Have you ever wondered how your salary compares to someone of a different ethnicity who has the same level of education and experience as you? How do salaries of nurses living in the West compare to those in the Northeast? Is the increase in salary really worth the time and money involved in earning a PhD? Discussing salaries in the workplace is often considered taboo, and a Google search can only provide you with a general idea of how your salary stacks up in your field. That’s why Minority Nurse reached out to over 3,000 nurses across the country to get the inside scoop for you in our first annual salary survey. In honor of April being National Minority Health Month, our spring issue is also chock-full of the latest health news to equip you with the resources you need to help close existing disparity gaps.
Do you work with children? Would you know how to administer epinephrine to a child suffering from a severe allergic reaction? Because children from underserved groups are particularly vulnerable to food allergies, it’s crucial that nurses working with these young kids learn how to recognize and respond to severe allergic reactions. Pam Chwedyk gives you the know-how to take control in an emergency situation.
Since the completion of the Human Genome Project, we have made a lot of progress in the fields of genetics and genomics. But genetics may not have been part of your curriculum unless you are a recent graduate. All nurses owe it to themselves—and to their patients—to have a basic understanding of genetics so that they can easily identify high-risk patients. Consider becoming a genetic nurse specialist and you can learn firsthand how to help prevent a disease rather than just care for an existing one. Kimberly Bonvissuto highlights the important role genetics will play in patient care going forward.
As this issue went to press, news had just broken out that a baby had been cured of HIV. Learn more about the latest developments in treating HIV/AIDS and help your afflicted patients live longer, fuller lives. Because an AIDS diagnosis is no longer an automatic death sentence, it should come to no surprise that the disease is increasingly common among the elderly. Jeanette Centeno and Archana Pyati investigate the challenges that come along with caring for an aging population.
Administering medications may seem second nature to you, but it often goes hand in hand with a patient’s good (or bad) prognosis. Reverend Steven Wheeler cautions you to switch off the autopilot and worry about more than just the proper dosage. Consider the bigger picture—including the patient’s diet, their other prescribed medications, and how they might interact—to avoid the types of errors Wheeler describes.
Are you burdened with piles of paperwork, but skeptical of technology? Check out Sonya Stinson’s article on the latest developments in health information technology and find out how these tools can help streamline your hospital’s workflow. Not only will they improve the quality of patient care, but they’ll also allow you to spend less time deciphering doctors’ scribblings and more time at the bedside. Now that’s what we call a win-win.
While there is a range in how much nurses earn, nurses reported making more money this year than they earned five years ago. Respondents to the first annual Minority Nurse salary survey reported an overall current median salary of $67,000 and said they had a median salary of $60,000 five years ago. Further, many, though not all, employers also offer benefits, most commonly health insurance and a retirement plan.
However, those values encompass all regions of the United States as well as a variety of specialties and other factors, including ethnicity and education.
For example, respondents living in the West reported the highest median salary, $74,250, while respondents living in the Midwest reported the lowest median salary at $63,000.
To gather all this data, Minority Nurse and Springer Publishing emailed a link to an online survey that asked respondents some 18 questions to characterize their educational backgrounds, main roles as nurses, and employer type, as well as to ascertain their current and past salaries. More than 3,000 nurses responded to this survey, representing every US state and the District of Columbia. The respondents also correspond to a broad swath of the profession, with nurses working in administrative roles or performing research as well as nurses tending to patients at their bedside in the NICU or in a psychiatric clinic.
Breaking the data down reveals some key differences in salary levels.
Median salary also varied by ethnic background. People of white/non-Hispanic backgrounds earned a median $71,119, followed by people of Asian descent making a median $64,000 and African Americans reporting a median $60,500. Hispanic or Latino/Latina nurses reported a median salary of $58,000 and Native American nurses earned a median salary of $60,000. Additionally, people who identified as multiracial reported earning $50,000, as the median.
Education also affected salaries as respondents with higher levels of education reported earning more in income. For instance, nurses with a bachelor’s level degree commanded a median salary of $65,000, while nurses with a master’s level degree said they earned a median salary of $70,000.
In addition, nurses with an advanced practice nursing specialization reported a median salary of $84,000. However, nurses with a medical-surgical specialization said they made a median salary of $55,000.
The good news, nearly all respondents reported earning more than they did just five years ago.
Highlights
23.2% of respondents have a PhD or other doctoral-level degree
43.7% work at a college or university
50.0% have been at their current job for five years or longer
63.2% received a raise within the last year
54.3% left prior job to pursue a better opportunity
45.2% do not expect a raise this year
49.1% are looking to leave their current job in coming years
If you’re like most students, job benefits are a completely foreign concept. Yes, your job as chief burger-flipper may have offered free “food,” and your stint at Mall-Mart may have offered a generous employee discount in exchange for making you work on every major holiday, but those mall job benefits barely scratch the surface of what real employers offer their workers.
Now that you’re preparing for a better future—one that hopefully won’t involve super-sizing anything—you need to understand what benefits employers will dangle under your nose, which employers offer the best deals and how to bargain your way to a more inviting work environment.
Benefit Basics
When interviewing prospective employees at job fairs or during campus recruitment drives, human resource personnel often refer to a “standard benefits package” while painting their place of employment as a worker’s utopia. Unfortunately, no benefits package is ever standard, as you’ll quickly discover once you start comparing one company’s offerings against another’s.
