A calling to help others but give me a good paycheck

[runningcrazy]

I have the want to help my patients, and I respect their dignity. I don't like not having a raise in two years, and I don't like the shrinking bottom line of money. I have heard chatter of well I am not in this for the money, and I am only hear to help others.....

I call these statements drivel. Everyone needs to eat, pay mortgage, have gas money to get to work....so please don't devalue what you do by saying I don't need a good paycheck....

Decent pay for a day's work

[IL-male RN]

I have a salary job for 3 years, each year with increase max 2%, health ins up more than your increases, I looked at my pay stub 2 years ago, sadly I eared more then. I love my job, I love my hosp but I won't last many more years.

[runningcrazy]

Awesome responses guys thanks for sharing what is going on in the nursing profession

[Radnurse54]

The part that may be missing from those above who are asking why choose nursing: I have been a nurse for 41 years when I became a nurse the options for women in careers was less varied than today, however, we are not acknowledging the fact that hospitals and health care has changed greatly. We are now large corporations making money for our stock holders, or not for profits trying to get their piece of the DC money for research etc. When hospitals became more about money they became less focused on patient care, and when they became less focused on patient care, they forgot about the care givers. So now in the throws of the hysteria over "Obama Care" the focus has become (in my opinion) less about patient care than ever.

Why then are we surprised that nursing staff is being treated as a liability rather than the absolutely necessity it is to keep patients safe, keep infections and falls down and decrease patient stay. Nurses have become an expendable commodity. This was not always the way it was.

So the answer to the question why...are we still here.....nursing didnt start out this way.....there was more respect for our roles in the hospitals , now that this is no longer true, we are being treated in this shabby way. Getting out....you bet....and I should have done it sooner. Its like watching a friend die a slow and angonizing death....I just dont have the stomach for it anymore.