccalaureate to Doctoral programs provide an efficient pathway to careers as nurse educators, researchers and leaders for the best and brightest nursing students.
•  Baccalaureate to Doctoral programs are bringing younger faculty into nursing which is helping to address the nurse educator shortage and the rapid aging of the nursing professorial.
• Strong clinical experiences are embedded throughout the entire 4-5 year program. These experiences build on the strong foundation students receive in their BSN programs.

      You can read more about earning your PhD here and view a list of BSN to Doctoral degree programs here.

New Nurse Podcast

     This podcast for new nurses, specifically ICU nurses, provides a fantastic source of first-hand experiences covering topics such as spinal precautions, IV bags, and death in the ICU. You can download these podcast episodes, or stream them from iTunes or the website directly. Each podcast is free. This is a no-nonsense podcast, sometimes covering some morbid and touchy topics, but it is refreshing to hear about what really goes on in hospitals and emergency rooms.

Here:

    

     Patient death is a grim reality when you are a nurse. The podcast "Death in the ICU" discusses how to deal with expected and unexpected deaths in the ICU, how to break the news to the family, and how to personally handle being in the presence of death. I highly suggest listening to these podcasts, even if for entertainment purposes as they are very fascinating.

The Importance of a Career Plan

     Whether currently a nurse, or on your way to becoming a nurse, the importance of a career plan can prove invaluable. Tina Lanciault writes about her experiences as an RN, and how she learned that she needed to develop a career plan after 30 years as a professional nurse. Lanciault provides a list of important steps to make before and after you graduate to ensure you have control of your career path. With a step-by-step series of information, this guide is incredibly easy to follow.

     You can view this article on NurseTogether.com's website here.

I am a Nursing Student: A Weblog

     I am a Nursing Student: a weblog documenting a nursing students journey to becoming an RN.

     Heather Keys documents her experiences in nursing school while earning her BSN. She provides a very detailed, and often humorous, account of her daily experiences in school and during clinicals. She uses pictures to document her experiences, which helps to give her audience a better visualization and make these encounters more "real."

Nursing Profession : Is Nursing School Hard?

A video for nursing students, made by nursing students. Dan Carlson answers some common questions you might be asking yourself: how hard is nursing school? Are the hours long? What is a typical day in nursing school like? This video doesn't try to sugar-coat it; nursing school can be hard, emotionally and physically draining, and also extremely rewarding. Watch this video for some straight-forward answers.

History of Nursing

     When considering nursing for a career, you probably wonder about the history of nursing. Nursing has certainly come a long way from its roots, and has transformed in many ways. From the 1800's when hospitals were staffed by convicts and widows, to the modern day nurse who is professionally trained and evaluated, nursing has certainly advanced over the years. For a history of nursing, as well as some info on highly influential nurses, visit Calhoun Community College's History of Nursing page.

Financial Aid

     Nursing school might seem too expensive to some. However, there are many options to help pay for schooling. Financial Aid is available to many people, and will help ease the cost of nursing school. ChooseNursing.com can help you answer the question "what kind of financial aid is available?" There are many ways to help pay for school, such as:

• FAFSA
• Grants
• Scholarships
• Loans
• Work-study programs

     ChooseNursing also provides helpful information about the all-too-common "scholarship scams" that target many students every year. For more information about aid, visit: http://www.choosenursing.com/paying/financialaid.html

About the NCLEX

     NCLEX (RN/PN) stands for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) and the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses. (NCLEX-PN)
If you plan on becoming a nurse, you can plan on becoming acquainted with the NCLEX. But don't be scared! NCSBN, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, has a website to help you better understand the NCLEX with sections devoted to "Before the Exam," "Exam Day," and "After the Exam."

     NCSBN provides a user-friendly, comprehensive guide on what to expect from the NCLEX and the importance of this test. This website should help you to feel that you are not charging into the NCLEX with a blindfold. Even if you are a fledgling nursing student, this website will help familiarize you with what you will encounter further along in the process of becoming a nurse.

