Why do RVNs get paid less than reception staff?

RE: Why do RVNs get paid less than reception staff?

Anthony Todd — Sat, 08 Jun 2019 17:41:42 GMT

[quote user="bob lehner"]Yes - some receptionists are clucking brilliant.....[/quote]

And some may potentially decimate a practice, whilst being the second best [unqualified] vet nurse I've ever had!

RE: Why do RVNs get paid less than reception staff?

bob lehner — Sat, 08 Jun 2019 15:12:47 GMT

[quote user="Julian Earl"] Am I right in thinking that the receptionists is arguably the most important person in the practice due to greeting the clients hen[/quote]

Yes - some receptionists are clucking brilliant.....

RE: Why do RVNs get paid less than reception staff?

Julian Earl — Sat, 08 Jun 2019 10:20:47 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]ou are generally paid in relationship to your value to the business ... nothing else. Qualifications in themselves are meaningless.[/quote]

I agreed with you here Gillian. Am I right in thinking that the receptionists is arguably the most important person in the practice due to greeting the clients hen they arrive? First impressions count don't they? Just a thought...!

Also they do tend to multi-task quite well in my experience. They can affect the busy-ness of the business quite markedly? So a good one is valuable. As indeed is a good nurse of course. You get what you pay for perhaps?

RE: Why do RVNs get paid less than reception staff?

Gillian Mostyn — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 20:34:04 GMT

You are generally paid in relationship to your value to the business ... nothing else. Qualifications in themselves are meaningless.

In my experience, great receptionists who greet clients well and can multitask while staying calm and professional are very hard to find. They are worth a good salary.

RE: Why do RVNs get paid less than reception staff?

Anthony Dennison — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 16:42:25 GMT

[quote user="GrooveJet"]whereas receptionists are never expected to restrain animals, monitor anaesthetics or clean cages.[/quote]

Our branch receptionists are expected to restrain animals for blood samples as there is just them and a vet there. They also have their branch to keep clean and maintain. At our main hospitals receptionists are constantly answering the phone, then are in charge of upkeep and cleaning of 'front of house' - waiting room, consult rooms etc.

RE: Why do RVNs get paid less than reception staff?

Bob Russell — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 13:42:44 GMT

RVN's get paid more than Animal Care Assistants (qualified). They are paid more than receptionists that have done the veterinary receptionist qualification. They get more than a receptionist.

Sadly the differential is not as great as I would like but then they all do some of the jobs the others do.

I expect everyone to be able to assist with handling and blood sampling. At a push they can all do basic adjustments of the anaesthetic machines.

A long-standing member of staff able to do some of the bookkeeping and other key tasks would probably be called a senior receptionist or some other title to justify a pay differential!!

I value all members of staff and try to be fair to each of them, taking their 'value' to the practice into account.

We did have a Practice Manager but she valued herself far higher than I did so she left!

RE: Why do RVNs get paid less than reception staff?

Michael Woodhouse — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 13:38:07 GMT

Another thought, what costs has the practice had when training the nurse? If they are older and have already done some further study then the practice may have paid thousands in course fees and dedicated many hours of vet/nurse time in the training. That has to be taken into consideration.

I'm very surprised if anyone is doing this deliberately without a good reason.

RE: Why do RVNs get paid less than reception staff?

Francisco Gomez — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 10:46:01 GMT

[quote user="GrooveJet"]

[quote user="Francisco Gomez"]your job as a vet nurse requires more training and qualification, you will be paid more.[/quote]

... in theory. The surprising thing is that apparently this is NOT actually always the case in practice. The question I'm asking is WHY?

[/quote]

Unfortunately it could also be due to negotiation and how desperate the practice for what you are looking for. For example, imagine a receptionist who is superb with computers, does part of phone calling to recover debt and is super-flexible to cover other receptionists when they call off-sick. But this role doesn't appeal to any othe RVNs. It could be that you offer her/him a salary that is quite high and later on you offer a less bouyant salary to a RVN who does not wish to do anything outside their vet nursing.

RE: Why do RVNs get paid less than reception staff?

Miriam Lodewyks — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 10:12:45 GMT

[quote user="Francisco Gomez"]your job as a vet nurse requires more training and qualification, you will be paid more.[/quote]

... in theory. The surprising thing is that apparently this is NOT actually always the case in practice. The question I'm asking is WHY?

RE: Why do RVNs get paid less than reception staff?

Francisco Gomez — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 10:05:11 GMT

[quote user="GrooveJet"]

I was asking more in a pragmatic sense than a philosophical one.

[/quote]

If, as in my practice, your job as a vet nurse requires more training and qualification, you will be paid more.

If you do have extra responsibilities, those area usually reflected in your salary. No matter what job role you have.

I've got another one. Should a certificate holder in surgery be paid more than a certificate holder in medicine?

RE: Why do RVNs get paid less than reception staff?

Miriam Lodewyks — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 09:57:18 GMT

[quote user="Niall Taylor"]I'd turn that around and ask why they feel they should be paid more than a receptionist? Do they mean always, or just in certain circumstances, or because a receptionist is unlikely to have a specific qualification? Do they think they are underpaid for what they do or only when compared to other members of staff? And lastly, how do they know what the receptionists are being paid anyway?[/quote]

I was asking more in a pragmatic sense than a philosophical one.

The argument I'm hearing is that RVNs are often expected to stand in at reception, whereas receptionists are never expected to restrain animals, monitor anaesthetics or clean cages. Yet in several practices I've worked at the new receptionist starts on a higher wage than the newly qualified RVN.

How they know they're paid less than receptionists? No idea, rumours and innuendo no doubt.

RE: Why do RVNs get paid less than reception staff?

Julie Innes — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 09:07:49 GMT

Mine aren't! Everyone who answers the phone or mans the desk in here has had some sort of veterinary training, we don't really have designated receptionists. So they are paid as nurses/ VCAs according to their qualifications and experience

RE: Why do RVNs get paid less than reception staff?

Francisco Gomez — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 09:04:34 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]

My observation is that receptionists last longer than nurses and that may be a reflection? If our nurse is still here in 30 years I'll make sure she's paid more than the receptionist with a 30 year employment history.

[/quote]

Could it be the other way around? I.e. nurses changing jobs more because of salary dissatisfaction?

RE: Why do RVNs get paid less than reception staff?

Niall Taylor — Sun, 02 Jun 2019 20:11:17 GMT

[quote user="GrooveJet"]Have worked at a couple practices now where RVNs have grumbled they get paid less than receptionists. Just curious if this is generic, and if so, why?[/quote]

I'd turn that around and ask why they feel they should be paid more than a receptionist? Do they mean always, or just in certain circumstances, or because a receptionist is unlikely to have a specific qualification? Do they think they are underpaid for what they do or only when compared to other members of staff? And lastly, how do they know what the receptionists are being paid anyway?

Niall

RE: Why do RVNs get paid less than reception staff?

Michael Woodhouse — Sun, 02 Jun 2019 15:01:54 GMT

Here we have 2 receptionists one is paid more and one less than our RVN. The nurse qualified end of last year. The receptionist paid more has been with the practice over 30 years and has additional responsibilities like Sage and VAT.

I'd never start a receptionist on more than a RVN, but many years of experience have to be rewarded with some kind of incremental pay rise and that is what has happened here.