Nursing is a very noble and interesting profession. It is easy to assume that everyone knows about the nursing profession. I mean, nurses have ranked as the most trusted profession.
But do you really know who nurses are and what they are capable of or what they earn?
Nurses play significant roles in hospitals, clinics and also do private practices. Nursing job duties include communicating between patients and doctors, caring for patients, administering medicine and supervising nurses’ aides.
In this post I will be writing about the peculiarities of different types of nurses and their salaries so if you have any interest in nursing career you will have deeper knowledge of what you are getting into.
WHAT IS THE AVERAGE SALARY OF NURSES?
The average net salary of nurses generally in Kenya is Ksh 41,000.
GRADES OF NURSES
Nurse Aide – Nursing assistants work in nursing homes, home care, assisted living, Hospice, hospitals, community based long-term care, correctional institutions, and other long-term care settings. Wherever there is a need for personal care, nursing assistants (NA), or nurses’ aides, are there. A nurse aide also offers patients compassion and patience while assisting them with tasks such as dressing, bathing and feeding. They are also called Nursing assistant.
Requirements:
Becoming a nurse’s aide or nursing assistant can provide you with an entry into the medical field. Once you earn a high school diploma, you receive approved, specialized training at the state level. This will enable you to sit for a competency exam.
The average salary of a Nurse Aide in Kenya is Ksh 22,000.
Nurse Anesthetic – A nurse anesthetist is an advanced practice nurse who administers anesthesia for surgery or other medical procedures. Certified registered nurse anesthetists play a crucial role in the success of a variety of medical procedures. They work in collaboration with surgeons, anesthesiologists, dentists, podiatrists, and other professionals to ensure the safe administration of anesthesia. Some of their responsibilities include providing pain management, assisting with stabilization services, and overseeing patient recovery.
Requirements:
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), registered Nursing License, 1-2 years Critical Care / ICU experience, cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better (3.4+ to be competitive), prerequisite Classes, shadow a CRNA for 8-40 hours and document your experience.
Nurse Midwife – A midwife is a trained health professional who helps healthy women during labor, delivery, and after the birth of their babies. Midwives may deliver babies at birthing centers or at home, but most can also deliver babies at a hospital.
Midwives may have different levels of training:
- Certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) are registered nurses who have graduated from an accredited nurse-midwifery education program and have passed a national exam. They can practice in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
- Certified midwives (CMs) are non-nurse midwives who have a bachelor’s degree or higher in a health field, have completed an accredited midwifery education program, and have passed a national exam. Only a few states permit CMs to practice.
- Certified professional midwives (CPMs) are non-nurse midwives who have training and clinical experience in childbirth, including childbirth outside of the hospital, and have passed a national exam. Not all states permit CPMs to practice.
Requirements:
To earn a certified nurse-midwife/certified midwife degree, you must complete a nationally accredited program and then pass the national certification exam. A graduate degree is required for entry into midwifery practice.
Depending on the education you already have, there are a number of options for obtaining your degree. Almost all programs require applicants to hold a bachelor’s degree. Many programs but not all require that you be a registered nurse (RN). If your degree is not in nursing (BA/BS), you will become a certified midwife. If your degree is in nursing (BSN), you will become a certified nurse-midwife. In most cases, registered nurses who don’t have a bachelor’s degree are required to complete a bachelor’s degree before attending a certified nurse-midwife program.
The average salary of a Nurse Midwife in Kenya is Ksh 30,000.
Nurse Tutor – Nurse educators or tutors are registered nurses (RNs) who have obtained advanced nursing degrees that allow them to teach nursing curriculum at colleges and universities, teaching and helping to train the future nurses of the world. They serve as faculty members in both nursing schools and teaching hospitals, transferring their valuable knowledge, experience, and skill sets to their students who will ultimately serve as the next generation of nurses.
Requirements:
Nurse lecturers are responsible for the delivery of both pre- and post-registration teaching in higher education. As well as playing an essential role in planning, developing and evaluating course modules, the position usually includes being a personal tutor to students. There are some professional requirements: you will need to be on an appropriate part of the NMC professional register, and have worked full-time (or the equivalent part-time) in areas where students were gaining practical experience.
A degree-level master’s qualification would also be helpful. If you do not have one, you will be expected to work towards this in post.
The average salary of a Nurse Tutor in Kenya is Ksh 53,000.
Accident/Emergency Nurse – Emergency nursing is a specialty within the field of professional nursing focusing on the care of patients who require prompt medical attention to avoid long-term disability or death. In addition to addressing “true emergencies,” emergency nurses increasingly care for people who are unwilling or unable to get primary medical care elsewhere and come to emergency departments for help.
Requirements:
Emergency nurses are usually registered nurses with specialized training and education. Many supplement their training with certification in specific areas of emergency health care. To become an emergency nurse, a person must earn an associate degree in nursing, a bachelor’s of science degree in nursing or a diploma from a hospital with a nursing program.
Like many occupations, a person with a higher degree has better opportunity for advancement. Emergency nurses continually update their education to maintain knowledge of new procedures.
Chief Registered Nurse – The chief nurse is a registered nurse who supervises the care of all the patients at a health care facility. The chief nurse is the senior nursing management position in an organization and often holds executive titles like chief nursing officer (CNO), chief nurse executive, or vice-president of nursing. They typically report to the CEO or COO.
The chief nurse serves as “the head of the general staff of the hospital” and is obeyed by his/her subordinate nurses. Traditionally, chief nurses were called matrons and wore a dark-blue dress that was usually darker than that of her subordinates.
Requirements:
To become one, you will need to have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Securing a Master’s degree is even better. In addition to a nurse’s skill, most employers take into consideration her clinical experience, specifically the number of years and the different departments in which she has served.
The average salary of a Chief Registered Nurse in Kenya is Ksh 44,000.
Final Words
Nurses are usually belittled but like many occupations, a person with a higher degree has better opportunity for advancement and a better salary range.
A hospital or clinic cannot function without the presence of nurses because that they play a very vital role. They are some of the most sort after people in some countries.
If you have interest in that career field, put your mind to it, be ready to sacrifice your time and resources to be the best at what you do and the sky will only be the starting point for you.
