Are you in Nursing for the Caring or the Cash?? Be Honest

Kandee Roses · Jun 20, 2004

I am definitely in it for the caring. The money isn't bad either, but I worked as a CNA for 10 years. You know I love the pay increase. I've always wanted to be a nurse. I went into nursing for the love of taking care of people. It's what motivates me. Some of the people I graduated school with talked about how much this place was giving nurses an hour or that place, but I stayed in the same place I was a CNA for so long. I love that I get to take care of my residents in a different aspect then I did when I was an aide. I feel I am making more of a difference in their lives. I wouldn't be anywhere else on this earth. I feel I am where I am suppose to be.

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Jun 20, 2004

Although i love what i do, and even through the complaining and griping i still wouldnt be doing anything else, i must admit when i first went into nursing it was through job retraining and all i wanted was a job that i wouldnt ever be laid off of again. Been there done that and dont want to do it again.

I learned a lot about myself when I went through the program, got my RN and feel i am a very comassionate and caring nurse. Now I find myself supervising people who were actually my superiors where i used to work. Plant closing and they got axed too. Go figure!

Do i need to throw out the "what goes around comes around" addage, NO. It goes without saying, they are the ones who are uncomfortable about me being their boss now, not that i let that affect my work at all. They are treated just like any other people that work with me on a team. If they work with me, we dont have a problem. If they choose to let it interfere with their work, thats their problem. Just goes to show you, you never know where you'll be in 15 years huh?

kathi yudin · Jun 20, 2004

When I was in school I constantly talked about how I couldn't wait to get a paycheck. Probably because I was totally in debt, driving a 15 year old car, and couldn't afford to do nice things for myself. Having a paycheck is NICE (I bought a brand new car by the way!) but the money in nursing is not THAT great for what we do. Therefore, if people just go into nursing for the money only, they will not last long. But money is necessary to live, and it's nice to get compensated for what we do. It is important-- I like knowing that I have a steady, reliable source of income.

When I was in nursing school, back in the dark ages, there was not a nursing shortage. I was, I believe, part of the generation that wanted to help and truly cared about the patient, and wanted to make a difference. Getting a job was difficult unless one had experience which, we know, you couldn't get, unless someone gave us the opportunity. Salaries were $5-7/hr.!!! Today, a new grad as an LVN at my facility makes $18/hr!!.. a new RN with no experience, over $20/hr.. The exact amount I am unsure of since I have no new RN grads that want to work!! But, that is another article. Nursing, right now, is a very secure job. I am finding, unfortunately, that those going into it for the love of what they do is few and far between. Instead, it is becoming a field of where they can get the most money. Nurses can leave one facility, or acute hospital, with no job, go down the road and get one making more money. This artificially inflates salaries, and makes it more difficult to maintain nurses. So, while I went into nursing for the love of it, and continue to do so, I do not believe that the young men and women entering the field today, have the same reason's for it. My belief is and has been that nursing is not an area one can get rich in, yet, it continues to treat one well. You can leave the field, and come back years later, and make a decent enough salary without having to do much studying to get back into it. I would love to see a change and see nurses that actually have loyalty to where they work, and are in it for a love and desire to help rather then see where they can get the most money.

smk1, LPN · Jun 20, 2004

unless you are volunteering your services free of charge, you are in some way "in it for the money." THere is absolutely nothing wrong with that as long as you do your job and do it well. It is a profession a career a job or whatever you want to call it but the bottom line is that it is a means to support yourself and your family so to some degree we are all in it for financial reasons as are every other person who works and uses a paycheck for themselves.

Destinystar · Jun 20, 2004

do people enter medical school or law school or construction for the money????????you bet they do. our services are just as valuable as the ones i mentioned above and there is nothing wrong with expecting to be paid for what we do. when is the last time an md, attorney, cpa, construction worker, etc. donated their time to you????????? all the time that we donate turns into big profits for those who bought the healthcare facilities to make money. we are not donating our time we are professionals. and the definition of a professional is someone who gets paid.yes i did go to school to do something i love but i also feel that i deserve to get paid for my education and time. if i am going to donate my time to people i really care about i will spend it with those in my life who deserve it the most my children. :)

uk_nurse · Jun 20, 2004

i dont think many nurses are in it for the cash..........pay is dreadful especially here in the UK. It is most definately not easy money i asure you.

