Pay and the BVNA survey

RE: Pay and the BVNA survey

enigmaticat-uk — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 18:32:35 GMT

1. NO I would NOT work for minimum wage. If I was going to work for minimum wage then I'd work in a less stressful environment than veterinary. (If that was all I was getting I'd probably set up a cat-sitting business instead)

2. I think the survey is probably reasonably accurate overall but I think the regions are too broad. For example someone working in large busy practice in a city will likely earn more than someone 100 miles away in a small rural practice but still may be within the same region. So using data for a particular region may only have limited value.

RE: Pay and the BVNA survey

Sal the 1st — Sun, 14 Jun 2015 09:43:39 GMT

I have read the other thread - now you know that your employers are not going to budge your choices are to move yourself (which you have stated you do not want to do) or accept what you are given and stay where you are.

I know there is no harm in asking for more but if you dont get it and you carry on working somewhere you are not happy because of the wage then further along the line you become bitter and your work suffers until you end up with poor job satisfaction and poor wage.

These wage surveys don't mean too much - as Steph says they are dependent on the wage of the person filling them in. I used to fill them in when they first came out - but quickly realised that they are not really representative for most of us (they are also being used by some employers to 'cap' wages - ie they look at the region and what is the average wage and they take that average as the 'top of the tree' wage and scale everybody else down accordingly).

Do your own survey among nurses in nearby practices and you might find that yes they could all be hovering around the minimum wage mark, and the ones being paid more may be at the practices in your area which have to pay more maybe because of a high staff turnover.

So in a nutshell what I am saying is take the results of these surveys with a very large pinch of salt, do your own research and weigh up which is the most important to you - the wage or the job satisfaction. I know job satisfaction doesn't pay the bills so have a go at working out what it is you really need

RE: Pay and the BVNA survey

kerryfeehan — Sat, 13 Jun 2015 21:33:38 GMT

After the intense training I have completed to become an RVN I would not accept working for minimum wage! Even places like LIDL pay cashiers more than minimum wage! I am on £8 an hour and based in the midlands. I still feel that I am not on an appropriate wage.

RE: Pay and the BVNA survey

Steph Worsley — Sat, 13 Jun 2015 18:55:59 GMT

The survey is as accurate as it can be, by this I mean it all depends on RVN's filling in the survey...obviously if there is a greater number of RVN's completing the survey from higher paid jobs (such as London weighted or referral practices) than the number of RVN's in "normal" practice in a low paid position then obviously the mean is going to be higher than vice versa.

RE: Pay and the BVNA survey

Nicola Smith — Sat, 13 Jun 2015 14:53:29 GMT

What area of the country are you? Definitely sounds like time to move on to me if thats the attitude!!