Are nurses treated as terribly as people imply?

[kprince]

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?

[shocker29]

Okay, so this is something that I realized after the first year that I was a nurse, and I am going to go out on a limb and say that this is fairly universal:

My entire first year was a complete love hate relationship and there was more than once I sat in my car, ready to drive home in tears. Everyonce in awhile, a co-worker was a little "snarky" with me, but really I work with an outstanding group of people. I think it had more to do with me feeling inadequate. We really have a great director, though I don't always agree with everything she does. Most if it was just the learning curve being hard, and me always worrying that I wasn't good enough, that I missed something, etc. Towards the end of the first year, it was (now, this was a critical care unit..), why aren't they giving me harder assignments? Do they think I'm not up to it? Finally, after the first year, I think that you begin to realize that you are going to be okay... that you made it. The more confidence and assertiveness that builds, the better you feel.

I think pretty much every nurse goes through that the first year. You just feel like crap everyother shift and wonder if you made a mistake. But most of the time that will pass and you will be just fine. Attitude has ALOT to do with it. Positive people who are receptive to learning usually do just fine.

I think that three 12-hour shifts is more like the rule and not the exception, atleast where I am. Some people add an 8 hour shift in every two weeks. I don't know of anywhere around here that does mandatory overtime. Infact, most overtime has to be approved by the super-higher ups and is frowned upon. Alot of people I know have second jobs for more money opportunites. Starting wage around here is $22/hour.

[86toronado, BSN, RN]

Coming from an industry where a 50 hour work week was mandated for salaried managers, and a 60 hour work week (with no OT pay) was not uncommon, I have to say that I feel I am treated pretty well as a nurse. I work three 12 hour shifts a week, if I want to do more, the shifts are available, but if I don't feel like it, I don't have to. I make more money for the 36 hours a week than I ever did working 60, I have more vacation time, and I only work every other weekend, rather than the every single weekend that I used to.

Lots of people may ***** about it, but I have to tell you, for me Nursing ain't that bad!!

[pawsomepooch47]

i would like to cry, but I don't have time