Daddoo1 · Jun 20, 2004

Weird how the younger (I call them the me generation) think, isn't it. I am a 47 year old male GPN (graduate practical nurse) waiting to take my NCLEX and I am totally in to the people I am caring for at this time. My residents keep asking me if I am going to leave them when I pass my boards and I keep telling them that I will leave when everyone who is living there that likes me is gone. That makes them all smile. I love taking care of my residents and am frequently getting into trouble with the facility administrater because I tell her when I think something needs to be done to make the residents home better for them.

smk1, LPN · Jun 20, 2004

Weird how the younger (I call them the me generation) think, isn't it. I am a 47 year old male GPN (graduate practical nurse) waiting to take my NCLEX and I am totally in to the people I am caring for at this time. My residents keep asking me if I am going to leave them when I pass my boards and I keep telling them that I will leave when everyone who is living there that likes me is gone. That makes them all smile. I love taking care of my residents and am frequently getting into trouble with the facility administrater because I tell her when I think something needs to be done to make the residents home better for them.

i think it is great that you feel the desire to spend time with your residents and make their home a better place. You are probably an awesome gpn. However unless you are strictly volunteering your time and not being paid for your services, then to some degree you are doing it for the money. There is nothing wrong with this as most people HAVE to make money to live. So the way i look at it is: I have to make money (I'm not an heiress), I might as well find a job helping people because that is something that i care about, so nursing seems like a good fit, flexible hours, decent money to care for my primary responsibilities (kids and family), and i can help people. But you know what if i didn't have to work, i wouldn't. I would probably volunteer my time 1 or 2 days per week in different areas one of which may be a nursing facility, but i sure wouldn't spend 40-50 hours a week exhausting myself there for free. I would rather spend the bulk of my time with my family, to some i guess that makes me a mercenary, that's ok at least i know the truth.

mamabear · Jun 21, 2004

QUOTE=lizz]I agree.

I agree with both of them

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jun 21, 2004

hello i am currently in nursing school and the weirdest thing is how future nurses talk about how they are going to be getting paid!! it's as if caring is not involved in their frame of mind, this type of mentality is not going to help the nursing shortage it's only going to aide it because as we know we do not get paid for our actual services, but this younger generation feel since it is a shortage this is the field to go and make some quick money, so i'm curious and please be honest what are you in it for, caring or cash?

yikes for someone only in their 40s you sound so old talking about "this younger generation". that always makes me cringe for some reason. lol. just picking on you now.

when you're in school and poor and working like a dog to get through school it's only natural to think about the money. back in the dark ages when i was in school our generation talked about the money too. most other profressions are choosen based on job availability, financial prospects and well as the interests of the person. why elevate nursing to such a saintly status.

but i hear what you're saying. those who are in it for the money only, and there are precious few of them thank goodness, aren't good nurses. there has to be some semblence of caring and compassion in the person, even if they are only looking for a secure future.

as for me: neighther mercenary or nun. i need to work. i care. :)

RN4NICU, LPN, LVN · Jun 21, 2004

I don't know about some of you folks, but when I go to the mall, or the market, or the doctor, nobody ever says to me "oh, you're a nurse, you take care of people - no charge" Therefore - I need money.

If I was just in it for the warm fuzzies, a college degree would not have been necessary - I could have been a tech, an EMT, a volunteer. But I earned a degree and I expect to be compensated for my education - just as any other college grad would. Yet, the only way nurses will ever be treated with respect and well compensated is if we collectively STAND UP AND DEMAND IT!

Nobody is sitting around saying "hey, do you think we should pay nurses more?" That conversation only occurs when nurses start walking out the door en masse. If others are ever to value the contribution of nursing, we nurses must first see the value in ourselves. If we act as if the pleasure we gain from caring and serving is compensation enough - that is exactly how we will be treated.

critcarenurse16 · Jun 21, 2004

I became a nurse with the idea of caring for people. I also like the excitement of the ED and ICU and the challenges they offer. Hopefully no one enters nursing thinking they will become rich-- if so they are in for a rude awakening. But it woukld be nice to be properly compensated for the many hats we wear as nurses. Just my $0.02:o