Here’s an explanation of benefits that employers might use to entice you, starting with those most likely to be offered and ending with ones you might have to bring up on your own:
Insurance
As you might expect, health insurance coverage is offered by almost all employers. Not all health care coverage is created equal, however. And note that we didn’t say “free health insurance coverage.” In many cases, the employee will have to pay for at least of portion of the premium through payroll deduction, at least during the first year or so of employment. Premiums have been jumping by double-digit percentages each year, which makes it imperative for employees to become increasingly savvy about what’s covered.
“Most people have become pretty intelligent in terms of retirement packages, but the big difference now will be what your co-pay is, what your deductible is, what your out-of-pocket maximum is and so forth,” says Alex Ogburn, vice president of recruiting for Allied Consulting, Inc. in Irving, Texas. “[Health insurance] can be a tremendous part of any benefits package.”
If you have a spouse and/or dependents that need health insurance from your employer, be sure to find out how much you’ll have to pay out of your own pocket. Medical coverage for a family of four might cost you $600 a month through one employer and less than half that through another. It could be the deciding factor in choosing between job offers.
Liability insurance, which covers legal costs in case you are sued for mistakes on the job, also ranks high among benefits offered. Dental, vision, disability and life insurance are less common.
Vacation, holiday and sick leave
Every company offers some number of vacation days and paid sick leave, but specific figures vary widely, as does a company’s willingness to offer unpaid leave to employees who want to take long summer vacations.
Relocation funds
If you’re moving more than 100 miles for your new job, your employer may pick up the tab, sometimes on moving day itself. “In the past, you had to out-of-pocket that expense and wait to get repaid,” says Trevor Williams, vice president of recruiting for Martin, Fletcher, a retained recruiting firm in Irving, Texas. “Now, 30-40% of the hospitals use direct billing to pay moving expenses for you. You’re taxed on that relocation bonus, but you don’t have to wait to get reimbursed.”
Tuition or loan reimbursement
To get students right out of school, more and more employers are willing to cough up a few thousand dollars per year, generally for two to three years, towards repayment of student loans. “This benefit used to be only for pharmacists,” says Williams, “but now allied health candidates should ask for it every time.” Again, you’re taxed on this benefit, but it’s still better than laying out the funds yourself.
Flex-time
Having the freedom to choose your own hours is a given with many health care-related employers. Perhaps you want to work 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily so you can spend the evenings with your children, or you’d rather work 10 hours daily for four days so that you can enjoy three-day weekends. Ogburn says that some students placed by Allied Consulting have such diverse skills that they work three 12-hour shifts at one full-time job, then pick up two eight-hour shifts as a part-time position. “They still work five days a week, but for 50+ hours,” he says. “For someone right out of school with no attachments, they often think, ‘Why not work more?’”
Savings plans
The standard 401(k) option can be found with many employers, however, the dollar value or percentage of your contribution that the company will match can make a huge difference decades down the road.
Free housing
Some employers are so short-staffed that they want you to start as soon as possible—and they’ll prove it by paying rent on an apartment or placing you in staff housing for 60 to 90 days until you find a place of your own.
Commuting pay
If you live outside a certain radius from the employer, or you’re a CT tech, for example, who’s paged in the middle of the night, your employer might reimburse you for the commute, either directly or by adding hours to your paycheck. Says Ogburn, “That’s not really mainstream yet, but it’s something to look out for.”
Employee support and mentoring
Some facilities offer new employees the chance to work one-on-one with more experienced employees.
Certification bonuses
With each exam you pass, you’re a more valuable asset, both to your current employer and to the market at large. Some companies will reward you with a higher hourly rate (up to $1/hr) to keep you on their team.
Child care/dependent care coverage
Most parents will have to cover child-care expenses on their own because hospitals prefer to avoid the high liability costs associated with on-site child care. A flexible schedule can make it possible for you and your significant other to avoid day-care costs—just get used to communicating with your partner through notes.
Immediate benefits
Not a separate benefit so much as an acceleration of existing ones, Williams says that a number of facilities are forgoing the 90-day wait period before benefits kick in and offering them from the first day of employment.
Not-So-Basic Benefit Plans
Other benefits plans that you might encounter include the “cafeteria” benefit plan and the flexible benefit plan.
The cafeteria plan works as if you were choosing benefit options from a menu: Each employee has a certain amount of money to spend on the benefits that he or she deems most desirable, so one person can choose a pediatric dental plan to cover her four kids while a childless employee might opt for more vacation days and no dental plan at all.
A flexible plan grants an employee even more leeway about how his or her benefit dollars are spent. As in a cafeteria plan, the employer determines an upper limit for each employee, but the employee also has the option of receiving part of the funds in cash. However, cash benefits are taxable, whereas life and health insurance are not, so the “take home” value of these options isn’t always equal.
How Employers Stack Up
Nearly every position in the health care industries is in huge demand, in part because the economic boom of the 1990s drew students away from medical schools and into MBA programs. In a tight labor market, conditions have never been better for medical students entering the work force.
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“Hospitals are a very good environment,” says Donna Broderick, director of the medical laboratory technician program at Harcum College in Bryn Mawr, Pa. “My husband works for Quest Labs, and his benefits aren’t any better or worse [than those available at hospitals].”
As might be expected, for-profit hospitals tend to be the most aggressive with their salary and benefit offers. In addition to including many of the largest health care systems nationwide, for-profit hospitals often have more leeway than non-profit facilities with their budget. As Ogburn points out, to fill vacancies on a temporary basis, a hospital typically must pay twice the normal hourly rate for that worker; an ultrasound temp, for example, might earn $50 per hour, whereas a staff member would earn $25. For-profits can count on the increased funds a permanent worker would bring in to offset the salary expense, but non-profits typically operate on a set annual budget and don’t have such freedom.
