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Question:

Dear Donna,

I have been a nurse for 36 years and have not regretted my decision to be a nurse for one minute. I want to comment on your recent advice that discussing salaries is unethical. Why? I believe information is power. Hospitals are corporations and they are in the business of making money. Why shouldn’t salaries be openly and freely discussed?

Kathy

Dear Donna replies:

Dear Kathy,

There are several issues here. For starters, what any individual earns, whether you work with that person or not, is a private and personal matter. It has always been considered rude to ask someone what he or she makes and it still is. In some workplaces, such as government entities, salaries for various positions and grade levels are posted, more standardized, and more publicized. However, because many workplaces use a merit raise system, it would not be appropriate to reveal who got what. Also, the salary for some positions in some workplaces is negotiable upon hire, and that info is also confidential.

There is no reason why individuals who don’t work for the same employer can’t exchange salary information if they care to reveal that. But within one place of employment, it is generally considered unethical. That being said, it is helpful and empowering to know what the going average rates are for your particular specialty and type of employer (e.g. hospital vs. clinic) and geographic location. Many specialty professional associations do periodic salary surveys, and you should look into that.

Best wishes, Donna

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Donna Cardillo, RN, MA, well-known career guru, is Nursing Spectrum/NurseWeek’s “Dear Donna” and author of “Your First Year as a Nurse: Making the Transition from Total Novice to Successful Professional” and “The ULTIMATE Career Guide for Nurses: Practical Advice for Thriving at Every Stage of Your Career.” Information about the books is available at www.Nurse.com/CE/7010 and www.Nurse.com/CE/7250, respectively. To ask Donna your question, go to www.Nurse.com/asktheexperts/deardonna. Find a “Dear Donna” seminar near you: Call 800-866-0919 or visit http://events.nursingspectrum.com/Seminar.