Nurses dollars

Nurses dollars

A special note to the reader:

These figures as well as speculation and comments may be approximate and reflect the opinion of this writer only. The comparison made here is not intended to suggest anything other than a monetary similarity.

Index

Recent infomation re: money can be found at the MOU page.

Nurses Dollars

Here it is - the bottom line:

Please note: These figures have changed since I learned that nurses received a 1% raise March 31 1999 as part of their old contract, bringing their salary from $22.12 ot $22.34. I had mistakely thought this figure was an error. April 19 1999.

Alberta Nurses top salary = $24.11 / hour.
Alberta Nurses annual salary = $46,966.00 / year.

Ontario Nurses top salary = $28.56 / hour.
Ontario Nurses annual salary = $55,634.00 / year.

British Columbia top salary = $26.08 / hour.
British Columbia anual salary = $50,803.00 / year.

Saskatchewan top salary = $22.34 / hour.
Saskatchewan annual salary = $43,518.00 / year. (effective March 31 1999)

NDP proposed 2% increase for 1999 = $44,388.00 / year.
NDP proposed 2% increase for 2000 = $45,276.00 / year.
NDP proposed 2% increase for 2001 = $46,182.00 / year.

1999 - Sask. NDP proposes to attract and retain nurses for our province by offering:
$2,578.00 less than Alberta
$11,246.00 less than Ontario
$6,415.00 less than British Columbia

2000 - Sask. NDP proposes to attract and retain nurses for our province by offering:
$1,690.00 less than Alberta's 1998 contract.
$10,358.00 less than Ontario's 1998 contract.
$5,527.00 less than British Colunbia's 1998 contract.

2001 - Sask. NDP proposes to attract and retain nurses for our province by offering:
$784.00 less than Alberta's 1998 contract.
$9,452.00 less than Ontario's 1998 contract.
$4,621.00 less than British Colunbia's 1998 contract.

I think these numbers just about tell the whole story. The gov't clearly plans on trying to stay in the sorry position it has placed itself in for at least three more years.

As the nursing situation deteriorates, the Doctors as well as other specialists in the field will continue the exodus from our province that has already begun.

Lets consider the possibility that the nurses union (SUN) is attempting to nurse a sick and infected healthcare system back to health and NOT just trying to line their own pockets!

Index

Original, pre-strike material starts here.

So how much do nurses make?

For this purpose I will speak of a nurse at the top of the scale and make a comparison with a grade school teacher.

At the top of the scale a nurse makes about $44,000.00. This would be just a little less than a grade school teacher at the top of the scale. (To the best of my knowledge.)

This is where the similarity between the teachers job and the nurses job ends.

The teachers get much of the summer off work as well as all stat holidays and week-ends. Nurses work all summer as well as many stat holidays as well as week-ends and nights.

Teachers are paid for education days where they keep abreast of developments and trends in their field. Nurses must constantly upgrade and keep abreast of developments on the job or on their own time and have taken on responsibility for numourous tranfer of function duties previously performed by physicians only!

Teachers park their cars at their schools for free and if they wish to plug in pay a token amount of approximately $1.25 per week. Nurses pay $243.00 per year, each ( not per stall ) and are not allowed to plug in a car warmer even on the coldest days!

Teachers who supervise at lunch time receive pay for their time. Nurses do not get paid for their lunch break even though they are "on call" and frequently miss meals altogether!

Having said all this are nurses under paid?

Are nurses under paid compared to teachers?

Well, the present nursing shortage may give us all a clue as to the answer to these questions. Young people have abandoned the nursing career choice, as have older experianced nurses who are quiting nursing in droves.

Would nurses do the same work for more money?

They might, but not for long if they were continually required to work short-handed and bear the responsibility for patient safety as well.

That's my story and I am stickin' to it.

Index

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The teachers get much of the summer off work as well as all stat holidays and week-ends.	Nurses work all summer as well as many stat holidays as well as week-ends and nights.
Teachers are paid for education days where they keep abreast of developments and trends in their field.	Nurses must constantly upgrade and keep abreast of developments on the job or on their own time and have taken on responsibility for numourous tranfer of function duties previously performed by physicians only!
Teachers park their cars at their schools for free and if they wish to plug in pay a token amount of approximately $1.25 per week.	Nurses pay $243.00 per year, each ( not per stall ) and are not allowed to plug in a car warmer even on the coldest days!
Teachers who supervise at lunch time receive pay for their time.	Nurses do not get paid for their lunch break even though they are "on call" and frequently miss meals altogether!