Are nurses treated as terribly as people imply?

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I can handle dislike for my boss, rude comments, and rude patients, but are nurses really as mistreated as it seems? I am SOOO excited about going into nursing! :heartbeatI'm not actually in my school's nursing program yet but I am ABSOLUTELY sure this is what I want to do :loveya: so I can handle some mistreatment. But am I really going to be underpaid or have trouble finding a job or get stuck working 60+ hours a week?? I've talked to a few people about their schedules and from what I understand, nurses here in OK are making $25+ an hour and though they're working 12 hour shifts, can choose to work as few as 3 or 4 days a week. Is this rare? How much do you make an hour and what state do you live in? Do you hate your coworkers or your boss? :o

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Specializes in ER and Home Health.

what part of Okla are you in

No nursing has been wonderful to me. I am not overworked nor underpaid. And I get treated well. What more can you ask for. Life is actually quite good.

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That's what I needed to hear! I just want to make sure I haven't just so happened to only be talking to the few people who have it great! And I'm in central OK.

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Specializes in ER and Home Health.

Good deer country there, I like that. Also rabbit , squirrel, birds. I have hunted there some.

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There are lots of deer! I grew up KIND of far from the city and we definitely had to drive slow at night!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU, educator.

It's like any job. You'll find absolutely great people (patients, coworkers, managers) as well as some real jerks along the way. Just keep an open mind and a sunny attitude, and I think you'll do great! I live in south central IN and only make $22/hr, but low cost of living makes this okay. Good luck in your studies, and don't let anyone talk you into a dark attitude.

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Specializes in Derm/Wound Care/OP Surgery/LTC.

Nursing is not a job for the thin skinned, that's for sure.

Having said that, you meet some amazing people along the way. I adore my patients...even the surly ones. I always learn something from my co workers...even the nasty ones (teaches me how NOT to be!)

I don't know. I was a paralegal for 12 years before coming into nursing. THAT profession was hateful. Lawyers? Give me doctors ANYDAY! :)

Don't go into nursing with a skewed point of view. It's awesome...the good and the bad.

Never a dull moment, that's for sure!

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Specializes in ER and Home Health.

I went to High School in McAlister, OK. Low wages there but very low cost of living. The house we lived in then was 33,000. But move that house here to So Cal where I am at. Easily 1/2 million and that is a small lot as opposed to 20 acres

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Thank you! I think I can keep a pretty positive attitude! I have my bad days but the almost one-year old has a pretty great knack of turning it around as soon as I pick him up from daycare!

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I went to High School in McAlister, OK. Low wages there but very low cost of living. The house we lived in then was 33,000. But move that house here to So Cal where I am at. Easily 1/2 million and that is a small lot as opposed to 20 acres

I know what you mean! That must have felt like an expensive move! I heard food is cheaper though! My husband's great aunt bought a house there 40 years ago for 13,000 and it's now worth $645,000! That's insane!

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

I think that what makes these behaviors amplified is that nurses are under the stress of trying to save lives, even under less stressful settings. It can be what you make it. Are these things that you heard true? Yes, but what can also be true is the reward and how you take things. Good luck in your studies!

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I'm a new nurse and I am not treated well or compensated appropriately for what I do. I look at it this way, I gotta pay my dues and that's what I'm doing right now. I know nurses who have great jobs and I see the opportunities that are out there but I have to suck it up for a little while longer until I qualify for something better than what I have now.

Who knows maybe you will be one of the lucky ones to get a great job right out of school but if you're not then stick it out until you get the one or two years experience that a lot of the better places seem to want these days.

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