Registered nurse Salary

Nursing is not usually seen as a high income career choice but this is quickly changing as the demand for nursing is growing rapidly due to an aging population.  According to the latest statistics supplied by the United States Department of Labor and Current Bureau Statistics, registered nurse salary averages a mean hourly rate of $32.56 which means the average annual wage is $64,690.  This is a nice salary to be earning for a non specialized position.

A registered nurse salary starts at around $30,000. This starting wage increases dramatically as a nursing practitioner gains experience and knowledge.  As a starting salary it is fairly competitive with other entry level salaries of similar white collar positions.  It should be noted that while the entry levels are low some of the higher positions such as director of nursing can earn up to $102,000 and Chief Nurse Anesthetist can earn $160,000 or higher with excellent benefits.

There are many factors which can influence how much a nurse will earn during a year.  These are mostly obvious but some may not be straight forward.  The most obvious ones are years of experience, degrees, licenses and certifications of specialist knowledge, and the hours being worked. Other not so obvious factors include geographical location and the state of the economy.

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A registered nurse job roles include many simple as well as complex tasks.  This article examines some of the main tasks which a registered nurse would need to complete in their general duties as part of their job position description.  It should be noted that registered nurses work in a variety of settings and this is just a small subset of all of the job roles and duties someone within the nursing profession would need to complete as part of their job.

One of the most common and generic tasks that a registered nurse will need to complete in their daily duties is to monitor and accurately record and report the vital signs of the patient. Nurses are there to provide medical assistance to the patients when necessary, but their main role is to just keep a watchful eye on the patients and note any changes which may occur and then raise these with a doctor when warranted.  This contact with a doctor may be very soon in the case of blood pressure rising quickly or may be at a later time in the case of a slightly elevated temperature. Continue reading →

Internet Training and degrees are all the rage these days because they offer many advantages over the traditional methods of training. Online Nursing Programs are a specific niche of online training which has gained growing momentum in the last few years as the caliber, proficiency and knowledge of the graduate nurses it produces is as good as or better than those nurses graduating from traditional schooling methods.

A lot of people look to training in courses such as nursing as an extension of their current nursing experience or as a way to gain an accelerated path into a career in nursing. Traditionally colleges and universities have had a limited number of places for nursing degrees and these places usually go to those who can afford the high fees and accommodation costs. This has inhibited many bright students who cannot afford the high fees or feel for their money they should choose a different career path. Online Nursing Programs have reduced the cost of initiating training to become a registered nurse. The fees and charges are often less because there are no infrastructure requirements that the universities need to pay in order to teach someone online. The fees and cost are usually up to forty percent cheaper than the equivalent traditional degree.

One of the problems many people face when trying to change or progress their current careers is time constraints. We live in a busy world which keep people moving and occupied for most of their waking hours. Trying to squeeze in travelling to a university, parking, spending time in lectures and tutorials and then travelling back to work or home is almost impossible for most people. By choosing to do an online degree in nursing the student can choose when they complete the hours required for the course and these may be late at night, early in morning or during their lunch breaks. Online teaching in nursing allows the student the flexibility to learn in their own time and at their own pace. It also allows them to review the content if they do not understand it and reinforce the principles so that they become proficient in nursing.

The online nursing degrees allow for students to accelerate their learning in nursing by allowing them to jump waiting lists for learning. There is usually a far larger number of students that a university can teach through online methods then traditional methods as they do not require any seats.

Online courses in nursing also allow the student nurses to take courses at prestige universities from around the world when normally their geographical location would prohibit it. It is even possible to gain a degree in nursing from an overseas country but you should be wary on the credentials of the university from whom you are taking the course. There are unscrupulous providers of training online whose training may not be recognized within your country. So before signing up to any nursing training you should contact the nursing association in your area to see which online nursing courses they do recognize as valid.

Overall, online nursing programs can help jump start and accelerate your career into nursing with a number of advantages but you need to be wary of the pitfalls of online training programs.