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Nurse Salaries
By an allied health world staff writer
Published: November, 29 2010
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What can be expected in terms of growth in the field of nursing?
Careers in nursing have the benefit of a high degree of job security. With an aging population that will need increased access to health care in the coming decades, and health care reforms designed to increase access to health care for all Americans, the need for well-trained and qualified practitioners is increasing. The US Board of Labor places nursing into one of the highest growth categories, with an anticipated growth rate of 21% by the year 2018. Many nursing programs across the United States are looking for ways to expand the amount of students they can train, both in response to growing interest from students, and in response to financial incentives the government has been sponsoring to encourage increased enrollment in these high-need areas.This means that a student who successfully completes a nursing program can be assured employment in the industry for a long period of time, and salaries that are supported by high demand also tend to be secure and increase over time.
What are the salary expectations for the various levels of nursing?
There are a number of factors that influence the actual salary an individual can expect. Different professional levels of nursing have different income brackets, and then additional factors determine where in each income bracket a particular nurse will land. The following outlines the level of training and average salaries for the most popular nursing jobs:Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse
A licensed practical/vocational nurse (LPN or LVN) requires the least amount of education and training, taking typically only 1-2 years of instruction at the associate's degree level. This makes it appealing to people wanting to earn their way into the workforce
quickly. However, the LPN education is limited to the basics of nursing care. Delivery of some treatments, such as IV's and central lines, is restricted, and in some cases prohibited. An LVN/LPN must always work under the general supervision of a registered nurse (although in some states the RN does not need to be on site at all times), and so the overall contribution of an LPN is somewhat limited by their training and the guidelines set by state nursing boards. The demand for LPN/LVN's continues to grow, however, and the shift of some aspects of medical care from hospitals to freestanding service providers means that variety in the license status of the nursing department is very manageable.
Salary averages for an LVN/LPN across the country are:
- Nationally: $47,000 per year
- New York: $55,000 per year
- San Francisco: $55,000 per year
- Atlanta: $49,000 per year
- Minneapolis: $39,000 per year
Registered Nurse
RN status can be attained through either an associate's degree program, or through a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, and RN's with their bachelor's degree will typically be able to negotiate higher salaries than those with an associate's level degree. RNs are able to provide more types of care and perform more procedures than an LPN/LVN, and do not need to work directly under the supervision of a more senior nurse, although in hospital environments all treatments happen at the direction of the attending physician. RNs cannot prescribe medication, and diagnosing conditions or making complex assessments is deferred to an advanced practice nurse or a doctor.Salary averages for RN's across the country are:
- Nationally: $77,000
- New York: $91,000
- San Francisco: $91,000
- Atlanta: $80,000
- Minneapolis: $64,000
Nurse Practitioners/Advanced Practice Nurses
With the most thorough education, and most advanced training, NPs and APNs are in the highest income brackets for professionals in nursing. Because of the depth of their education and training, NPs and APNs work very independently, are able to complete complex patient assessments and diagnose conditions. They are also able to prescribe medications. In many cases, NPs and APNs are direct care providers and can bill directly to third party payers such as insurance carriers and Medicare or Medicaid.Salary averages for NPs and APNs across the country are:
- Nationally: $97,000
- New York: $115,000
- San Francisco: $115,000
- Atlanta: $101,000
- Minneapolis: $81,000
