The members of the public who are convinced that registered nurses earn huge salaries are like shrubs on the outside looking in because they do not know how much sweat and tears we shed for our educations, and they are unaware of the hazards many of us face during the course of a day at work.
Am I the only one who becomes at least mildly irritated whenever a random individual finds out that someone is a nurse and proceeds to say, "You're rolling in the big bucks!"
To keep things honest, I'll recall a few observations about the people who generally do (and don't) broadcast their feelings about nursing pay. In my personal experience, no doctor has ever told me to my face that I'm earning 'big money.' No engineers, attorneys, pharmacists, speech language pathologists, or other highly educated professionals have hooted and hollered about the supposedly 'good money' that nurses make once they discover that I am one. On the other hand, bank tellers, call center workers, clerks, and others who work at entry-level types of jobs have loudly made their feelings known about the incomes that nurses earn.
I was employed at two different fast food chains while in high school, and during my late teens, I worked a string of dead end jobs in the retail sector. From ages 20 to 23, I maintained employment at a paper products plant in high cost-of-living southern California as a factory worker and earned an income of about $40,000 yearly with some overtime. Of course I thought that nurses earned handsome salaries during my years in the entry-level workforce. After all, the average RN income of $70,000 annually far exceeded my yearly pay back in those days. Keep in mind that I paid virtually no taxes as a fast food worker because my income was so low. Also, I paid relatively little in the way of taxes as a retail store clerk.
Awash With Cash
Many of the certified nursing assistants (CNAs) with whom I've worked over the years have fallen into the trap of believing that the nurses are awash with cash. However, the ones that pursue higher education and become nurses themselves eventually come to the realization that the money is not all that it is cracked up to be. For example, Carla* is a single mother to three children under the age of 10 and earns $11 hourly as a CNA at a nursing home. Due to her lower income and family size, she qualifies for Section 8 housing, a monthly food stamp allotment, WIC vouchers, Medicaid, and childcare assistance. Moreover, Carla receives a tax refund of $4,000 every year due to the earned income tax credit (EITC), a federal program that provides lower income workers with added revenue through tax refunds. Much of Carla's CNA income is disposable.
Carla returned to school part-time, earned her RN license, and now earns $25 hourly at a home health company in a Midwestern state with a moderate cost of living. She nets approximately $3,000 per month after taxes and family health insurance are deducted as she no longer qualifies for Medicaid. She pays the full rent of $900 monthly for a small, modest 3-bedroom cottage because she no longer qualifies for Section 8. She pays $500 monthly to feed a family of four because she no longer qualifies for food stamps or WIC vouchers. She spends $175 weekly ($700 monthly) on after school childcare for three school-age children because she no longer qualifies for childcare assistance. Carla's other expenses include $200 monthly to keep the gas tank of her used car full, $300 a month for the electric/natural gas bill, a $50 monthly cell phone bill, and $50 per month for car insurance. Her bills add up to $2,700 per month, which leaves her with a whopping $300 left for savings, recreational pursuits and discretionary purposes. By the way, she did not see the nice tax refund of $4,000 this year since she no longer qualifies for EITC. During Carla's days as a CNA most of her income was disposable, but now that she's an RN she lives a paycheck to paycheck existence. I'm sure she wouldn't be too pleased with some schmuck proclaiming that she's earning 'big money.'
The people who are convinced that nurses earn plenty of money are like shrubs on the outside looking in because they do not know how much sweat and tears we shed for our educations. They remain blissfully unaware of the daily struggles of getting through our workdays. All they see are the dollar signs. I'm here to declare that I worked hard to get to where I am today and I deserve to be paid a decent wage for all of the services that I render. Instead of begrudging us, join us.
Yes, it was a long post. I can type at 100wpm, and am fairly verbal. In mere moments, i can create a post that is longer than most ppl will read. {Many ppl do have kinda twitter level att'n spans nowadays, but, i can read entire books, so for ME, a few paragraphs is nothing.}
but, the length of my post in no way indicates i am "upset", "insulted", or have "lack of experience of a broad spectrum" or any of other things you just slammed me with. NOwhere did i "pick YOU apart", and several times, i show respect to you,
and i continued to point out,
I am only suggesting,
that there can be many kinds of "hard".
