Mar 28, 2017: NURSE PRACTITIONERS, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS REPORT HIGH LEVELS OF JOB SATISFACTION AS INCOME, DEMAND GROW
Eleven Percent Received Signing Bonuses Averaging $9,000
St. Louis, MO, March 28, 2017– Nurse practitioners and physician assistants are enjoying high levels of job satisfaction in their profession as their value increases in the healthcare workforce, according to a survey recently released by PracticeMatch, a company that provides resources such as job boards, career fairs, and candidate leads to healthcare employers of physicians and advanced practice clinicians.
Only six percent of respondents described themselves as unsatisfied in their careers as PAs and NPs. The majority of participants revealed varying degrees of job satisfaction, including 38 percent of NPs and 44 percent of PAs who are “very satisfied” with their current roles, and about one fourth of total participants are “extremely satisfied.”
The survey of more than 1,000 NPs and PAs also revealed that most clinicians increased their income in 2016 over 2015, with 12 percent of respondents reporting an increase of eight percent or more.
“Our clients have increased their hiring of nurse practitioners and physician assistants in recent years, to the extent that we have expanded our products and services to offer additional support to employers of PAs and NPs, and resources for those clinicians as well,” states Mike York, chief operations officer of PracticeMatch. “We hope that this information helps healthcare employers when planning their staffing strategy for PAs and NPs needed to meet their patient demand.”
Among clinicians who are entered the workforce within the past ten years, a slightly higher proportion (14 percent) of those individuals reported receiving a signing bonus, likely due to having taken a position more recently, as signing bonuses increased in popularity with the growing market demand for NPs and PAs.
“The intensifying competition for NPs and PAs has been well-documented in recent years, and that demand is projected to grow further,” York adds. “A few years ago, signing bonuses were only for physicians, and today, even more employers are offering upfront cash upon signing, to attract top PAs and NPs.”
Additionally, the survey revealed that nearly two-thirds of both groups earn between $75,000-125,000 annually, and about 30 percent reported earning $101,000-125,000 in 2016. The average (mean) annual salary reported by NPs was $106,500 and the average reported by PAs was $111,500. Hospital-based clinicians reported the highest average annual salary, at $125,200, over those clinicians who work as contractors or in private group practices. Reported median salary across the board for NPs and PAs in all settings and experience levels was $100,000 annually.
About the Survey: The survey was conducted by M3 Global Research in February 2017, on behalf of PracticeMatch. Sample size was 1,090 respondents among Nurse Practitioner (532) and Physician Assistant (558) members of the MDLinx panel. M3 Global research maintains the largest physician and healthcare professional panel with over 3 million members across more than 50 countries. Research respondents did not receive an honoraria for their participation.
About PracticeMatch: PracticeMatch provides a variety of valuable resources to match pre-screened clinicians directly with employers nationwide. Founded more than 25 years ago, PracticeMatch is one of the most established companies serving the staffing side of the healthcare industry, and its Pinpoint physician database includes more than 338,000 interviewed physicians. Additional products and services include APMatch.com, a database and job board for NPs and PAs and their employers, as well as 25-30 career fairs hosted annually for physicians and advanced practice clinicians nationwide.
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If you would like more information about this topic, or full-length report, please contact Andrea Clement, Media Relations at 404.990.3614 or email at aclement@usa.m3.com.
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