NR 439 Week 5 Discussion Samples and Data Collection (graded)

Sample Answer

Urban RNs have higher levels of education compared to rural RNs. Urban 46.6% have a bachelor’s, 11.4% a master’s or doctoral degree. Rural 33.9% and 6.8%, respectively.

I found it interesting that rural nurses have less education than urban nurses. I wondered if maybe the requirements for the hospitals are different. The hospitals in urban areas are usually a higher level of care than those in rural areas. In my rural hospital, We have 256 beds compared to the 886 beds that the nearest big city has. There would more money for the hospital in the city because of the number of patients who require inpatient services. I wonder if all of this would give the hospitals in the city more funding to be able to offer their nurses better compensation for continuing their education.

You were right on the mark when you said “On one hand, it has been great shortages of RNs in work force, but on the other hand, there is not enough school for people who has interest becoming a nurse to get nursing education due to teaching staff storage”. This is so true, especially in my area. The local nursing schools are starving for instructors. The program I completed just lost 50% of their nursing staff and is on the verge of having a big problem and possibly cutting their class size in half. The need is there for sure, but the money unfortunately is not.

Therefore, the nurses are better off working as bedside nurses or going forward for their NP to make a good hourly wage. As an RN in my hospital, a nurse starting out would make $30, at the local college they would start out making $25- $26 an hour as an experienced nurse. Nursing is not all about money, but to pay off student debt and live comfortably it is a necessary part of life. Good job on your post.

• American Nurses Association. (2014). Fast facts The nursing workforce 2014 Growth, Salaries, Education, Demographics & Trends. https //www.nursingworld.org/globalassets/practiceandpolicy/workforce/fastfacts_nsgjobgrowth-salaries_updated8-25-15.pdf (Links to an external site.)