We know that the presence of more nurses with bachelor's degrees results in significant improvements in patients' health outcomes ("Bachelor's Degrees Not Only Save Lives, They Save Hospitals Money," In the News, February). However, nurses are poorly compensated for their level of education and contribution to the health care system.

I am an associate's degree nurse pursuing a bachelor of science in nursing. On a daily basis I see the value of higher education as it relates to patient care. Unfortunately, incentives to continue on this academic path are insufficient. Tuition reimbursement provided by the institution for which I work is barely enough to pay for a part-time semester at a city university. Even worse, nurses who work at my institution and complete a bachelor's degree only receive a $1,200 increase in annual salary.

Nyonoweh Marwieh, RN

Jamaica, NY