NURSING SALARIES AND PRACTICE PATTERNS - A NATIONWIDE EVALUATION BY THE ONCOLOGY-NURSING-SOCIETY

This article summarizes the results of a national survey of salary, st affing, and professional practice patterns in oncology nursing conduct ed by the Oncology Nursing Society. The respondents represent a wide g eographic distribution, and data were analyzed in the aggregate, as we ll as by American Hospital Association (AHA) regions, to allow for pre dictions of regional as well as national trends. This article reports on national and regional trends in salaries for entry-level and experi enced practitioners; salary patterns for agency and float pool nurses; and the methods for awarding salary increases to nursing personnel in the past year. National trends in a variety of personnel practices af fecting oncology nursing (e.g., shifts, self-scheduling, tuition reimb ursement, and certification) are also presented. The data in this stud y come from a broad-based and geographically well-distributed sample t hat allows for meaningful national comparisons.