Explore the NCLEX here.  

RNs Make the List!

     Registered Nurse makes the list for "Best Jobs in 2012." US News has selected the career of "registered nurse" as one of the best jobs in 2012 due to its projected growth in the years to come, decent salary, and the ever-present need for more nurses. Monetarily, the wages of a registered nurse looks something like this:
     
     Registered Nurse Salary Range:

•      75th Percentile Wage: $79,020
•      Median Wage: $64,690
•      25th Percentile Wage: $52,980

     For more nursing incentives, view the article here. 

The Concern for the Elderly in Geriatric Care

The Concern for the Elderly in Geriatric Care

 The New York Times article, "Needed: Health Professionals to Treat the Aging,” discusses the subject of geriatric medicine, along with the need for more nurses and doctors specializing in geriatric care. Author Elizabeth Olson converses about the lack of readily available health care for the elderly, especially those who are largely home-bound.

The truth is there are not many incentives for doctors and nurses to specialize in geriatric care. Olson states that "the average geriatric specialist made $183,523 in 2010 — less than half that year’s $392,885 median for dermatologists, according to the Physician Compensation and Production Survey. (Olson, 2012)

The most rewarding aspect of this specialization is not monetary at all; the reward comes from the knowledge that you are helping someone who might otherwise not receive care at all. This article is presented in an unbiased and professional manner, and might help provide insight to someone beginning in the nursing field, or even a veteran nurse, who might not be aware of the lack of quality care professionals for the elderly. 

References:

Olson, E. (2012, March 7). Needed: Health Professionals to Treat the Aging. Retrieved from The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/08/business/retirementspecial/needed-health-providers-to-treat-the-aging.html?_r=1&ref=nursingandnurses

Men in Nursing

     The online nursing journal "Men in Nursing" helps male nurses overcome the all too common gender stereotypes that exist in the nursing field. Along with men's health issues and career advice, this publication is written by men, for men. Most articles require a subscription, but the journal does offer some free articles available in PDF format for easy reading.

     There is a lack of publications catering to the male demographic in the nursing field. It is unfortunate that such a severe gender stereotype still exists in that nurses are always female, and doctors are primarily male. This journal brings a sense of camaraderie among the male nurse and offers advice on dispelling this stereotype.  Discover this journal here.

Critical Care Nurse: Day in The Life

Critical care nurses look after some of the sickest patients in a hospital. The job of a critical care nurse required them to monitor patients that may be in life or death situations. If you are considering earning a degree in nursing, this is a specific nursing job you might consider. It is a fast-paced, sometimes chaotic and always rewarding job. This YouTube video gives us an insight into the daily life of a critical care nurse. This video is informative and entertaining, and adds a lot of insight into what to expect as a critical care nurse.

Specialist Nurses Making Big Bucks

 Specialist Nurses Making Big Bucks

         In the CNN Money article, "Some nurses paid more than family doctors,” author Parija Kavilanz discusses the disparity in salaries between Primary Care Doctors and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs).  Kavilanz states that "the nation is already facing a shortage of about 60,000 primary care doctors." (Kavilanz, 2010) She suggests that there should be more incentives in place for medical students to choose primary care as their specialty. Currently, primary care physicians are paid less than CRNAs, making it difficult to recruit more primary care doctors.

Kavilanz uses facts and figures from recruiting and consulting firms to show the disparity between salaries of primary care doctors and CNRAs. She states that "Primary care doctors were offered an average base salary of $173,000 in 2009 compared to an average base salary of $189,000 offered to certified nurse anesthetists." (Kavilanz, 2010) However, The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) disagrees with these figures, based on their own data. This discrepancy in figures clearly calls into question the validity of the author's statements.

