Does it ever concern you that we could be making more doing bartending?

Nurses LPN/LVN

Published

This is something that has been troubling me for a while. I'm starting to think that if I gave up nursing and started bartending, I'd probably be better off financially. I do not want to quit my job, but at the same time, living from paycheck to paycheck for the rest of my life doesn't sound all that appealing.

Anyone else get that sinking feeling sometimes and suddenly start frantically trying to remember what you need to make a White Russian?

My co-worker current earns $19.80 per hour working a second job (as a factory hand). I work in the private sector for $14.00 per hr as a registered nurse. I am in-charge of 5 staff/22 patients per duty. A registered nurse working for the public district health board nets $25.00 per hr plus weekend and nocte penal rates. Their workload can range from 6-8 patients per shift. On-top of my poor hourly rate I owe the goverment for training-a huge sum of $16.000.:crying2: :imbar.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
My co-worker current earns $19.80 per hour working a second job (as a factory hand). I work in the private sector for $14.00 per hr as a registered nurse. I am in-charge of 5 staff/22 patients per duty. A registered nurse working for the public district health board nets $25.00 per hr plus weekend and nocte penal rates. Their workload can range from 6-8 patients per shift. On-top of my poor hourly rate I owe the goverment for training-a huge sum of $16.000.:crying2: :imbar.
If you earn $14.00 hourly as an RN, you most likely live in a rural area. Either that or your geographic region must have a unique oversupply of nurses.

The vast majority of LVNs/LPNs that I am acquainted with earn over $14.00 hourly. I was once a factory worker without any education beyond high school and my hourly rate for the factory work was $15.20 per hour.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I hope that you are only venting. This is the place to do it. Nursing is a very respectable, honorable profession and I really mean that. So be proud. If you are not happy where you are try to find another place where you will be or go back to school. Keep your head up.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

While I never considered being a bartender-I do understand where the OP is coming from. Sometimes it gets to you (atleast to me) that with all the hard work we do and the responsibility we have I could probably make just as much flipping burgers and not have a quarter of the stress. On the other hand I do enjoy being a nurse and you can put no price tag on the feeling you get from making a difference in a persons life. Having said that I am pursuing my ADN for better pay and employment opportunities.

This is something that has been troubling me for a while. I'm starting to think that if I gave up nursing and started bartending, I'd probably be better off financially. I do not want to quit my job, but at the same time, living from paycheck to paycheck for the rest of my life doesn't sound all that appealing.

Anyone else get that sinking feeling sometimes and suddenly start frantically trying to remember what you need to make a White Russian?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiac/Telemetry.
This is something that has been troubling me for a while. I'm starting to think that if I gave up nursing and started bartending, I'd probably be better off financially. I do not want to quit my job, but at the same time, living from paycheck to paycheck for the rest of my life doesn't sound all that appealing.

Anyone else get that sinking feeling sometimes and suddenly start frantically trying to remember what you need to make a White Russian?

Personally, I think that, though you may be right about more money in bartending, it wouldn't be as satisfying as nursing. Sure there is lots more stress and more demands, but when a patient who was on the verge of death says "Thanks" because you helped heal them, I think that's a bit better than having a drunk tell you "Give me zome morr liquor." But, that's just me.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Case Management.
One word followed by an explanation: Telos.

Telos is the antonym of Sin. Sin is literally a reference to aiming an arrow: it is 'missing the mark'.

Telos is: 'aiming for and making the mark.'

Your own personal telos is that thing that you were destined to be: the aim of your mark on yourself and the world.

There are lots of jobs that I could make more money at and possibly even be better at.

But none would leave the mark on the world that I would wish to imprint.

In the end, a job isn't about money. A job is about where you want to spend 1/3rd of your life and how you want all of that precious time, which is worth far more than money, to be invested.

So no, it doesn't bother me a bit that I could make more money doing any number of mundane things.

My telos, my aim, is higher than that. I hope yours is too.

(As an aside, ever notice that bartenders are all cute or handsome 20 somethings? Being a bartender would be more money now - but what are you going to do in 10 yrs when you are replaced by a 10 yrs younger version of yourself? In nursing, 10 yrs from now, you'll be MORE in demand because of your experience.)

~faith,

Timothy.

What an awesome response. Nothing else needs to be said.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

How much does an LPN pay? I'm a machine craft and my factory is closing and I'm enrolled. Am I making a mistake? I make between 16 to18 an hour doing this. My son had a stroke at 12 years old and the nurses had a big impact on our lives but I have 2 other children to support too.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I use to say the same exact thing:beercuphe

I'm still a Nurse:cheers:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
How much does an LPN pay?
It depends on which state. Some states are known to pay up to $24 hourly, and other areas are known to pay as poorly as $13 hourly. It would be greatly helpful if you indicated your location.
Up Vote Up Vote ×
How much does an LPN pay? I'm a machine craft and my factory is closing and I'm enrolled. Am I making a mistake? I make between 16 to18 an hour doing this. My son had a stroke at 12 years old and the nurses had a big impact on our lives but I have 2 other children to support too.

Do a search for the thread about LPN pay. It varies greatly by where you live, with LPNs in Oklahoma making as little as $11 per hour, up to LVNs in the San Fransisco Bay Area making almost $30 per hour. Most are probably in the 15-20 dollar range.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I fully agree with you I could probably make more as a bartender.But I became a nurse 16 yrs ago when the starting pay way was around $7.oo hr.I did not expect to get rich in nursing,but I did expect to make a difference in someons life,and I feel in all those years I have.You wont get rich as an LPN but you will get the satisfaction each day you leave your job,That YOU DID MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO SOMEONE.....:) .And always remember that the bartenders lend us a hand in giving us jobs.:chuckle Always rememer you as an LPN are a very special person,and years down the line or when you are out in public one day,someone will walk up to you and say,"I remember you,you saved my life I have always wanted to Thank You".That is what nursing is all about,if you went to school to gain your LPN license to make more money,your in the wrong line of work.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm not saying I want to get rich. All I mean is what kind of living will I be making? My life turn upside down when my son got sick and now again it's doing the same thing I just don't like being on edge all the time. My husband lost his job and now I'm going to lose mine in a month. I have to support my family and I wounder if I am making a mistake but factories are sutting down left and right in Tennessee. There is no such thing as steady job. Unless you get into something like nursing. People are always going to have a job in the Medical fields. R. Dozier:nurse:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment