Nursing wages

Nurses General Nursing

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Is it just me or is there anyone else out there that is annoyed by someone that doesn't have an education beyond high school, that works in a factory, and makes more money than you a professional nurse? Just a question...

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I can't imagine how the health care system can support those types of wages, if they are truly typical of regular staff nurse pay. They're pretty much double ours here. Cost of living must be terrible there or else they must work under truly terrible conditions to need that type of compensation. I'm making in the $40,000/yr range and feel I'm appropriately compensated.

Working conditions cannot be that bad in San Francisco, since California has nurse/patient ratio laws. Med/surg nurses are permitted no more than five patients, nurses in specialties have no more than four patients, and critical care nurses only have one to two patients.

However, San Francisco is one of the most expensive places in the country. A worker earning $40,000 yearly would not be able to survive there, as the rent for a one-bedroom apartment can easily exceed $1,500 monthly. A house could cost more than $500,000 unless the person was willing to commute into the Central Valley cities (Sacramento, Tracy, Modesto, Stockton) to buy a cheap house.

I know a lot of people that work "regular" jobs and have very nice homes, nice cars, and is always on vacation somewhere. While, I'm working hard (just earned my BSN, btw) to pay back loans and I remain driving the same car that I had prior to recieving my ADN. I have to budget very carefully. But, deep inside I want to treat myself to something nice. Going to school was suppose to afford me some type of comfort. Don't get me wrong I am very thankful for my job. It's just that this morning I saw a friend that works in a factory had gotten a new car, which happens to be a car that I want but can't afford.

Do not be too hasty to envy your friend with the new car. There are plenty of people out there with nice houses and new cars who are in over their heads in debt. The worry and stress associated with that level of debt is nothing to be envied.

There will always be neighbors, friends, relatives, who manage to take fancy vacations, live in fancy houses, and you scratch you head and wonder how in the world do they afford that!!!!! You don't know if they are living way beyond their means or think going into debt for a fancy home or vacation is perfectly fine?

I worked 4 days a week with my ADN degree and my salery was higher than my husband who has a Masters Degree, worked 40 hours a week, and received bi-lingual pay.

PS we live a very simple lifestyle, are very well of financially, and are both semi-retired.

Specializes in Telemetry.
Do not be too hasty to envy your friend with the new car. There are plenty of people out there with nice houses and new cars who are in over their heads in debt. The worry and stress associated with that level of debt is nothing to be envied.

I agree!!!

Specializes in Telemetry.
I can't imagine how the health care system can support those types of wages, if they are truly typical of regular staff nurse pay. They're pretty much double ours here. Cost of living must be terrible there or else they must work under truly terrible conditions to need that type of compensation. I'm making in the $40,000/yr range and feel I'm appropriately compensated.

I'm glad that your ok with making around $40,000/yr. I make a little over $50,000/yr just working the base 3 shifts/wk. Since, i'm out of school right now I will start picking up some overtime.

Specializes in COS-C, Risk Management.

You know who I feel sorry for? The social workers. The stuff they put up with, what they have to do, the disappointment when patients/clients disregard all their hard work--and then they make almost half what I do. I thank heaven for social workers every day.

And then there's the dieticians. Most with a master's degree. And they make chicken scratch in the hospital. They plan, the educate, they work with families, and they don't get compensated enough for the trouble they go through.

Now Physical Therapists--I don't feel a bit sorry for them! They're cleaning up, at least in my area.

Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.

My husband worked in a factory for 20 yrs. His knees are shot from working mandatory 12 hr shifts, six days a week on concrete floors. His hearing is damaged from the noise of the machines....even with ear plugs. He had carpal tunnel surgery on both wrists. The chemicals he worked with are highly toxic.

I'm not complaining, and he wouldn't either. That factory job provided us both with a good life.

I guess I'm saying look deeper than the job title, or place of employment, to determine why the employees are being paid so well.

Specializes in Neuro-Surgery, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Wow!!!! DalycityRN, thats' the kind of salary i'm talking about !!!!!!

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Keep in mind that the cost of living here in the San Francisco Bay Area is very high. $85,000 per year is "only" a middle class salary in the Bay Area. Those RNs who are earning $120,000 or more per year, and if the spouse is also earning a good salary, they could live the good life as long as they don't overextend themselves financially.

Money is not everything. It may not give you happiness but it sure is nice to earn lots of it! I have retired from my good-paying job with a pension from the hospital where I used to work. I am working part-time, low stress, lots of time for myself, less income from my current home health part-time job, but with lots and lots of happiness!!!

Yeah, money is not everything!

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Specializes in Telemetry.
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Keep in mind that the cost of living here in the San Francisco Bay Area is very high. $85,000 per year is "only" a middle class salary in the Bay Area. Those RNs who are earning $120,000 or more per year, and if the spouse is also earning a good salary, they could live the good life as long as they don't overextend themselves financially.

Money is not everything. It may not give you happiness but it sure is nice to earn lots of it! I have retired from my good-paying job with a pension from the hospital where I used to work. I am working part-time, low stress, lots of time for myself, less income from my current home health part-time job, but with lots and lots of happiness!!!

Yeah, money is not everything!

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I agree money isn't everything. Just would like to not struggle finacially!

It's a little bit off topic but I saw you are a former chemist and I studied chemistry too before becoming a nurse. Anyway, to stay on topic, I became a clinical research coordinator after graduating from nursing school. It kind of combined my research interests and my interest in the medical field. I am making about $32/hour here in Los Angeles now. I think that is pretty good for a new grad (June 2010).

Pay in this country stinks. If you can carry ball or cry on cue, you can earn $20 million a year. If you care for people during the worst time of their lives and have the responsibility of keeping them alive you can't even make what they earn in one year your entire lives. Cops keep you safe and may die keeping you safe. Firefighters run into burning buildings. Cops, teachers, social workers, emts, nurses, fire fighters, etc all deserve more pay in my opinion.

Money is not the most important thing in the world. I couldn't spend my life working in a factory even if it paid $1 million a year.

For $1M/yr I could do almost anything that is legal. Seriously!

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