The title of the article itself misleads the reader in that it leads you to believe that Registered Nurses in general are receiving a higher salary than a doctor. While this claim catches the reader’s eye, it does not convey the whole story. It is a type of very specific nurse working with anesthesia who receives a larger salary than a family doctor. Furthermore, as the AANA suggests, “comparing its members to family practice physicians is not appropriate, since they provide different services, and that a fairer comparison is to anesthesiologists, who make much more.” (Kavilanz, 2010) This information is presented at the end of the article and clearly refutes the title and main point of the article, which stands as a testament to how poorly the article is written. It is never in good form to invalidate your thesis at the conclusion of your work. While the author attempts to present both sides of the argument, she clearly does a poor job in disguising her prejudices on the topic.

While CRNAs receive higher wages than that of primary care physicians, this article does not present an adequate or fair comparison. More data and figures from multiples sources should be taken into consideration when producing an article of this type. This article only encourages an unfair misinterpretation of salaries in the medical field. 

References

Kavilanz, P. (2010, March 23). Specialist Nurses Paid Higher Salaries Than Family Doctors. Retrieved from CNN Money: http://money.cnn.com/2010/03/11/news/economy/health_care_doctor_incomes/index.htm

Podcasts for Nurses

NursingSchools.net provides a list of 50 educational and entertaining podcasts from various websites such as Johns Hopkins, The FDA, and The New England Journal of Medicine. The podcast links are categorized by topics such as Health Research, Reference and Education, and Pediatric Medicine.

View the list here.

A World Without Nurses

Nursing: one of the most under appreciated careers. In reality, nurses help us to lead longer, happier and healthier lives. Ausmed Education has produced a striking video that poses the question "what would happen in a world without nurses?" The answers are not favorable. There is a growing shortage of nurses all over the world, and this could mean life or death to some.

Via http://www.ausmed.com.au/

Study, study, study!

     Some people have a strong idea from an early age what they want to become "when they grow up." Unfortunately, it takes some of us longer to figure out what career path to choose. If you eventually make the smart selection to join the nursing field, there are a few preparatory curriculum choices to consider. Nursing Society.org offers helpful information on how to get an early head start on your future career in nursing:

High School Preparation - Students who are thinking about Nursing as a career should plan a college preparatory curriculum:

• English - 4 years (verbal and written communication skills essential)
• Math - 2 to 4 years (algebra necessary for success in chemistry and medication administration: geometry)
• Science - 2 to 4 years (chemistry essential: biology important: physics recommended: computer science)
• Social Studies - 3 to 4 years (psychology important: sociology: history: government: economics are all recommended)
• Foreign language - 2 years (highly recommended: some variation among individual Nursing Schools)

More information via:

What's in it For Me?

     Looking for reasons to become a nurse? Here are 100 of them from Nursing Practitioner Schools.org ! One of the most basic questions people often ask themselves when considering the field of nursing is "why should I become a nurse?" This list offers 100 different reasons to do so, broken up into categories such as educational, practical, and altruism. Yes, nurses generally make a comfortable salary, but there are so many more benefits of joining the medical field as a nurse. This web page offers a wonderful, varied list of reasons why.

100 Reasons to Become a Nurse

Discover Nursing

      Discover Nursing.com: A fantastic website for those considering joining the nursing field, but might not know where to begin. This website answers many of the basic questions about nursing: what does nursing involve, who can do it, where do I start? Included in the site is a nursing scholarship search feature as well as a list of nursing programs without waiting lists.

     The newsletter feature is a great way to keep updated on valuable news, important site updates, and inspirational stories from fellow and future nurses.  Above all, this website answers some of the most basic and useful questions about nursing: who, what why and how? I recommend this website for anyone who is new to the nursing field or just beginning.

Clothing and Apparel

      All nurses and various medical personnel will  require scrubs, lab coats or some similar type of attire. The website Scrubs and Beyond.com provides an array of apparel from shoes, pants, tops, lab coats, accessories, and even maternity clothing. 

This website is very user-friendly and easy to navigate with a wide array of reasonably prices products in several colors and designs.

     I found the prices and shipping rates to be quite reasonable, and the ordering process is quick and simple. It is important to own scrubs and shoes that you can be comfortable in during long clinicals or double nursing shifts. With such a large selection, Scrubs and Beyond allows you to choose what you really want, and not just what is available.