If you took my having a different point of view than YOU do, as "hating", i feel that issue lies with you, not me. There will be many ppl in your path, that might not see things as you do, and also, you might find lengthy written words here or there as you go along,
and
it'd be a sad waste of time to feel they are all "hating".
wow.
This is interesting to me, that your workplace has open paycheck comparison charts or something, that you "know for a fact" all the workers are all making exact same pay. COOL.
Males, and jobs dominated by males, are paid more. Like i said, this is a well documented fact. Even within nursing, female RNs tend to make about 86% of what their male counterparts make.
I admit, i kinda got lost on why you wrote about how you grew up poor, or how that relates to the topic we were discussing. But, since you seem to put a lot of importance on that, here goes:
Lol, you will probably think i am lying,
Or worse, trying to "one-up" you, but, i was born to a family of 7 living in a 1bedroom apt, no govt aide, and i was 13 years old til i ever got a brand new, "never worn before" store-bought outfit.(it was mint green, i can still remember that moment very clearly, and i bought the outfit myself, at a "real" store, with my very own paycheck. Yes, i've been working since i was 13) and could go on about various other poverty related stories.
If you were describing you grew up poor,
in response to my suggesting, that you might want to try to develop a softer, less judgmental attitude towards poverty stricken ppl who are taking govt aide to feed their kids, (IF you do harbor such a view)
being poor yourself does not seem to have helped with what i was suggesting might be a helpful addition to broadening your openness to those who are unlike you,as you enter in to nursing.
but, i could be wrong. Sorry if i am misinterpreting your attitude, i could be wrong.
I wonder what i wrote that makes you think you can make so many assumptions about me, but, whatever. Nowhere do i ever come close to dissing shipyard work, at all, and in fact, make a point of specifically telling you, in boldface typing:
//I do not mean to disrespect your work, at all, nope. I've done hard labor myself, it is hard. I'm just suggesting, that nursing can be hard in all types of different ways. And when drywallers are sometimes paid the same as nurses,
there might be something here to consider.//
but to THAT you reply:
//and you, most likely, have never seen the inside of a shipyard.....and your the one talking about "walking a mile in ones shoes". //
Your obvious pride in working on ships is very evident, and kinda charming, i admit. I like it. But, it's almost as if, if someone hasn't worked specifically in shipyards, those workers must be not as admirable as you are, or can't understand anything, or something.
you know nothing about me. Nothing. I do respect your work, like i've said, in boldface typing, a few times now. Not sure why you are not hearing me say that, (?)
but, whatever. I merely suggest that there might be many kinds of "hard" or "filth" or "stress".
and our own personal backgrounds might be kinda irrelevant to the topic of being able to respect ppl from all walks of life.
It's slightly hard to for me to imagine how one can feel empathy, while looking down their nose and assuming, if they are having hard times, they must be making "poor choices".
some of your words,
seem to suggest, that you actually think that if a person is stupid, they should just suffer. Their kids, too?
ouch.
Who gets to decide who is so stupid, that they should just be left to suffer?
You? The govt? who decides, "Sorry buddy, you must be stupid! No help for YOU!"
Turns out, ignorant ppl (of any income level) are fairly common, and also, are over-represented amongst the severely sick in the USA. IF you do have judgmental attitudes towards those who you think "must have made poor choices", if so---then this might be one other area, that you might want to strive to foster a less judgmental attitude towards. Doing so *might* make caring for ignorant ppl easier for you, cuz, you will meet a lot of these types among the unhealthy.
at any rate, the conversation between you and i, doesn't seem to be very helpful anymore. I guess we are not hearing each other very well.
A long post is a long post...not sure how that's insulting. And having children is not a genetic disorder some one is born with, so having 3 children is a choice.
No worries you have not "one upped me". And you seem to take many things out of context to fit what you trying to imply.You have implied things that are simply untrue. So yes I agree we are not communicating very well.
I am competely fine learning from my wife and many other nursing friends of how to approach nursing.
