One of the most hotly debated topics when it comes to nursing issues is the issue of nursing salaries. It’s no secret that nurses are overworked, and in the majority of cases, underpaid. So why has the nursing salary remained the same? Well, there isn’t exactly one particular reason why salary rates remain the same. However, we do know that healthcare professionals are in desperate need of a pay bump. With the nursing turnover rate continuing to rise, underpaid nurses can hurt the quality of care as well as the desire for future generations to pursue nursing. Here are just a few reasons that these hardworking men and women need a nurse salary increase.
The Nurse Salary Increase Issues
Pay Differences
One of the biggest issues with the nurse salary is the wide pay gap. For example, nurses in metropolitan areas like Boston and Los Angeles can make over $70,000 per year. Yet, at the majority of smaller facilities, especially in rural areas, nurses only make half of that. Salaries are set based on region and location, level of experience, and sometimes on the specialty. While these metro salaries may look appealing, it’s also important to keep the cost of living in mind. These metro cities have a higher cost of living, which leaves many nurses in a dire read of a pay raise.
Sticky Stereotypes and History
Another major issue that many nurses face is the simple fact that many still undervalue the role of a nurse. The nursing profession was originally designed specifically for young women. Hospitals took student nurses on and trained them to work as the “handmaidens to physicians.” While this description may have been fine a hundred years ago, today it’s not. It’s ridiculous to not reward the amount of education, training, and time that goes into becoming a registered nurse. We need to ditch our old views of what makes a nurse and update the pay scale accordingly. With a variety of different specialties, nurses can become specialized in a specific field. This adds to their value and surely makes a case for an increase in a nurse salary.
Rigorous Education
It’s widely known that nursing school is one of the most intense post-secondary educational experiences, so surely these graduating nurses should be rewarded for it, shouldn’t they? With balancing school, work, and social life, along with getting some sleep, it’s no surprise that many new nurses feel like they should be rewarded financially for the money spent on tuition. In many hospitals, nurses that come on board with their Associates Degree in Nursing, are given no extra salary bonus if they choose to go on and complete their BSN. The return on investment is zero, so why bother? Return on investment—it applies everywhere, even to nurses.
The Future
Although we can’t predict what nurses can expect in the upcoming years, we do know that if a change isn’t made soon, we could be left with a critical shortage of nurses. Hopefully, a nurse salary increase is on the horizon so we can give these everyday superheroes the financial recognition they deserve.
Let’s Talk
How do you feel about your pay, nurses? Do you think that it’s fair? And what about as a traveler… do you feel like you make more money than you did when you were working a permanent position? Let us know your thoughts on pay for nurses in the comments below!
P.S. Make sure you are getting paid a competitive salary. Watch this video to learn about how travel nurse pay works and how you can make sure you’re earning something comparable to everyone else!
