Influencing Factors

Like many other professions, pay rates for nurses are regulated under the Nurses Award 2010. Meaning there is a minimum wage in which your are entitled to. However, to obtain the best staff, employers are often prepared to pay more than the award rate. In which case there are a number of additional factors that might influence your wage or salary. We examine each of these below, and explore how this might impact you.

1) Location

Location and lifestyle are two big considerations in determining how much money you will make as a nurse. Nurses that work and live outside major Australian metropolitan areas, tend to earn more than those who provide services in more populated communities.

This is because larger cities have a greater abundance of nurses to choose from. With many university graduates originating from, or opting to remain within big cities, nurses who wish to work in rural areas have become more scarce. For this reason, healthcare providers will usually pay a premium for nurses willing to work in more remote locations.

For example, registered nurses in Melbourne, earn 8% less than the national average. While Newcastle, Cairns and Townsville top the charts, with their nurses making an additional 9%.

The point is that location and cost of living factors will help to determine how much money a nurse will make.

2) Experience

The number of years’ experience is the second factor that might influence a nurses salary. Most registered nurses begin their career on a salary between $60,000 – $65,000. The beauty of the Nurse Award 2010, is that your pay will then grow 4-5% every year after that, until you have 8 years’ experience. At which point, all nurses at this stage of the career will be on roughly the same amount. In order for a nurse to grow their earnings further, they must obtain more senior roles, which typically involves upgrading their education.

3) Qualification

There are number of different nursing courses to decide between. Unlike some other professions, the level of qualification you hold as a nurse, can have a direct impact on what you get paid. Being more qualified, allows you to access higher levels of nursing positions. For example, you can become an enrolled nurse with a diploma, a registered nurse after completing a bachelor’s degree and a nurse practitioner with as Masters. Although there are some managerial and administration positions that allow you to increase your earning potential, for the most part the more qualified you are, the greater the responsibility you will hold, and the more you will earn.

At the top end, Nurse Practitioners make at least $105,000 throughout all of Australia. Nursing Unit Managers earn about slightly more than $100,000 each year. While Directors of Nursing are highly paid professionals earning up to $200,000 a year. They make just as much as a doctor or a surgeon.

4) Specialisation

Following on from the above, there are not only a number of levels to being a nurse, but there are also a long list of nursing specialisations. Nurses that work in specialised areas of the medical field will usually earn higher wages and salaries than those in more mainstream positions.

Above AverageAverageBelow Average ICU+7%Community0%Acute Care-1% Operating Room+5%Geriatrics0%Pediatrics-1% Case Management+5%ER0%Aged Care-2% Wound Care+5%Family Practice-4% Oncology+4%Rehabilitation-4% Psychiatric+4% Medical/Surgery+1%

5) Employer and Unions

The healthcare provider you work for, will also have a big impact on your nursing income. Nurses that work in upscale hospitals or private medical facilities will typically earn more money than a nurse that is working at a large public hospital. Third shift nurses tend to make a few dollars more per hour than day shift workers. Naturally as fewer people prefer to work the awkward hours.

Another important consideration is whether to join a nursing union. There are a number of benefits one of which includes them negotiating higher wages on your behalf.

6) Weekends, Public Holiday’s, and Overtime

Lastly, nurses can earn more money by working overtime, on weekends and public holidays. This is a great way for nurses to earn an extra dollar, and you can easily see why it might be appealing.

• Saturday Shifts = +50% on top of your standard rate
• Sunday shifts = +75% on top of your standard rate
• Overtime & Public Holidays = 100% on top of your standard rate (that’s double time!)
• Combinations of the above stack up (i.e. if you work Christmas day and it falls on a Sunday, that would be +175%)

Nursing is a great career choice, with so many opportunities for growth, travel and self-improvement. The average worker will earn a competitive wage and there is plethora of develop opportunities to choose from. Although some might say, nurses don’t get compensated enough, working as a nurse shouldn’t be about the money. It’s about helping others.

For the complete list of Nurse Award 2010 pay rates, click here.

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