Nursing is a fantastic career for many reasons. Not only do nurses get to save lives, brighten people's days, promote health and well-being, they also receive an above average income package.
In saying this, there is a vast difference in the earning potential of a nursing assistant compared to that of a director of nursing.
In Australia housing costs are some of the highest in the world. The cost of living certainly isn't going down, so it makes sense that people are striving for higher incomes to meet the demands of modern life.
For all of these reasons, we've decided to take a look at the average yearly incomes of nursing roles across Australia, to let you know what it takes to earn at least $80k as a nurse in Australia.
Entry-level nursing position average incomes:
- Nursing Assistant: $48,893
- Enrolled Nurse: $59,309
To become a nursing assistant or an enrolled nurse requires a vocational certificate combined with practical experience. The average incomes for these roles are less than that of a registered nurse, a role that requires candidates to hold a bachelor's degree qualification in nursing.
- Registered Nurse: $77,062
While it is possible to earn $80,000+ as a registered nurse, it is the exception rather than the rule. It might involve some serious overtime with multiple night shifts, but don't dismay. The role of registered nurse is a right of passage that can lead to higher paying roles in the future.
Next-level nursing position average incomes:
- Clinical Nurse/Midwife: $86,478
Clinical Nurses are RN's who have gained experience working in a particular area for a number of years. They have usually undertaken additional postgraduate study within their area of expertise.
These additional experiences, combined with the insight that comes with them, affords clinical nurses a higher salary that registered nurses. Clinical nurses also act as a mentor to registered nurses. Additionally, they may take on roles in education, leadership, and activity programs.
A midwife is a registered nurse who has undertaken additional study in midwifery to achieve a registration to the midwifery board of Australia. This licence indicates that they are a registered nurse with midwifery endorsement.
Want to strive for more?
- Nurse Practitioner: $109,413
A nurse practitioner is an experienced registered nurse who has undertaken additional education to enable them to work in an advanced clinical role. If all you are seeing right now are the dollar signs and thinking that sounds great, be prepared.
To qualify for the role of a nurse practitioner in Australia, not only do you need to be an experienced registered nurse, you also need to hold a masters degree in nursing. Depending on whether you opt for full or part-time study, this can take anywhere from 1.5 - 3 years to achieve depending on the institution.
- Nurse Unit Manager: $111,629
Nurse unit managers are experienced registered nurses who have worked their way up the ranks. They've displayed exceptional organisational, administrative and leadership skills.
Their role is to oversee all aspects of operations within a healthcare facility. This can involve supervising and organising staff, overseeing patient care and handling some administrative tasks.
To qualify for a role as a nurse unit manager you need to have extensive clinical experience and administrative experience, combined with additional education or training in both nursing and management fields. Oh, and exceptional communication skills are a must as well as the ability to take leadership of any situation.
- Director of Nursing: $156,855
It is no surprise that the competitive director of nursing roles demand such lucrative incomes. Directors of nursing possess a blend of highly developed administrative skills along with well seasoned nursing credentials.
They usually hold a master's degree in healthcare administration and or a master's in nursing. This is the kind of role that a nurse unit manager might aspire to transition into. Building on all of the responsibilities of the nurse unit manager role, directors of nursing are responsible for additional administrative functions including record keeping and budgeting.
You might notice there is a progression with these roles, each building on and leading into the next.
Of course everyone has different priorities and many nurses are content to work as a registered nurse for their entire nursing careers. Others aspire to reach the top of their field. Whatever you choose Medshop Australia is here to provide you with the tools and equipment you need to reach your goals.
In fact, we are so committed to getting you the equipment you may need we owe you this information: We have discounted the
Welch Allyn Pro 4000 thermometer probe covers. So if you own a Welch Allyn Pro 4000 thermometer, now is the time to stock up.
All information on nurse salaries was obtained from the following resource.
http://healthtimes.com.au/hub/nursing-careers/6/guidance/nc1/what-do-nurses-earn/605/