Trevor Williams says that a more important consideration than whether a hospital is for-profit or non-profit is where it’s located. “There’s a massive shortage of allied and nursing personnel in the Midwest,” he says. Richard Doolittle, head of the department of medical sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology, says that many students stay with the clinics and hospitals at which they intern during college, which means that those willing to travel cross-country to a more needy environment might receive juicier offers.
Clinics fall next in terms of aggressive benefits packages, says Williams, “largely because of the quality of life they offer a candidate versus call schedules and different types of shifts available elsewhere.”
Government hospitals fall at the bottom of the scale, offering little more than a strong retirement package and, as Tyler Wilkerson, director of research of Allied Consulting, puts it, “every holiday you can think of.” The government retirement package is strong enough, though, that Williams says many people come out of the service and head straight for VA hospitals.
Sounds Good, But…
Just like buying a new car, don’t feel compelled to sign on the dotted line after the first offer. “It’s very rare when an employer makes an offer that it’s a ‘take it or leave it’ offer,” says Steven Rothberg, founder and president of Minneapolis-based CollegeRecruiter.com. “There’s little to no harm, and often great gain, in asking for an increase in salary or better benefits.”
Despite how it might feel when you’re sweating in the interviewee’s chair, you have almost as much power as the HR manager doing the grilling. Once he makes an offer, you’ve been given the green light to start negotiating. He wants you to work there as badly as you do, and now it’s up to the two of you to decide how valuable you really are.
Ideally, you’ve done research ahead of time—either by asking other students about their paychecks, calling other companies in the field, or reviewing sites such as Salary.com—so that you know what kind of salary to expect for this position. Before you blurt out a number, however, make sure you understand exactly what this position entails. You don’t want to accept an offer, and then discover you’re also responsible for driving tissue samples back and forth from lab to hospital. Oh, and picking up the lab coats at the dry cleaners. And….
Even if a salary offer falls in the range you expect, you lose nothing by asking for a bit more. Says Rothberg, “Many employers have more respect for employees who aren’t afraid to ask for what they feel they’re worth.”
If more salary is out of the question—and “hard” benefits such as health care insurance and pension plans are non-negotiable, as they often are—it’s time to switch gears and start pushing for “soft” benefits, which include flex-time, shorter review periods, a better workspace, paid or unpaid leave, sign-on bonuses and even fancy titles. “In many organizations, the managers have discretion over soft benefits,” says Rothberg.
Again, whether your proposals are accepted or brushed aside, you gain from having been bold enough to ask. “They understand that you’re not a pushover, that you have value and won’t blindly accept whatever they offer you,” says Rothberg. “Six to 12 months down the line, when it’s time for a formal review, you’ll enter negotiations with the manager knowing you’re not afraid to ask for more.”
Whatever salary and benefits package you finally agree on, don’t seal the deal with a handshake. Get the offer in writing to avoid arguments months later over whether you can take a week’s leave without pay or race lab carts down the hallway.
Finally, don’t be afraid to turn down an offer and go elsewhere. “Anyone in imaging—X-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound—needs to understand the value they bring to a facility,” says Williams. “Facilities don’t really see the direct benefits of a nurse, but imaging brings revenue into the hospital.” Even if you’re not in imaging, your work will contribute to the value of any organization. Make sure to keep that in mind when you negotiate an offer, and your employer-to-be will have no choice but to do the same.
Whether you’re studying to become an allied health care professional, already working within the field or just thinking about the possibility of a career in health care Diversity: Allied Health Career’s First Annual Salary Report will be an invaluable resource. You can find out how your salary matches up with your peers, or discover what sort of pay you can expect upon graduation. Readers just learning about career options in allied health will be able to find out how much education and experience is required for various professions within the field.
Maybe you’ll discover your employer is more generous than you thought or maybe this report will remind you that it’s about time for your annual review. Whatever the case, in light of the current dearth of health care employees, now is a great time to work in the allied health field. And don’t forget to check back next year who knows what sort of changes will have taken place in the field by then? Maybe next year you’ll be getting paid a Julia Roberts-size paycheck. It’s ok to dream.
While perusing this report, keep in mind that the scope of allied health care occupations is extremely broad, offering plenty of opportunities that require varied levels of education and skill. A quick scan of the job titles and salary ranges on the following pages shows a wide range of salaries, even within one field. The salary estimates include a median base salary and a range below and above the median, which reflects what 50% of the people in that occupation earn. It does not include, however, the extremes such as higher salaries that might be offered at large hospitals in major cities.
Because of high demand and low supply within many allied health occupations a trend that is expected to continue for years to come salaries should continue to increase at rates well above the national average for all workers. Signing bonuses, enhanced benefits and other “perks” are now being offered by many health care employers to entice candidates to hard-to-fill positions. Because needs are so high within some disciplines, stories about “wage wars” between employers are starting to surface.
Compensation competition within the health care industry has not reached the fierce level that the information technology sector experienced in the 1990s, but don’t be surprised if you start hearing some amazing stories about what employers are offering. Just make sure to separate fact from fiction. Making a salary demand to an employer based on unsubstantiated information is never a wise career move.
Due to space limitations, this report is not intended to provide comprehensive salary data on all allied health disciplines. Salary information and job descriptions are based on reports provided by Salary.com. More specific information, such as salaries in certain cities, is available at www.salary.com.
