A Comparison of Salary-Wage and Hourly-Wage Acute Care Nursing Units. (May 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hickey, Rosa G.; Buchko, Barbara L.; Coe, Paula F.; Woods, Anne B.
• Is Part Of: Journal of nursing administration. Volume 45:issue 5(2015)
• Publication Date: 2015-05
• Subjects: Nursing services -- Administration -- Periodicals; 610.7305
• DOI: 10.1097/NNA.0000000000000194
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0002-0443

Abstract

<abstract> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec> <title>OBJECTIVE:</title> <p>This pilot study examined differences in RN perception of the professional practice environment and financial indicators between salary-wage and hourly-wage compensation models.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>BACKGROUND:</title> <p>There is a dearth of current information regarding use of salary-wage models for compensation for direct care nurses.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>METHODS:</title> <p>A descriptive, comparative design was used to examine the Revised Professional Practice Environment Scale (RPPE) and financial indicators of nurses in a nonprofit healthcare system over a 6-month period.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>RESULTS:</title> <p>Mean scores on the RPPE were significantly lower for hourly-wage RNs, and the hourly-wage model resulted in a 1.2% additional cost for overtime hours compared with the fixed cost of the salary-wage model.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>CONCLUSIONS:</title> <p>Nurses in an hourly-wage unit reported a significantly lower perception of the clinical practice environment than did their peers in a salary-wage unit, indicating that professional practice perceptions in a salary-wage unit may provide a more effective professional practice environment. Financial analysis resulted in a budget-neutral impact.</p> </sec> </abstract>