My first RN position I made 19.50 and hour my base rate with time in a half after 8 hours. A new grad at a Catholic West hospital in southern California.
Now that I am changing jobs I will start at 23.00 an hour. It varies depending where you live. Although I have to agree this is one of the professions where you can make a lot of money with the least amount of time spent. Some places may pay up to a dollar more if you have your BSN. I guess that is why when some nurses get their experience in certain fields they go registry or do contracts.
That is what I'm wondering as I read two pages of posts after the poll. Why DO you get so worked up when a post disagrees w/you?? As I said we are all allowed to have our opinion and reasons.
If you can point me to the poll you are talking about, then I would be more than happy to explain the reasoning.
I know that I object to nurses who seem to just follow some set mandate without thinking for themselves. I know that I object to nurses conceding defeat in their statements. I know that I object to nurses who will not stand up for their selves. I know that I strongly object to nurses who make statements in regards to the above and then proceed to tell others they should do the same thing. Is this slamming or the attempt to open the eyes and minds of individual nurses as to the realities and/or the possibilities?
Evidently I have disagreed with you in the past either outright or just in your thought process. I have come from a much different reality than many others nurses. I have lived on the other side of the fence. I have experienced things first hand that many have never had the opportunity to. You have to remember that I am a male who has a military background and who has lived at the management level before I came into nursing. I learned all the tricks of the trade as far as how to control people. I am trying to pass on what I have learned. Sometimes it is hard to get someone to see things differently from the only reality they have ever known.
I also believe that a person is fully accountable for their own individual decisions, actions including lack or action, and/or thought process. I also believe that everyone has the capacity to change and learn if they so choose.
As a member of this profession, I and everyone else is grounded by the lowest position taken. If one nurse accepts 12 patients on a med/surge floor without any support staff and says it is O.K., then they setting up others to do the same. If one nurse says that they will work without a break or lunch and says it is O.K., then they are setting up others to do the same. If one nurse agrees to work for less than what they are actually worth and says it is O.K., then they are setting up other to do the same. This is not a slam. This is reality. This is why nursing has gotten so bad and why it continues to get worse.
So why do thing upset me like this? Because it is my future and my reality that is ultimately at stake here and it is very much depended on the actions or lack of actions taken by just one nurse.
As for this poll, it is both informative and educational. It is also reality.
I have been in nursing for a long time. Some of you may not believe this, but you can make (within reason) what you want to in nursing. It all depends on where you want to work, who you want to work for, when you want to work and what you want to do. There have been years I made over $100,000 and years I only made $30,000. I have worked 18 hours a day, seven days a week and then there have been times I have worked only weekends. I have worked in Saudi Arabia and I have worked a block down the street from where I live. I have worked in hospitals, in warehouses, out of a truck and yes, even out of a tent with a camel for transportation(kidding) we did have the use of a van! I have worked for rich people, poor people, kind people and hateful people. I have busted my butt to save lives and sat quietly watching some die. I guess what I'm trying to say, is this; If you are in it for the money, then go where the money is, if you are co-dependent, then go where you can do the most good. It is possible to do a lot of good and be paid well to do it!
Brandy, you will be making 15.83 when you graduate!!!! I make 16.23 and I've been doing my job for 10+ years..... how do ya like them odds.......oh, I have worked where I made more, but it was agency and I got tired of travelling, besides, I still have kids at home too.
Originally posted by crystalhawk... shanza, you and I must have signed up about the same time and got caught in the sysem bug;)
I have to agree with you. Before I became a nurse I was a unit secretary on a L & D floor. Never had I heard so much bytching moaning and complaining. I would ask them why do you tolerate the conditions? "It is just the way it is"! Which is not acceptable I said, "When you start accepting the conditions you only make it harder for up and coming nurses who, unfortunately will be expected to deal with the poor conditions". I notice when I speak up and ask what my patient ratio is I get wierd looks. I will not take a heavy load of patients. I will not get disrespected. I will take a break or they will pay me for it. Some nurses are just scary and sit by and let things go on. I say to those nurses deal with it because there are nurse like me who won't and I don't care about finding another job because my nursing care speaks for itself
i am new to using the bb so please excuse any of my blunders.
i will be graduating in may 2002 w/bsn. needless to say i have been searching my area (washington d.c. metropolitian area) regarding new grad salaries. the average is $18.00/hr, diff's run from $2-3/hr. but, after 1-2 yr experience base is $22-26/hr, with diff's it can be $36-50/hr as prn. granted i live about 20 minutes away from 5 different hospitals. in a 20 mile radius there are about 15 hospitals. of course you have to be willing to sit in rush hour traffic forever. so at least there is competition to keep the salaries in line and you have a variety of places to choose from. these rates may sound lucrative to some, but please remember the cost of living here is extremely high. this is also a very transient area, so we have not felt the shortage as other areas have to date.
Basic M/S Days.... $31-33 per hour... ready to make more.. any ideas? Trying to go independent.....
Started out 3 years ago making 14.50 as a GN on staff (M/S, ortho mix).... Come a ways since then,,, but need more.... lol
I just joined, please excuse mistakes. I am now a contingent RN at a rural hospital ER in northwestern Michigan. I make $19.84/hr and I have 21+ years experience. I was fed up with low pay and awful hours--so I went contingent and pick my own days/time to work. (However, I am 56, all kids grown and hope to move to San Diego in the near future.) When I started in 1975, I made $4.15/hr. as a LPN... I too feel nurses bytch a lot but are not willing to stand up and argue (or even ASK) for what they deserve. Is that because nursing is full of part-time women workers who have a primary wage earner at home??? We are trying to get the nurses at my place organized to ask for the things we want and need, that's my answer. Judy
Originally posted by crystalhawk... shanza, you and I must have signed up about the same time and got caught in the sysem bug;)
Judy
Teshiee
712 Posts
My first RN position I made 19.50 and hour my base rate with time in a half after 8 hours. A new grad at a Catholic West hospital in southern California.
Now that I am changing jobs I will start at 23.00 an hour. It varies depending where you live. Although I have to agree this is one of the professions where you can make a lot of money with the least amount of time spent. Some places may pay up to a dollar more if you have your BSN. I guess that is why when some nurses get their experience in certain fields they go registry or do contracts.