Anesthesia Technician
median: $25,370
range: $22,200 to $29,192
Assists anesthesiologist by setting up equipment and preparing medications. Orders, stocks, tests and maintains anesthesia supplies, medications and equipment. Washes and sterilizes reusable equipment and reports malfunctioning equipment to appropriate personnel. May require an associate’s degree or its equivalent with two to four years of experience in the field or in a related area. May also be required to complete anesthesia technician trainee program. Works under general supervision. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager.
Biomedical Engineering Technician
median: $38,733
range: $35,320 to $42,587
Assembles, maintains and repairs various medical equipment. Tests the functionality of equipment and takes accuracy, sensitivity and selectivity measurements. Assists medical staff in operation of equipment. May require an associate’s degree in biomedical engineering or electronic engineering with two to four years of experience in the field or in a related area. Works under general supervision. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager.
Cardiac Technician
median: $29,306
range: $24,665 to $36,472
Operates heart/lung machines and related laboratory apparatus as well as physiological pressure monitoring systems. Prepares written documentation, as required by the profession and the department, regarding individualized treatment plans, evaluation results and progress reports. May require an associate’s degree or its equivalent with two to four years of experience in the field or in a related area. Also may require completion of a certificate in health technology or scientific instrumentation in electrocardiography. Works under general supervision. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager.
Cardio-Pulmonary Perfusionist
median: $86,935
range: $76,811 to $95,810
Sets up and operates heart/lung machines to take on the functions of patient’s organs while in surgery. Operates equipment to produce bypass, coronary perfusion, recirculation or partial bypass or to alter blood temperature, balance or content. May require an associate’s degree or its equivalent with two to four years of experience in the field or in a related area. In addition, a Certified Clinical Perfusionist (CCP) credential is required. Works under general supervision. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager.
CAT Scan Technologist
median: $43,630
range: $40,450 to $47,331
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Obtains patient history, explains standard procedures and addresses patient concerns. Produces computerized tomographic scanner radiographs of specific areas as required by the departmental procedures. Performs obstetric and gynecological scans, ultrasound techniques and examinations, abdominal scans, retroperitoneal scans and radiation therapy localization. Typically requires a high school diploma, completion of radiologic technology training, American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) registration and two to four years of experience. Works under general supervision. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager.
Certified Respiratory Therapy Technician
median: $34,248
range: $31,547 to $37,310
Assists respiratory therapist in providing respiratory therapy to patients in accordance with professional standards and practices. Performs a variety of tasks involving set-up, operation, cleaning, sterilization and storing of respiratory therapy equipment. Changes nebulizers and humidifiers on nursing wards and resets oxygen flow as directed by physician. Operates sterilizers and aeration chambers, performs cold sterilization methods, and arranges for cleaning and sterilization of respiratory therapy equipment. Requires a high school diploma or its equivalent, completion of national and state certification and two to four years of related experience. Works under general supervision. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager.
Cytogenetic Technologist
median: $41,779
range: $37,189 to $48,524
Performs microscopic analysis for cytogenetic studies on biological specimens from cell cultures. Studies include hematological disorders, fertility problems, chromosome analyses for prenatal diagnosis and congenital birth defects. Responsibilities include slide preparation, photomicroscopy, microscopy, computer image analysis, karyotyping, culturing and harvesting procedures and result reporting. May require a bachelor’s degree and one to three years of experience in the field or in a related area. Works under general supervision. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager.
Dental Hygienist
median: $45,384
range: $38,880 to $52,359
Under the direct supervision of a dentist. Cleans calcareous deposits, accretions, and stains from teeth and beneath margins of gums using dental instruments. Feels lymph nodes under patient’s chin to detect swelling or tenderness that could indicate presence of oral cancer. Feels and visually examines gums for sores and signs of disease. May provide clinical services and health education to improve and maintain oral health of school children. May conduct dental health clinics for community groups to augment services of dentist. May require an associate’s degree or its equivalent and two to four years of experience. Must be licensed as a dental hygienist.
Dental Laboratory Technician
median: $27,914
range: $25,652 to $32,844
Assists dentist in filling prescriptions. Creates molds and impressions to develop individual dental devices. Requires a high school diploma or its equivalent and zero to two years of experience in a related field. Typically reports to supervisor or manager.
Echocardiograph Technician
median: $45,269
range: $40,781 to $50,429
Performs echocardiograms in accordance with established practices and procedures. Provides preliminary diagnostic evaluation and notifies cardiologists of results of examinations. Consults with cardiologist to establish requirements for non-standard examinations and determines technical factors to satisfy requirements. May require an associate’s degree, passing the Echocardiography Registry Exam and two to four years of experience. Works under general supervision. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager.
EKG Technician
median: $25,335
range: $22,062 to $29,831
Performs electrocardiographs according to established policies and procedures. Requires a high school diploma. Must be a graduate of an accredited EKG program with zero to two years of clinical experience. Typically reports to a registered nurse.
Emergency Medical Technician
median: $28,445
range: $23,589 to $35,502
Provides first aid care to patients who are either ill and/or injured. Requires a high school diploma or its equivalent and zero to two years of experience in a related field. May be expected to meet certain state certifications and be CPR certified. Typically reports to supervisor or manager.
Head of Laboratory Services
median: $85,838
range: $75,275 to $95,171
Directs, establishes and plans the overall policies and goals for a hospital’s laboratory services. Requires a master’s degree in a related area and at least 10 years of experience in the field. Generally manages a group of nonexempt and exempt employees. Typically reports to an executive.
