Becker's Clinical Quality & Infection Control

21 NURSING SPOTLIGHT The state of nurse pay, work-life balance By Mariah Taylor P ay has increased for some nurses, and the same can be said for the number of nurses seeking a higher degree or additional certification — but workplace violence also is on the rise, a Nurse.org report found. e "2024 Nurse Salary and Work-Life Report" surveyed 3,662 nurses between Sept. 13 and Oct. 13. Here are eight key findings: 1. e registered nurse median salary increased 2.6%, but the median APRN salary dropped 4.4%. 2. e median salary was $80,000 for registered nurses, $58,000 for licensed practical nurses and $117,000 for advanced practice registered nurses. 3. Among nurses across all licensures, 37% said they planned to pursue a higher degree and 40% of nurses who earned certifications said it resulted in a salary increase. 4. e gender pay gap narrowed slightly; it stands at $6,000 between male and female registered nurses, compared to a $14,000 gap in 2022. 5. Nurses ages 18-34 are more likely to report experiencing burnout, ethical dilemmas and moral injury and compassion fatigue. 6. About 17% of nurses said their work has negatively affected their mental health. 7. About 22% of nurses said their organization experiences weekly or monthly instances of workplace violence. 8. Sixty-four percent of nurses said they had experienced verbal abuse from a patient or patient's family, 23% said they experienced physical assault of abuse from patients or patient families and 31% said they had experienced verbal abuse from a colleague. n Health systems lean into nurse self-scheduling By Mackenzie Bean S ome hospitals and health systems are embracing self- scheduling options for nurses and other team members in a bid to attract and retain younger workers. A recent survey suggests the strategy could also bring back nurses who've retired or left the field. About 66% of nurses reported being satisfied with their employers' flexible schedule options, according to a March 28 poll from the American Nurses Foundation. Nurses of all tenures identified self-scheduling as the most important flexible scheduling option to them. The highest desire for self-scheduling came from new nurses (41%). When asked what would make retired nurses return to clinical nursing, the ability to make their own schedule was also the No. 1 answer. Mountain View, Calif.-based El Camino Health offers nurse self-scheduling as a key strategy to foster a positive practice environment for nurses and decrease turnover. "Our staffing and scheduling processes promote efficiency while meeting the needs of our staff, which is also essential for retention," Dan Woods, the system's CEO, told Becker's in July. "While self-scheduling helps staff have more control, we also have guide rails in place to ensure there is no self-scheduled overtime or other premium pay." Edison, N.J.-based Hackensack Meridian Health is also piloting an employee self-scheduling initiative in its cath labs. Team members develop their own work schedule for a week, which their manager then reviews and approves. So far, team members' response to the pilot has been highly positive, according to Hilary Nierenberg, the system's director of cardiovascular care transformation services in its North region. n What new, tenured nurses want from their employers By Paige Twenter N ovice nurses are more likely than more tenured co-workers to want self-scheduling and flexible shifts, but experienced nurses are more in favor of hybrid and fully remote work. The American Nurses Foundation surveyed nearly 6,000 nurses about their generational perspectives, which ranged from baby boomers (60 to 78 years old) to Gen Z (up to 27). The foundation released the results March 28. At least 66% of nurses, regardless of tenure length, said they were satisfied with the flexible schedule options available to them. When asked about which schedule options they want, 41% of new nurses said they want self-scheduling, and 25% of mid-tenure and 18% of experienced nurses said the same. Although 45% of new nurses say they're somewhat eyeing the exit, 75% of those nurses said they often or always enjoy working with more tenured nurses, and 70% of them feel supported. Tenured nurses indicated the same, with more than 75% replying that they enjoy working with their less experienced co-workers. One in 5 nurses said they are likely to or definitely will leave their position within the next six months, but among the 1,663 workers who said they could consider delaying their retirement, popular incentives to retain them were the ability to set their schedules, reduce overall hours, and an increase in benefits and financial support. n

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