Salary Survey: Volatile industry shapes role of patient education managers
Salary Survey Results-Volatile industry shapes role of patient education managers
Addressing wide range of learners, ensuring patient satisfaction key
Changes within the health care industry as well as society continue to impact the position of patient education manager. Due to increased competition, marketing has become a key focus of administrators. Having proof that an educational program improves a patient's health status is no longer enough; patient education managers must show that patients are satisfied.
"We have to do a good job of patient satisfaction and demonstrate that patients like what we do and if they don't like it we must change it," says Carol Maller, RN, MS, CHES, patient education coordinator at New Mexico Veterans Administration Health Care System in Albuquerque.
Another factor, which impacts the job of a patient education manager, is the wide range of learners that use the health care system. Some enter the health care system with computer printouts of the latest medical findings; yet, others may not read well or speak English. Some have difficulty following self-care instructions. Patient education managers have to help care providers meet the needs of this wide range of learners, often with minimal resources, says Fran London, MS, RN, health education specialist at Phoenix Children's Hospital.
While the demands of the job may be escalating support for the position is not always keeping up. Almost half of all Patient Education Management readers who responded to the 2000 Salary Survey indicated that they had no increase in staff within the last 12 months. About 34% of PEM readers indicated that they had a staffing increase.
Some may have gained staff through mergers, says Mary Szczepanik, MS, BSN, RN, manager of cancer education, support, and outreach for Grant/Riverside Methodist Hospitals in Columbus, OH. "Nonrevenue departments rarely increase their staff. Hospital departments that provide direct clinical patient care are the first priority when scarce human resources are being portioned out at budget time," she explains.
When there is an increase in staff, it is generally because more patient education managers are taking on more roles and functions, says Maller. Often, areas are being combined, such as patient education, wellness and prevention, and staff education.
Salary increases typical
While salary for patient education managers varied widely, the average increase in salary in one year was 1% to 3%, followed by 4% to 6%. Others indicated that they had not had any salary increase. "The increases probably reflect merit increase ranges within organizations rather than differences specific to patient education management positions," says Annette Mercurio, MPH, CHES, director of health education services at City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, CA.
Merit or performance increases generally vary according to the financial health of an organization and other factors such as the need to remain competitive. For example, maximum merit salary increase has varied from year to year at City of Hope from a high of 6% to a low of zero, notes Mercurio.
Rewards or bonuses vary
While more than half of those responding to the survey did not receive an annual or semiannual bonus, 29% indicated that a bonus was extremely important. "The bonus system is rare at the staff level, but does occur in our hospital based on the number of hours worked the previous year," says Szczepanik. The bonus at Grant/Riverside Methodist Hospitals is determined annually based on the operating margin at the end of a fiscal year, she explains.
Every organization is different, says Magdalyn Patyk, MS, RN, advanced practice nurse, patient education at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. "We get a bonus if we meet the particular organizational goals, but not for individual good performances," she explains.
Salary increases are cumulative and bonuses are not. Therefore, a bonus system has less long-term impact on the financial situation of an organization, says London.
One perk for being in patient education is having some freedom to choose one's work schedule. More than 73% of those surveyed found this benefit extremely important. "If you can't expect regular salary improvements and can only anticipate workload increases, any control is welcomed," says London. The perk costs the organization nothing extra, but has the potential to enhance the employee's productivity, quality of life, and loyalty, she adds.
"When balancing family and professional responsibilities is a constant challenge, having some flexibility with one's work schedule makes all the difference in managing multiple demands and promoting quality of life," agrees Mercurio.
Longevity demands flexibility
Readers indicated that most who've been in patient education management positions have been working in the health care field for over 25 years. This is another reason readers indicated the importance of flexible hours, says Szczepanik. "Many are experienced nurses and staff who have already 'served their time' when it comes to working all three shifts and weekends," she explains.
The fact that most patient education managers are experienced enhances their ability to do their job, says London. "To best manage patient education, it helps to have been a direct care practitioner. Knowing firsthand the challenges of teaching patients and families helps managers develop realistic, workable programs," she explains.
Patient education managers often have a nursing background; given that the average age of the nurse in health care today is 40 means that many in the position will have experience. That's good news, says Patyk. It means that they will have been at the patient's bedside, which gives them insight into the needs of the patient, she explains.
Experience builds connections
The value of having a strong health care background and tenure in an organization is that the position of patient education manager requires lots of connections, says Szczepanik. "There is so much 'selling' of patient education that needs to be done; it helps to be credible and already have the trust of individual departments, nursing units, and physicians," she says.
The number of years within the organization is no guarantee of a high salary. Readers' responses indicated that salary varied greatly. Salary is probably based on the responsibility of the patient education manager, his or her ranking in the organizational hierarchy, the size of the organization, and the number of employees supervised. Education, experience, expectations, and salary negotiation skills also play a factor, says London. "The job descriptions and responsibilities are not uniform, so the pay would not be either," she says.
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