Histology Technician
median: $36,914
range: $32,603 to $40,544
Prepares tissue specimens for routine and special procedures to confirm a patient diagnosis. Performs complex histological procedures, records and analyzes data, maintains and repairs instruments. May require an associate’s degree or its equivalent with two to four years of experience in the field or in a related area. Must also be certified as a Histotechnician HT (ASCP). Works under general supervision. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager.
Infection Control Coordinator
median: $54,213
range: $49,683 to $58,834
Monitors and investigates known or suspected sources of infections in order to determine the source and ensure control. Reviews sterilization and disinfection techniques and recommends changes as needed. Provides related education to staff. Prepares simple cultures as needed for environmental and individual studies. May require a bachelor’s degree and at least five years of experience in the field or in a related area. Relies on extensive experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. May lead and direct the work of others. Typically reports to a manager or head of a unit/department.
Laboratory Information Systems Coordinator
median: $50,736
range: $45,117 to $56,999
On a continual basis, develops the scope, the plan and the benefits of projects related to laboratory information systems. Maintains project documentation by formulating and implementing policies and procedures. Maintains and updates the system. May require a bachelor’s degree in area of specialty and two to four years of experience in the field or in a related area. Relies on extensive experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. May lead and direct the work of others. Typically reports to a manager or head of a unit/department.
Laboratory Manager
median: $75,901
range: $64,049 to $89,663
Plans and implements the overall laboratory policies, procedures and services for a unit and/or shift. May require a bachelor’s degree and must be a registered medical technologist with at least seven years of clinical experience in a related field. Generally manages clinical technicians. Typically reports to an executive.
Laboratory Supervisor
median: $42,828
range: $36,018 to $48,590
Organizes and directs the daily activities of the laboratory including supervising personnel, quality assurance and quality control procedures. Typically supervises the first shift. May require an associate’s degree and zero to two years of clinical experience in a related field. May be expected to meet certain state certifications. Typically reports to a manager.
Mammography Technologist
median: $42,254
range: $38,773 to $46,026
Operates x-ray equipment and performs various mammography-related procedures. Responsibilities include preparing and maintaining records and files, cleaning and adjusting equipment as needed. Requires completion of a formal radiologic technology training program in an AMA approved school, certificate in diagnostic mammography and two to four years of experience. Works under general supervision. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager.
Medical Laboratory Technician
median: $31,674
range: $28,361 to $35,649
Performs manual and automated routine blood tests. Prepares specimens for microscope examination. May require an associate’s degree or its equivalent and zero to two years of clinical experience in a related field. Typically reports to supervisor or manager.
Medical Records Director
median: $76,036
range: $67,394 to $85,733
Directs, establishes and plans the overall policies and goals for a medical records department. Requires a bachelor’s degree in a related area with at least seven years of experience in the field. Generally manages a group of exempt and nonexempt employees. Typically reports to an executive.
Medical Technologist – Hematology
median: $42,823
range: $38,876 to $46,350
Performs blood tests and specialized hematologic procedures. May also be expected to study morphology of blood and perform coagulation studies. Requires a bachelor’s degree with at least two to four years of experience. Typically reports to a manager or supervisor.
Medical Technologist – Microbiology
median: $42,859
range: $39,921 to $46,759
Performs a variety of virological, mycological, bacteriological and parasitological tests to provide data on cause and progress of disease. Identifies, isolates and cultivates microorganisms present in body fluids, skin scrapings, exudates, or autopsy and surgical specimens. May require a bachelor’s degree in medical technology, ASCP certification/eligibility, and two to four years of experience in the field or in a related area. Relies on extensive experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. May lead and direct the work of others. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager.
MRI Technologist
median: $46,793
range: $43,012 to $50,975
Operates a magnetic resonance scanner to obtain images used by physicians in the diagnosis and treatments of pathologies. Selects appropriate imaging techniques, operates console and peripheral hardware, enters and monitors patient data, transfers images from disk to magnetic media to produce the transparency and develops film in automatic processor. May require a bachelor’s degree in area of specialty and two to four years of experience in the field or in a related area. Typically requires registration with the ARRT. Works under general supervision. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager.
Nuclear Laboratory Technologist Supervisor
median: $63,247
range: $57,994 to $69,474
Supervises personnel engaged in diagnostic laboratory testing. Performs assigned phases of nuclear research under the guidance of the director of nuclear medicine. May require a bachelor’s degree and at least five years of experience in the field or in a related area. Must also be certified by the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board or registration by the ARRT. Relies on extensive experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. May lead and direct the work of others. Typically reports to a manager or head of a unit/department.
Nuclear Medicine Technician
median: $48,539
range: $43,287 to $53,863
Provides diagnostic aid to physicians by conducting organ or body scans on patients. Administers and records isotope dosage in accordance with established departmental protocol. Observes patient during procedure and reports any abnormal activity. Typically requires a bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Medicine; two to four years of experience; and registration with the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board, the ARRT or the American Society of Clinical Pathology. Works under general supervision. Typically reports to a manager or head of a unit/department.
Nuclear Medicine Technologist
median: $45,189
range: $42,111 to $48,577
Administers and monitors radionuclides to patients to determine presence of radioactive drugs. Requires an associate’s degree with zero to two years of experience in a related field. May be expected to meet certain state certifications. Typically reports to supervisor or manager.
Occupational Therapist
median: $53,376
range: $49,754 to $57,531
Plans and directs a course of occupational therapy to restore motor control. Requires a bachelor’s degree and certification as an occupational therapist with two to four years of clinical experience. Typically reports to a manager or supervisor.
