[NPInfo] NP salary vs RN

[Dena]

The nurse manager on our neuroscience unit hired nurses from the south who
come out and work as many 12-16 hour shifts as they can in a week, fly home
for a week, and then come back for another week, etc. We have three night
shift Neuro ICU nurse who do that-- one from Atlanta, one from Alabama, and
one from South Carolina. They were all agency at first, flying out to work a
week at a time, but decided to become full-time staff members to prevent
being cancelled. They share a cheap 1 bedroom apartment and have different
schedules (like flight attendants used to do)-- and their California
salaries undoubtedly go mighty far back home in the South!! We also have two
travelers working day shift in our NICU and, on any given shift, there will
still be 1-2 agency nurses working.

I pay $1700/mo for a 3 BR 2 BA condo...in Texas I had a similar sized unit
that I rented for $800/mo. Money in CA is like Monopoly money.
Dena Galler

-----Original Message-----
From: npinfo-bounces at nurse.net [mailto:npinfo-bounces at nurse.net] On Behalf
Of Christine Smith
Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 4:09 PM
To: NP Info
Subject: Re: [NPInfo] NP salary vs RN

As Dena mentioned, we both live in Northern California, specifically right 
outside San Francisco. Nurses are paid top dollar here but housing is high. 
My little 1300 square foot house has a mortgage of $2300/month and that is 
low. I bought it last year for $410,000 and people say I got a deal!

And, the RN shortage is very real here, like Dena says. The RNs also have a 
state mandated staffing ratio - never more than 4 patients and they bitch 
about that. The unions back them all the way. The few hospitals that are not

union have to remain competitive to attract nurses so the wages are just as 
high. Nearly every nurse in my ER makes more than I do except for the 
travelers. But, while travelers may make only $35- 40/hour they also get 
housing pay so it is a good deal.  I have no idea why wages are so low for 
Gail's area in So. Cal though I know Northern Ca is higher wages than So. 
Cal. I noticed that San Diego, which to me is heaven, pays less than up 
here.

We have many travelers that do 3 months here, fly home to the East Coast or 
Mid-West for a month of no work and then come back for another 3 months and 
repeat this. We have two travelers that took regular staff positions with 
that kind of schedule promised to them.

Why are you considering your DNP? I dunno', why do I insist on being an NP 
instead of a staff RN? Because we like what we do and it is not all about 
the money. I know I initiated this whole dialogue with my griping about my 
wages, but when it all is said and done, I like NP work better than RN work.

Nonetheless, it still pisses me off that I make less than an RN.

Christine






----- Original Message ----- 
From: <debcfnp at aol.com>
To: <npinfo at nurse.net>
Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 12:10 PM
Subject: [NPInfo] NP salary vs RN


> Dena and Christine, where do you work/live?  If I am reading you both 
> right, Dena, you were making $97,000 per year (47.00 per hour x 2080 hours

> full time) and still underpaid compared to registered nurses in your area.

> And Christine, you were making $114,000 per year (55.00 per hour x 2080 
> fulltime) and you too were still making considerable less than nurses in 
> your area?  IF that is the case I need to relocate and work as an RN 
> again.  For those wages I could sacrifice my Masters degree and autonomy. 
> I would even be willing to wipe butts again.  God knows I wiped my fair 
> share in the past and for a whole lot less.  It is always so discouraging 
> to hear that RNs are making more than NPs, and typically as hospital 
> nurses, they are are also getting far better benefits!
>
> Please tell my why I am considering a DNP???
> Deb
>
> ***************************** 

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