To ask band 5 nurses (at lower end of pay scale) how much you earn?

[Llbarls81]

I've just done a calculation as I'm due to qualify in September and I'm shocked at how little the pay is!! I've just worked out that a band 5 entry level nurse takes home around £1400 a month?? Surely this isn't right?

Even worse, not every.sorry

Add message | Report | Message poster MardyBra Thu 14-May-15 17:01:57
Why is this in Aibu?

Because it was originally asking if people would mind sharing their salary.

I just want to say how much I appreciate what nurses do, and if it were me I'd pay you all double.

My DP had an amazing nurse after his cancer surgery, it wasn't only the care she gave him but the fact she had to think on her feet when his after-surgery care went wrong. She came up with an amazing wound care regime due to her constantly checking on latest research, which made his recover 100 times quicker. That deserves a bloody medal

I'll leave the NHS if enhancements are cut. I'm not working Christmas day and nights and weekends for no extra money. Yes it's a caring profession but you can't live on fresh air and attitudes such as the poster above where being a martyr is seen as a pre requisite make me furious. We do a hard, stressful, professional, caring job, we should damn well be paid accordingly.

Good point re stress and sickness rates for contracted staff. This leads to the employment of agency staff to cover at astronomical rates, not great budget management.

Add message | Report | Message poster Wheretheresawill1 Thu 14-May-15 17:39:14
We have a high turnover of staff- how is that cost effective or good for patient care

It's grim all round, isn't it? Crap for staff morale too.

Sounds usual for public sector. Teachers start on roughly the same . When I started teaching 5 years ago I took home about 1200 a month. I think as newly qualified you get shocked by all the tax and pensions etc that come out

The wages sound quite decent to me - I'm in a professional role and don't get much more than that and often work on my days off.

But google the responsibility of being a nurse is massive. It's not comparable to other newly qualified roles at all IMO.

For example the difference between doing something or omitting to do something can result in harm or worse still death. I used to be worried sick for the first couple of years after qualifying when I got home from work. Had I acted quick enough? Had I done all the tasks I needed to? Have I given enough care whilst being stretched to capacity often with an unclear mind due to not getting breaks/food/drink.
It's a massive responsibility nursing it's far more than just mopping a fevered brow and holding a hand here and there.

The wages sound quite decent to me - I'm in a professional role and don't get much more than that and often work on my days off.

Sounds a reasonable salary for a newly qualified professional. I thought nurses got much lower pay by the amount of news coverage the subject gets.

Nobody says nurses should live on fresh air but 21,700 per year is a GOOD starting salary, it's inkeeping with many graduate salaries these days (I don't even think first year doctors get more than this, and they have longer hours and more responsibility). And you can bump it up with bank shifts. The majority of (often well qualified) people survive on this perfectly adequately.

And after not very long you can easily earn an average salary, and above.

Nobody says nurses should live on fresh air but 21,700 per year is a GOOD starting salary, it's inkeeping with many graduate salaries these days (I don't even think first year doctors get more than this, and they have longer hours and more responsibility). And you can bump it up with bank shifts. The majority of (often well qualified) people survive on this perfectly adequately.

And after not very long you can easily earn an average salary, and above.

I can't quite believe how little nurses get paid and this is one of the reasons why I decided against doing my training. My dh works in manufacturing, at the minute I wouldn't say he's qualified in much yet he brings home £1600/1700 a month for working 8 hour week days. I couldn't put myself through three years of training to come home earning less than this, it just wouldn't be worth it.

No. Live on the fairly decent salary we get and stop whinging

Where's the OP?

you are quite blatantly not in the profession if you think £1400 a month is enough money for the responsibility that comes with this role... also the >£17 a month for Union and £120 per year to just be on the register! But don't worry... The 5 meals we miss because you don't get a break should help keep the food costs down! And the weekend work so you don't have to pay for activities with your kids, Christmas dinner, there's a saving! The tears, stress and exhaustion... Well that's free. But... We love our jobs and will strive to do our best each and absolutely everyday. Good luck with you last modules OP. Despite the pay and the ups and downs you will love it xxx

Doctor starting salary is 22,600, so only a difference of 1k between a doctor and nurse starting.

I really think that's pretty decent!

It doesn't seem a huge amount but I don't think new teachers start on a huge amount more. I'm surprised too that you didn't check up on this before choosing a career in nursing. I thought they were meant to be a lot better paid these days. Maybe that's for more senior positions.

Haha so should I worry thinks we were working for free but lucky for us we work above minimum wage although I think you'll find it's not much above minimum wage and is a skilled professional role. I also reiterate that when I tell people about my job most say they would not want to do it

Aye, it's not a race to the bottom. . Junior Dr's starting salaries are horrendous too.

I think some of the attitudes on here make me want to leave even more. I see people who get so badly injured by patients they can no longer work. I see people physically and mentally burnt out. I see people working 13hrs with no break and daily staff shortages.... I have had much easier jobs but I wanted to help people. Why should I have to work bank shifts in order to pay for things like car maintenance. I can't afford a house and at 40 that's sad. Even worse nobody respects the profession and we get treated like crap
I certainly am the poor relation amongst my friendship group of professionals
The Dr salary massively increases when they get to reg level

And that £22k is only for 1 year. The Dr salary progresses at a much faster rate than that of a nurse. One year later Dr's pay scale is over £28k, a nurse would move up 1 rung of the band increment and add an extra few hundred quid.

So how does being paid more relate to how well you cope with the level of responsibility? You still have to make quick assessments, quick decisions and act safely and appropriately. Can anyone explain how extra pay will improve your ability to do that?
And for those sneering about living on the love of patients alone, I'd go as far as to say that your attitudes demonstrate everything that is so wrong with nursing today.