Originally Posted by Jsmth321

The lowest range is 18/hr. I made sure to check the union website to check out the pay scale.

Luckily wage wise most healthcare workers work for a health authority, and the province negotiates the wages with the work groups.

There are some private entities providing some health support workers, but they cater to home care mostly.

Upside to having government funded healthcare, wages haven't been depleted in the lower level support workers categories, and nowhere near the level seen in the US.

My mom did home healthcare in California after she could no longer be a paramedic after cancer, and she made 8 to 9 per hour, she eventually left and went into a hotel since it paid more.

Support workers don't make super wages, but for the training needed the pay is good. 18 is the lowest starting, top off is mid 20's, 23 ish if I recall correctly. Per hour wages.

I thought about psychiatric nursing as well (different then registered nursing) as its one of the few health programs not requiring high levels of math as their pay is quite nice 30 to 43 per hour, but I am thinking for me, short term might be better for training, and then decide later on if I want to move up into more training.

We are one of the few places in North America where psychiatric nursing is its own specialty and license, and totally different training then a RN would get.

Originally Posted by Uncle_Bob

Looking down on or taking the piss out of someone because of their high income or high intelligence is socially acceptable.

Originally Posted by Jsmth321

I thought about psychiatric nursing as well (different then registered nursing) as its one of the few health programs not requiring high levels of math as their pay is quite nice 30 to 43 per hour, but I am thinking for me, short term might be better for training, and then decide later on if I want to move up into more training.

We are one of the few places in North America where psychiatric nursing is its own specialty and license, and totally different training then a RN would get.

Originally Posted by Michael

Make sure you know what the job encompasses so that you won't decide to quit after a short time. Near the bottom of my list of things I'd want to do is help some 90 year old guy or woman take a bath, put a bedpan under someone's butt, or take someone's temperature the hard way. In fact I wouldn't want to be a doctor because of some of the things they have to do with their fingers. You'll also notice that the doctor usually leaves the room when someone puts on a gown. I doubt that is because of modesty but probably the doctor has seen enough ugly bodies.

I have a niece that became a dental hygienist but after 6 months, she quit since she didn't like constantly looking in people mouths. In fact during the last visit to my dentist, he told me he felt sorry for his dental hygienist since it was the same repetition day after day but every time I see her, she has a smile on her face.

Originally Posted by AmerLisa

It definitely isn't someone's cup of tea, but since this is a minimum wage thread I'd like to point out that these jobs are pretty close to minimum wage, I would imagine and are much needed. The people that helped take care of my grandmother when she lived in an assisted living facility, I'm sure didn't make much more than whatever minimum wage is or was in the little town she was living in. It was a small facility and as you can imagine turnover happened a lot, but there were a few that had been there for a while and you could tell the job meant something to them. They enjoyed working with the people that they came in contact with and for those people I'm forever grateful. They made my grandmother feel comfortable and happy in her last days.

Some people enjoy the job they do and it sucks they only get paid minimum wage, especially when they fill a much needed position. Would I pay these people $15 an hour? In a heartbeat!

Originally Posted by jmood

Agreed.
I think the people described above are doing a relatively much more skilled job and one that few can do, compared to say someone serving burgers at Mc Donalds, which almost anyone can do.

Originally Posted by AmerLisa

Some people enjoy the job they do and it sucks they only get paid minimum wage, especially when they fill a much needed position. Would I pay these people $15 an hour? In a heartbeat!

Originally Posted by Boiler

Did you offer?

Originally Posted by AmerLisa

I'm not their employer. But there are many like them and while they may be making slightly above minimum wage, in no way are they making what they are worth.

Originally Posted by AmerLisa

I'm not their employer. But there are many like them and while they may be making slightly above minimum wage, in no way are they making what they are worth.

Originally Posted by Pulaski

Unfortunately in an over-supplied market they are being paid what they're worth. There is no prospect of demand increasing significantly, so reducing supply (of labour) is the only way that is likely to increase the price (of labour) without creating more unemployment.

Originally Posted by civilservant

Which is why there is no way they're earning mimimum wage.

In my facility, a housekeeper starts at $7.75p/h. A CNA (which the above is describing) starts at $11 and a Licensed Practical Nurse starts around $16.

Originally Posted by Jsmth321

Why so low for the practical nurse?

Around here the wage 24 to 27 per hour.

RN's make 31 to 41 per hour.

Psychiatric nurses make 31 to 41 per hour.

Mental Health care worker (one I am maybe gonna do) 18.95 to 22 per hour.

Patient Care Aide (closest we have to a CNA) 22 per hour.

Hospital Porter 20.46 per hour.

Community Health Worker/Homecare 18.95 to 20.72 per hour.

Janitorial has now been largely outsourced to private companies, so they are no longer employed by the health authority directly as have most cafeteria and food service employees. The wage wont be any lower then 10.25 per hour though as that is min. wage.