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Nurses General Nursing

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As I read this board, I constantly here the following:

1) CEO's make too much money

2) We must unite

3) Take a stand

4) Nurses are underpaid

5) We need better working conditions

6) Nurses really have power

Before you take part in a strike (which probably will not accomplish any long term changes) or participate in a million nurse march (which is useless), why don't you organize these large groups of nurses and start buying hospitals. Then you could have nurse run hospital that take care of patients and nurses and doesn't care about big profits. That would truely be taking control of your profession.

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Specializes in LDRP; Education.

Navy Nurse,

You echo my husband's thoughts. He always said, with how numerous our profession is (something in the millions nationwide) - if every nurse gave 5 dollars, we would have money to start buying out hospital after hospital after hospital......

There is an organization similar to that concept in Milwaukee. A large clinic conglomerate is owned and operated entirely by physicians. It allows them the control they want and need - not to mention these are the happiest group of physicians I have ever worked with.

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I am curious how can nurses argue that they are under paid. Try to support a family on a nursing assistants wage sometime. Nurses are paid very well compared to other professionals.

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Nursing assistant

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NO TOXIC POSTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Specializes in LDRP; Education.

Originally posted by chili2641:

I am curious how can nurses argue that they are under paid. Try to support a family on a nursing assistants wage sometime

I don't support my family on a NA wage because I chose NOT to.

That's the beauty of this country...it's all about CHOICES.

[This message has been edited by Susy K (edited April 07, 2001).]

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Specializes in Psych.

Please! If you make it to retirement (if your back doesn't go, if you don't get AIDS or hepatitis or who knows, if you don't get murdered or placed in a vegetative state, etc) you might make $60,000/year, no pension and certainly no benefits. A manager at McDonald's would have more security, better advancement opportunity and benefits and at least twice the pay.

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Hi Chili,

In regards to your comment about nurses being well paid in comparison to other professionals, it seems you are comparing nursing assistants and nurses. As a nursing assistant for years, and now as a nursing student preparing to graduate, I can safely say that a nursing assistant position is not a professional position. Professional positions are those that require education and (usually) receive salaries, and that is just a couple of the "requirements", if you will, for being considered a professional. In comparison to other professions, nurses do not make much money for the work they do and as professionals, nurses should receive salaries, only that gets into how do you pay for overtime and such things, which makes it sticky. Nursing assistants are wonderful, they definitely are needed, and there are many PROFESSIONAL nursing assitants out there, meaning they do their job well and with pride. But the job of a nursing assistant is not a professional career.

Laura

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Specializes in Pediatric Rehabilitation.

lol, susy k, you crack me up!!! now, put down that knife smile.gif

Originally posted by Susy K:

I don't support my family on a NA wage because I chose NOT to.

That's the beauty of this country...it's all about CHOICES.

[This message has been edited by Susy K (edited April 07, 2001).]

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Nursing student Laura,

I was refering to the pay of professionals working out side of nursing.

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Nursing assistant

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Specializes in LDRP; Education.

Chili-

There are alot of professionals that make more than nursing.

1. Information technology professionals

($60,000)

2. Programmers ($80,000)

3. Blackjack dealers ($75,000)

4. Air traffic controllers ($70,000)

5. Engineers ($65,000)

6. Welders ($30/hr)

7. Life Insurance agents ($100,000)

8. Medical sales ($100,000)

how many more professions do you want me to name?

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Susy K,

As you said earlier we all have choices. If nurses are going to complain about the money they should leave the field. Other professionals who work in the human services make less than nurses. A good example is social workers, police officers, correction officers, prison counselors, probation and parole officers. Most of the above positions require a Bachelors degree. Police officers and correction officers are encouraged to complete the minimum of an associates degree. The pay of these folks ranges from thirteen dollars an hour to around twenty dollars an hour. I very rarely hera these folks complain about there wages and there education levels can be compared to that of nurses.

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Nursing assistant

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Specializes in LDRP; Education.
Originally posted by chili2641:

Susy K,

As you said earlier we all have choices. If nurses are going to complain about the money they should leave the field. Other professionals who work in the human services make less than nurses. A good example is social workers, police officers, correction officers, prison counselors, probation and parole officers. Most of the above positions require a Bachelors degree. Police officers and correction officers are encouraged to complete the minimum of an associates degree. The pay of these folks ranges from thirteen dollars an hour to around twenty dollars an hour. I very rarely hera these folks complain about there wages and there education levels can be compared to that of nurses.

Chili-

The ranges you site for these other professions are the range that nurses in my area make as well. REGARDLESS on if they have an associates or a bachelor's.

You state that you rarely hear these people complain about the pay, but I would like to ask, are you on the up and up of the issues surrounding police officers, correctional officers, etc? If so, then you sure spend alot of time researching other professions and also complaining about your own wage as a nursing assistant. Sounds like your time may be better vested if you persue other avenues to advance YOUR pay.

I would like to comment that I hear these individuals complain about their pay as well. For example, in Mexico, police officers respond to bribery from citizens because they aren't paid a damn. And this is just one example.

Most RNs complain about the pay in that there is a low ceiling for pay - many facilities have cap offs of around $25/hr in my area - and that can be a nurse with 5 or 15 years experience. I have been a nurse for 3 years and I make $21/hour (without benefits). For me to even be approaching the cap off before I even reached my professional 5 year birthday is ridiculous.

In addition, I don't see the fact that other professions that deal with life and death and crappy conditions as well as low pay, can justify that nurses are underpaid. The end does not justify the means here. I don't mean to sound demeaning, but if and when you become an RN, and invest your hard earned money and family life to put yourself through college, and accept the fact that you are paid less than a blackjack dealer, and look for the altruism in your daily work, and find you aren't getting it because you are the only nurse for 10 patients, or because you are working for the 16th hour, you will then also see why nurses are fighting for better conditions. It just so happens that one of them is being adequately compensated for advanced degrees and certifications.

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