Nursing administration in Russia.

During graduate studies in a nursing administration program, an opportunity presented itself to travel to a rural Russian community of 10,000 to study the healthcare system. The Russian healthcare system has not changed much since the Soviet days. All healthcare facilities are government owned and all healthcare providers are government employees. Basic healthcare provided to citizens is paid for by the government.1,2 Fee-for-service physicians are available in larger cities but at costs that are prohibitive for most Russians. On average, nurses working at the clinics make 4,000 rubles a month, or approximately $148. Hospital nurses are paid more than those working in clinics and home health agencies. Physicians' salaries are only slightly higher than those of nurses, averaging $160 to 180 a month.