Despite reporting relative satisfaction with their salaries, many nurses would still pursue a different line of work if they could, a new survey shows.
Fifty-three percent of registered nurses were satisfied with their compensation, which averaged out to $69,000 for those working in long-term care settings, according to the Medscape Nurse Salary Report 2015. The report, released in November, found licensed practical nurses had a 43% satisfaction rate with their average $46,000 annual salary.
Of the more than 8,200 nurses surveyed, 56% of RNs said they would choose to go into nursing if they got a career “do-over,” compared to 48% of LPNs who said they would. Just 21% of LTC nurses said they would choose to work in the same care setting again.
Twenty-six percent of nurses surveyed said their relationships with patients are the most rewarding part of the job.
“We hope this survey will begin to foster dialogue about the reasons for nursing dissatisfaction and burnout and spur changes where needed,” Susan Yox, director of editorial content for Medscape, told Reuters.
One factor of burnout, routinely working overtime, was reported by 26% of nurses practicing in long-term care settings.
“We all know [long-term care] is a setting requiring lots of hard work, for lower pay, and regular overtime for many. Not a good combination to get nurses to choose this setting,” Yox told McKnight’s.
From the January 01, 2016 Issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News
