eJane

According to a report from Merritt, Hawkins & Associates, one of the nation’s largest recruiting firms, nurses trained in administering anesthesia are regularly offered higher salaries than family physicians. The firm’s review indicates that the average salary offered to recruit family physicians is $172,000, compared to the $185,000 average salary offered to recruit nurses trained in administering anesthesia.

The salaries of family physicians also fell behind other types of doctors. In 2008 the average orthopedic surgeon made $493,000 and the average radiologist earned $401,000, according to the report.

For the report, Merritt, Hawkins reviewed the 3,146 physician search assignments the firm conducted between April of 2007 and March of 2008 while tracking financial and other incentives used to recruit physicians.

The survey also showed that hospitals are hiring physicians at an increasing rate. Almost have of Merritt, Hawkins’ search assignments featured hospital employment - up from 19 percent just three years earlier.

Merritt, Hawkins  notes that physicians today are often overwhelmed by the stress and pressures that come with running their own private practice. As an employee in a hospital setting, they can get away from the business and management side of things and concentrate on providing patient care. In fact, hospitals are so eager for physicians that 74% of the search assignments conducted by Merritt, Hawkins resulted in candidates being offered signing bonuses.

Now, I know this is a blog mainly for travel nurses, but it’s encouraging to see our fellow nurses earning more and more. If there’s such a thing as a trickle-down effect, we’ll all be catching some of that sunshine.