Thinking of switching from Dental Hygiene

Hello all!

I need some help. I am a dental hygienist and I live in Sugar Land (outside of Houston). My son spend the weekend at Texas Children's Hospital a few weeks ago and while I was chatting with the nurses, they told me that they were making over $100,000! The overnight ER nurse said that he made $150k and when my husband and I mentioned it to our staff nurse, she said she made over $100k. She said that he did get an extra $5 for being overnight. She only works 3 days (12 hour shifts).

My question comes to this. I love being a dental hygienist, but it can be hard on my back and also very, very repetitive. I currently make $35 an hour. While I do love being a hygienist, there is not much room for salary growth, nor are there tons of different options such as with nursing. I can still care for my patients like I currently do, but because the two professions are similar, I know that I would enjoy nursing.

While I understand that I would not make that amount of money for a couple of years, how far fetched did those salaries sound? I've read on the forums and seen that new grads would make $26 or so. When I first graduated I made more than that, so I would want to be able to accelerate faster, is it always just simply based on time of experience? Is that high salary range only at TCH?

Also, I have a huge interest in surgery. Does a surgical nurse have to have a certification? How long does that take and what would the salary range be for that? What about pediatrics such as at TCH?

The information you can give me would be wonderful!!!!

If I go to school, I would go to UT-H as I have already been in the system going to UT Dental Branch and would get the BSN as I already have a BSDH.

Thanks a million!!!!!!!