Operating Room Technician
median: $30,061
range: $27,021 to $32,871
Assists surgical team during operative procedures by arranging and inventorying sterile set-up for operation and passing items as needed. Assists in preparing and moving patients and in cleaning the operating theater. Must be a graduate of an accredited School of Surgical Technologists, possess a current ORT certification and have two to four years of experience. Works under general supervision. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager.
Orthopedic Technician
median: $27,755
range: $24,054 to $32,490
Applies and adjusts plaster casts and assembles and attaches orthopedic traction equipment and devices as directed by a physician. Sets up bed traction units or rigs special devices as required. Inspects and adjusts bandages and equipment. Requires a high school diploma or its equivalent, completion of Orthopedic Technician training and certification program and two to four years of related experience. Works under general supervision. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager.
Paramedic
median: $29,271
range: $25,933 to $33,070
Provides emergency first aid to injured or ill patients, applies artificial respiration, administers oxygen in cases of suffocation or asphyxiation, dispenses antiseptic solution to prevent infection, starts and administers intravenous fluids, and assists in lifting patient onto stretcher and into/out of ambulance. Accompanies ambulance driver on calls and may aid physician during emergency situations. Requires a high school diploma or its equivalent, state certification and two to four years of related experience. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager.
Pharmacist
median: $68,215
range: $64,939 to $72,701
Under the direction of a physician, compounds and dispenses prescribed drug. Requires a bachelor’s degree and/or an advanced degree in pharmacy and a license to practice. Typically reports to a manager or supervisor.
Pharmacist – Clinical
median: $73,715
range: $68,746 to $78,757
Conducts drug utilization review studies. Consults with medical practitioners on prescription orders, patient reactions and errors. May require a doctorate in pharmacy or medicine. Must be a registered pharmacist. Typically reports to a manager or supervisor.
Pharmacy Technician
median: $22,279
range: $19,717 to $26,837
Under the direct supervision of a registered pharmacist, compounds and dispenses medical prescriptions. May be expected to perform some clerical duties relating to the department. Requires a high school diploma or its equivalent and zero to three years of clinical experience in a related field. May be expected to meet certain state certifications. Typically reports to supervisor or manager. The salary range for technicians with four or more years of experience is $22,451 to $27,178.
Phlebotomist
median: $21,837
range: $19,956 to $24,106
Draws and collects blood samples from patients, verifies records and prepares specimens for laboratory analysis. Requires a high school diploma and/or certification by a nationally recognized body and zero to three years of related experience. Has knowledge of commonly used concepts, practices and procedures within a particular field. Relies on instructions and pre-established guidelines to perform the functions of the job. Works under immediate supervision. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager.
Physical Therapist
median: $57,494
range: $50,366 to $61,865
Plans and directs a course of physical therapy to restore motor control. Requires a master’s degree and certification as a physical therapist. Typically reports to a manager or supervisor.
Physician Assistant
median: $69,353
range: $65,795 to $75,275
Under the supervision of a medical director, assesses, plans and provides patient care under the authority of a physician’s plan. May diagnose patient illness. Requires a bachelor’s degree with two to four years of clinical experience. Must meet any state requirements pertaining to a physician assistant. Typically reports to a physician.
Prosthetist/Orthotist
median: $54,593
range: $47,926 to $63,489
Designs and fits artificial limbs, braces and appliances for body deformities and disorders by carefully examining affected area for factors that would affect the fitting and/or placement. May specialize in making and fitting artificial limbs and be designated a Prothetist, or may specialize in making and fitting orthopedic braces and be designated an Orthotist. Typically requires a bachelor’s degree, certification by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics, and at least five years of experience in the field or in a related area. Relies on extensive experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager.
Radiation Therapy Technologist
median: $50,985
range: $46,775 to $56,036
Responsibilities include performing radiation therapy, radiographic procedures and operating specialized x-ray equipment. Other duties include keeping treatment records; maintaining, storing and ordering supplies and equipment; and preparing operational reports as needed. Typically requires an associate’s degree or its equivalent, ARRT registry or registry eligibility in radiation therapy technology, and two to four years of experience in the field or in a related area. Works under general supervision. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager.
Radiologic Technologist
median: $40,143
range: $36,486 to $42,510
Arranges patients for radiologic examinations. Produces radiographs (x-rays) to aid in the diagnosis of medical problems. May require an associate’s degree or its equivalent with zero to two years of experience in the field or in a related area. Relies on instructions and pre-established guidelines to perform the functions of the job. Works under immediate supervision. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager.
Renal Dialysis Technician
median: $25,696
range: $22,636 to $30,131
Monitors and operates various machines related to peritoneal dialysis, hemodialysis, plasmaphoresis and drug overdose. Develops and establishes protocols for equipment evaluation and training materials to instruct patients and staff in practices and principles of dialysis. Requires a high school diploma or its equivalent, state certification and two to four years of related experience. Relies on instructions and pre-established guidelines to perform the functions of the job. Works under immediate supervision. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager.
Respiratory Therapist
median: $42,489
range: $38,848 to $46,365
Assists in the diagnosis, treatment and management of patients with pulmonary disorders. May require an associate’s degree or its equivalent and two to four years of experience in the field or in a related area. May be expected to meet certain state certifications and may require CPR certification. Works under general supervision; typically reports to a supervisor or manager.
Surgical Assistant
median: $40,228
range: $28,947 to $53,047
Performs various duties to assist surgeon during surgery: retracts tissues and ties suturing materials, starts intravenous solutions, inserts tubes and performs pap smears. Also collects history and performs physical examinations of patients. Requires a high school diploma or its equivalent, graduation from an accredited physician assistant program and two to four years of related experience. Relies on instructions and pre-established guidelines to perform the functions of the job. Works under immediate supervision. Typically reports to a supervisor.