Good luck to you in journey, hope all goes well for you.
Whatever you make will carry you less of a distance, so to speak, as prices will rise in line with inflation. I truly don't think most Americans truly see how much of a huge financial mess we are in.
Very true...everyone is going to suffer dearly for other peoples poor choices.
Every great empire has fallen. It's a shame people hold on to the "it's going to be ok" attitude.
A long post is a long post...not sure how that's insulting. And having children is not a genetic disorder some one is born with, so having 3 children is a choice.
No worries you have not "one upped me". And you seem to take many things out of context to fit what you trying to imply.You have implied things that are simply untrue. So yes I agree we are not communicating very well.
. I am competely fine learning from my wife and many other nursing friends of how to approach nursing.
Good luck to you in journey, hope all goes well for you.
Yes, i did not see why you thought my long post indicates one is "insulted" either, especially when my tone of my first reply was very calm, very rational, and very respectful to you. NOt "hating" or "upset" or any of that other nonsense.
Yes, some ppl have 3 children.
it was, most likely, a choice. but, it's not impossible, to have scenarios, in which things happened which were not a choice.
so if they can not afford to feed the kids,
they should suffer? since you seem to be saying, that having 3 kids was a poor choice?
(also possible, the family could initially afford 3 kids, but, may have faced a medical crisis, which IS the root of one out of four bankruptcies, as well as one out of five home foreclosures) Lotta reasons why even very intelligent ppl
could hit hard times.
but, if there is a chance, that those ppl "made poor choices"
then, tough luck to them, as no aide should be given to stupid people?
How about undeniably stupid ppl?
should they be denied aide, since they ARE stupid, after all. who decides who is too stupid to get aide?
You?
the govt? Really, though? stupid ppl should be left to suffer?
and their kids, too?
really? that's your idea?
Or, maybe aide can be given, even to ppl you feel must be making "poor choices and should just suffer", but, we can kinda feel superior to those ppl getting aide, since they are, after all, apparently making "poor choices" or are stupid.
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Well, I am a low paid customer service agent. My insurance is awesome. My bring home pay stinks.
I'm a registered nurse. I have no health insurance. My take-home pay is 'good.'
I just get a little tweaked when people who make decent money whine about not making decent money. Take a cussing at my job, making my wage. It is a "walk a mile in my shoes" thing. We all think we have it bad.
Take a nasty beat-down from a patient under the influence at my job, making my wage. Or better yet, get punched out by a belligerent visitor at my job while making my wage. Did you know that 45 percent of healthcare workers have experienced some type of physical violence at their workplaces?
While the whining might aggravate your ears, you'll never know until you walk a mile in the shoes of a nurse. I've already been in your shoes, as I've worked in fast food, low-paying retail, and low-end customer service. Now it's time to walk a mile in my shoes.
Yes, i did not see why you thought my long post indicates one is "insulted" either, especially when my tone of my first reply was very calm, very rational, and very respectful to you. NOt "hating" or "upset" or any of that other nonsense.
Yes, some ppl have 3 children.
it was, most likely, a choice. but, it's not impossible, to have scenarios, in which things happened which were not a choice.
so if they can not afford to feed the kids,
they should suffer? since you seem to be saying, that having 3 kids was a poor choice?
(also possible, the family could initially afford 3 kids, but, may have faced a medical crisis, which IS the root of one out of four bankruptcies, as well as one out of five home foreclosures) Lotta reasons why even very intelligent ppl
could hit hard times.
but, if there is a chance, that those ppl "made poor choices"
then, tough luck to them, as no aide should be given to stupid people?
How about undeniably stupid ppl?
should they be denied aide, since they ARE stupid, after all. who decides who is too stupid to get aide?
You?
the govt? Really, though? stupid ppl should be left to suffer?
and their kids, too?
really? that's your idea?
Or, maybe aide can be given, even to ppl you feel must be making "poor choices and should just suffer", but, we can kinda feel superior to those ppl getting aide, since they are, after all, apparently making "poor choices" or are stupid.
nice.
Like I said...Good luck to you. You are posting nothing I have not thought about or had family members go through.
