Even with advanced education, nurse leaders feel frustration when they consider salaries of those outside the health care market. Again, market considerations are substantial. The majority of other certifications respondents reported were clinical, not managerial. When you do the math, it's easy to understand why the profession has difficulty convincing staff nurses to move into entry-level management positions. But the picture gets brighter as one moves higher up the managerial ladder.
Some organizations link management salary increases to patient satisfaction scores.
A number of respondents haven't received a raise in the past 3 to 5 years. In addition to the survey responses, your comments provided important insights. A number of respondents raised the issue of gender as it relates to actual and potential earnings. The data reveal clear correlations, but leave many questions for future investigation. The editors at Nursing Management will continue to watch salary trends over time, especially given the current nursing shortage, ongoing service consolidation, and the ever-increasing scope and complexity of nursing leadership roles.