It doesn’t take a PhD to figure out why the nation’s nursing schools urgently need to develop more faculty members in general and more minority faculty in particular—you just have to do some simple math.
First of all, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)’s most recent survey of instructional and administrative faculty in baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs, the average age of full-time doctorally prepared faculty in 1999-2000 was 50 years. This breaks down into an average age of 49.5 for assistant professors, 52.8 for associate professors and 55.7 for full professors. As today’s baby boomer nurse educators continue to retire at a rapid rate, not enough new faculty are coming in to replace them.
Secondly, despite the ever-growing racial and ethnic diversity of the U.S. population, the vast majority of nursing school faculty is still overwhelmingly white. The AACN survey reports that 91.2% of all full-time nurse educators are Caucasian, while only 5.4% are African American, 1.3% are Hispanic, 1.4% are Asian, 0.4% are Native American and 0.2% are Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Furthermore, of the 8.8% of nursing faculty members who are minorities, just 9.3% are full professors and only 32.4% are tenured.
Clearly, there is a tremendous need for more nursing faculty of color, especially at institutions that are actively trying to attract a more culturally diverse student population. As a result, positions in the field of teaching and academia are becoming an even more attractive career alternative for minority nurses than ever before. Because colleges and universities across the country are fighting over the precious few minority faculty who are out there, these educators can generally have their pick of universities, areas of the country in which to live and fields of study.
A career in education can be both an extremely challenging and highly rewarding experience. How can you tell if becoming a faculty member is right for you? Here’s what some minority nurses who have chosen this career path have to say.
Teaching is Just the Beginning
The first thing to keep in mind about academic careers is that faculty duties involve more than just teaching. Nearly all colleges and universities also require their educators to conduct research and perform service to their school, the nursing profession and the community.
To be successful in academia, nurse educators need to do more than just the basics, believes Cynthia Flynn Capers, RN, PhD, dean of the University of Akron College of Nursing in Akron, Ohio. “You must have a real love and commitment to teaching and learning,” she says.
“Nursing schools expect you to join nursing organizations and attend meetings that will give you a voice in the profession,” continues Capers, who is African American. “And while serving as an officer or committee chair for these organizations is not required, most nursing schools consider it an added plus.”
Nursing faculty are also expected to assist their college or university by joining campus committees, participating on task forces and advising and recruiting students.
Pao-Feng Tsai, RN, PhD, assistant professor in the College of Nursing at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, serves on the department’s research committee. “I can choose from a variety of committees,” she says. “I need to participate at both the college and university levels. In addition, I must attend professional conferences and be a manuscript reviewer. If possible, I also hope to become an officer in a professional association.”
While Tsai spends both time and energy on the service aspect of her faculty position, it occupies far less of her attention than the other two components—teaching and research. “I probably spend a total of one to two weeks a year on service,” she comments.
But for faculty members at some other educational institutions, service is a bigger part of the picture. “Every week, I do some service activity,” explains Betty Chang, FNP, DNSc, FAAN, professor at the UCLA School of Nursing in Los Angeles. “In our faculty, everyone has at least two committee assignments at the university, but I’m a senior faculty member, so I’m on even more committees.”
In addition to committee work at the university, Chang is active on an American Academy of Nursing committee, where she reviews manuscripts. “If you are part of an organization, you cannot help but be involved,” she says.
Even though teaching and research take most of her time, Chang feels her service activities are extremely important as well. Her advice to nurses considering an academic career is: Be prepared to work hard. “I work at my office and at home, seven days a week and many evenings,” she explains. “In the summers when I am not teaching, I am conducting research and publishing the findings.”
On top of all this, faculty members are also expected to do community service, says Capers. “Typical community service includes giving health education seminars, serving on boards and using your expertise to benefit the health of the community.”
“I Just Knew Teaching Was for Me”
Although their career clearly involves a lot of hard work, most nurse educators are passionate about the important impact their work has on the nursing profession. “Teaching is more demanding than I first thought it would be,” states Duck-Hee Kang, RN, PhD, assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, “but it is also more exciting. I get excited when my students get excited. I help them learn to set high goals and always aim for quality work.”
For those students who hope to follow in her footsteps and become educators themselves, “I tell them that being a faculty member is a commitment to the nursing profession,” Kang asserts. “They start learning how to teach by observing teaching styles and volunteering to work with a faculty member. This helps them learn that teaching is more than just what goes on in the classroom—it also includes all the preparation that happens first.
“I just knew teaching was for me,” she adds. “It’s a way to make a contribution to the coming generations by using my experience and helping students learn.”
At Coppin State College School of Nursing in Baltimore, one of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges, Dr. Earlene Merrill, assistant dean of nursing, recently participated in a training session focused on the challenges of teaching students in the 21st century. “We talked about creating an exciting classroom setting to keep students motivated and involved,” she says.
More so than in previous generations, today’s student nurses want to be self-directed and to make their own decisions, Merrill believes. This creates a challenge for faculty members, who must develop a teaching pedagogy that helps students become both self-directed and successful.
“Teaching is much more difficult than it looks,” she points out. “It entails more work than many suspect when they begin.”
Merrill also emphasizes that nurse educators have to know how to maneuver through the academic setting to obtain the resources they need, such as teaching supplies, secretarial help or manageable class sizes. “Sometimes administrators do not understand what educators need,” she says. “I tell my students that in teaching, patience is rule number one and persistence is rule number two.”