Good luck to you, I really mean that, I hope everyone finds peace in life.
Yes, you have thought about it, and you even posted about it., that if someone was apparently stupid, they should just suffer, kids and all.
//". When people have more children than they can substain on their own, that should be their issue..... I can teach people the right way, but if they don't follow suggestions they suffer the burden. (sounds familiar?"//
^ this IS a very common point of view,
but, it seems slightly judgmental, and kinda heartless.
If kids can't be fed well, or fed period,
well, too bad for you.
that'd be your answer?
btw, WHO decides who is too stupid to be helped? (hope i get points for making short post, ;)as that seems to be a focus for you, is the NUMBER of words, over the content)
EDIT (at the risk of going over some word limit)
who decides if the person IS actually too stupid to be given aide to feed their kids,
vs
those may have faced unpredictable misfortunes? (one big round of cancer can wipe out many families financially, for example, even if they do have insurance).
Yes, you have thought about it, and you even posted about it., that if someone was apparently stupid, they should just suffer, kids and all.
//". When people have more children than they can substain on their own, that should be their issue..... I can teach people the right way, but if they don't follow suggestions they suffer the burden. (sounds familiar?"//
^ this IS a very common point of view,
but, it seems slightly judgmental, and kinda heartless.
If kids can't be fed well, or fed period,
well, too bad for you.
that'd be your answer?
btw, WHO decides who is too stupid to be helped? (hope i get points for making short post, ;)as that seems to be a focus for you, is the NUMBER of words, over the content)
EDIT (at the risk of going over some word limit)
who decides if the person IS actually too stupid to be given aide to feed their kids,
vs
those may have faced unpredictable misfortunes? (one big round of cancer can wipe out many families financially, for example, even if they do have insurance).
I never called anyone stupid. Please stop implying I called anyone "stupid"
I had a CNA once tell me that I was making the "big bucks" so I wasn't concerned about what she was going through. I explained to her that a Director of Nurses is on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. When you divide those hours into my salary, in which I get no overtime for going over 40 hours a week, my hourly wage came to $1.28! With that said, I offered to swap jobs with her anytime. Of course, I was met with a resounding "No Way!"
I never called anyone stupid. Please stop implying I called anyone "stupid"
yes, you used the words "making poor choices". Which is a form of stupid.
I editted the first post,
you might not have seen,
i am also asking
who decides which of the poor were actually stupid (too stupid to be given aide to feed their kids)
and
which ones are actually smart ppl, who met with severe misfortune?
will we help the smart ppl who met with severe misfortune feed THEIR kids?? Will we help people who "follow YOUR advice" but still can't feed their kids, will those ppl be okay to get aide to feed their kids?
who gets to decide this? just curious, since you said this IS something you think about.
I'm a LPN and the most I've made was $17.50/hour, but since I've been job searching I'm finding job postings as low as $10/hour. No, we don't rake in the big bucks.
I know of a woman with 11 kids who gets $1000/month in food stamps. Can you eat all month off of $83.33??? Cause that's what that $1000 a month amounts to.
Please see post #131....
Also, 11 KIDS!!! So we should just all be allowed to have as many kids as we want and let others foot the bill? Nothing against the kids but come on! Granted I don't know her circumstances, or how many kids she had when she first got on assistance, but if she even added (1) while already receiving, let alone more than (1) that is just irresponsible. Sorry but it just is. Now if she had all (11) from the beginning then this doesn't apply.
Many actually believe the economy is getting better and are still spending like drunken sailors; what the heck, our government does it, so why should we not do likewise? When we become another Greece (or similar, where people are rioting because they want more free stuff from their government), many of those folks will still not understand.
Your avatar is great: The easy button. LOL
They will feel the pain when inflation hits in full force. They think milk prices and bread prices are high now. . .Just wait. . .
eroc
218 Posts
No worries you have not "one upped me". And you seem to take many things out of context to fit what you trying to imply.You have implied things that are simply untrue. So yes I agree we are not communicating very well.
I am competely fine learning from my wife and many other nursing friends of how to approach nursing.
Good luck to you in journey, hope all goes well for you.