Nurses' Salaries: Salary Expectations in Nursing

A career in nursing is a popular choice for people looking to help others because it combines personal interaction with constant problem solving. Most often, nurses need to have completed a two-year associate degree or a four-year Bachelor of Science degree. In addition, most nurses need to take the NCLEX-RN to become licensed in the field.
 
Although nurses are in demand, there is a shortage of people willing to take the job. Consequently, many programs are offering incentives to entice people to join the field. These incentives come in the form of bonuses, day care and tuition reimbursement.
 

Types of Nurses

Depending on your interests and education, you can specialize in a number of nursing fields. Some different types of nurses include:

Nursing and Further Education

Additional education is typically beneficial if you are looking for a career in nursing. The U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 national salary survey reported that licensed practical nurses (LPN) make $15,000 less than registered nurses (RN). This could add up to $225,000 over 15 years if an LPN advances to the position of RN by taking one year to complete an online certification program.

Nurse Salary

The expected salary for a nurse can vary due to many different factors, including where you choose to work. More nursing jobs tend to be concentrated in bigger cities. In fact, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago are the top three cities that current employ the most nurses in the U.S.
 
Common complaints of working in a bigger city are longer hours, more patients and more stress. In contrast, smaller cities and hospitals may have fewer patients, less stress and more flexible hours. However, smaller cities and hospitals may also have a smaller budget, meaning that they typically offer less pay and fewer benefits.
 
Other factors that affect a nurse's salary are:
  • level of education (More advanced degrees will help nurses earn more money.)
  • specialty
  • type of work
  • years of experience in a chosen field.

Anesthesiology Nurses

An anesthesiology nurse helps prepare and administer anesthetics to patients. While entry-level anesthesiology nurses must have a detailed knowledge of medical standards, more advanced positions that pay higher salaries will require nurses to earn a certification as a Registered Nurse Anesthetist.
 
For those who pursue a career in nurse anesthesia, salary wages in the U.S. are about $112,398.

Registered Nurses

A registered nurse salary is much less than the salary of an anesthesiology nurse. In the U.S., the median salary for a registered nurse is about $60,000.
 
The duties for a registered nurse include:
  • administering various tests
  • assisting doctors during exams and procedures on patients
  • communicating with families about patients' conditions
  • giving medicine to patients.

Nurse Practitioners

The duties of a nurse practitioner vary slightly from those of a registered nurse. Some of the things a nurse practitioner is responsible for are:
  • examining and treating patients.
  • facilitating illness and injury prevention
  • helping to diagnose, treat and aid in recovery.
A nurse practitioner salary has a median of $79,176.

Pediatric Nurses

Pediatric nurses have many of the same duties as registered nurses, with a specialty in infant, child and adolescent care. Because caring for children is the focus, the duties and education requirements involved in becoming a pediatric nurse are often extensive.
 
The median pediatric nurse salary is $56,968.
 
Regardless of salary numbers, many people go into the nursing profession as the personal, emotional and ethical rewards often outweigh the monetary gain.
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