What It Takes
In recent years, the health care industry’s severe shortage of hospital nursing staff has also begun to negatively impact the development of future nursing faculty. In some cases, schools of nursing have been forced to put more emphasis on their clinical nursing programs, while academic tracks that prepare students for teaching careers were neglected or even cancelled altogether
Miguel da Cunha, PhD, a professor in the Department of Nursing to Target Populations at the University of Texas School of Nursing in Houston, saw this happen at his institution. “We had three different tracks at the master’s level: administration, teaching and clinical,” he explains. “There has been such a need for clinicians that we cancelled the teaching and administrative tracks for awhile. But now there is a reemergence of interest in education and we are reinstating them.”
When students ask him about becoming a faculty member, da Cunha is encouraging but realistic. “There are not many perks or company cars,” he tells them. “Our perks are what we get back from the students and our own personal satisfaction.”
Da Cunha compares academics’ triple duties of teaching, research and service to a lopsided three-legged stool: In terms of professional recognition, teaching is the short leg. “Research tends to get all the glory,” he maintains.
He has reason to know both sides. Originally in research, he switched to the classroom in the 1970s. Since then, da Cunha has earned three John P. McGovern Outstanding Teaching Awards.
He personally defines outstanding teachers as people who love their profession, are committed to continuously learning and who share their knowledge and techniques in peer review journals. “Teaching and scholarship have to be complementary,” he says.
Advising, too, is a necessary component of a successful academic career, da Cunha adds. “Advising is an important part of teaching—it is mentorship. Teaching is not limited to what you do in the classroom. Advising means guiding students through their education process. I keep in touch with my students throughout their program, advising them on strategies to improve their achievements. That’s part of the joys of teaching. Students keep me rejuvenated.”
Mentoring and advising is particularly important for minority students, who can sometimes feel isolated or slip through the cracks in predominately white nursing schools. Minority professors can serve as empowering role models for students of color, letting them see that they too can become successful nurses, educators and researchers.
The Rigors of Research
Leonie Pallikkathayil, RN, DNS, winner of the University of Kansas Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Professorship, is associate professor at the University of Kansas Medical Center School of Nursing in Kansas City and is extremely active in research. One of her most recent projects was a study funded by the National Institutes of Health on fatigue in healthy individuals.
Pallikkathayil advises master’s-level students who plan to become nurse educators to “do a master’s thesis or a research project,” to prepare them for the research component of a faculty member’s duties. “It’s important to get first-hand experience in the research process,” she says. She also recommends that students work with faculty as research assistants to “get experience in being part of a team and to observe different aspects of research work.”
Being a successful researcher, and therefore a successful nurse educator, requires several key qualities, Pallikkathayil believes: “It takes energy, enthusiasm, imagination, creativity, patience and persistence. Plus, you have to be able to balance the demands of teaching, research, service and practice requirements and still have a life!”” She also stresses the ability to deal with disappointment, because of the amount of rejection that goes along with research. “You won’t get funded each time you apply for a grant,” she explains.
Nursing professors are often quick to recognize a student’s inclination toward research. When Bertha Davis, RN, MS, PhD, FAAN, assistant dean for research at Hampton University’s School of Nursing in Hampton, Va., encounters a student who is a critical thinker and shows curiosity about why and how things happen, she knows he or she would make a great researcher.
“When research-oriented students create care plans or research papers, they are really detailed about rationales and they question information,” says Davis, who is also a professor at the historically black university. “They look for alternative points of view in the clinical setting. When students possess those qualities, I want to see them continue their education.”
Educators such as Davis are eager to develop more minority nurse research professors, because of the enormous need for culturally sensitive research on diseases and health risks that disproportionately affect people of color. “I believe all faculty members should review their notions about cultural appropriateness to help create culturally competent research practices,” Davis states.
However, she cautions, “Just because a faculty member is a minority does not mean that they are sensitive to all people in their culture. There are many subcultures, and we have to learn what research subjects’ specific environments are like.”
Packaging Your Career
Back when Maria Warda, RN, PhD, was a health care administrator, she discovered she had been preparing to move into a career in academia—without even knowing it. Her experiences in a variety of work environments and countries, and the joy she felt in helping new nurses develop themselves professionally, made her want to use this passion to teach nurses in a college or university setting.
“That’s when I decided to return to school for a doctorate,” says Warda, who is now assistant dean of diversity enhancement and academic services at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Nursing. “I believe good faculty members must have a passion for lifelong learning, as well as a real commitment to enhancing the learning experiences of their students.”
Teaching can be particularly rewarding for minority nurses, adds Warda. “Minority nursing faculty members have different perspectives [than majority faculty],” she says. “It’s important for us to bring those perspectives to the classroom and share them with students.”
Faculty Salaries 101
A common objection to careers in academia is that faculty members earn lower salaries than nurses in clinical or administrative positions. But is this perception really true?
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) reports that college and university nursing professors with doctorates earned an average of $68,779 for the 1999-2000 academic year. What’s more, that figure represents an increase of 3.8% from the previous year.
Even on lower rungs of the academic ladder, faculty earnings compare more favorably with clinical nursing salaries than you might think. Here is the AACN’s breakdown of salaries by rank for the academic year 1999-2000:
Professor
$68,779 (With Doctorate) $62,294 (Without Doctorate)
Associate Professor
$56,585 (With Doctorate) $46,734 (Without Doctorate)
Assistant Professor
$48,738 (With Doctorate) $41,870 (Without Doctorate)
