I am taking prerequisites to go to nursing school and I was wondering if nurses feel they are adequately compensated for the job they do. Some of the reasons I was drawn to nursing was for the nature of the job, the tasks involved in being a nurse as well as the salary. With different sources stating that nursing is a high demand field and high job satisfaction (US News & World Report and CNNMoney) are nurses paid enough to do the jobs they do? I have read some comments on the forums and from other sources stating that some nurses feel that they are not and I would really like to get a glimpse of what nurses really think. Any feedback would be helpful. Thanks.
I feel as a new grad I'm probably underpaid by about 10 grand per year. However, who I feel is really underpaid are the experienced nurses. Nurses, especially those in ICU's w/ 15, 20 years experience probably can't even hit the $100K mark unless they're travelers. This is SO wrong for all the knowledge some of them have. Many are more whip smart than the docs, it seems. Not sure what managers even make, but it's the experienced bedside nurses who seem to really be getting the shaft.
Specializes in Physician office, Hosp, Nursing Home.
NO! I'm an LPN (RN student) and work on the med/surg floor. I do everything the RN's do except they do have to initial my care plans and inital my assessment on new admits. They make $7 an hour more than me....Good for them they earn every penny of it.....Thank God next year at this time Ill be an RN. However even the RN wage doesn't truly compensate the nurses.
Specializes in Physician office, Hosp, Nursing Home.
NO! I'm an LPN (RN student) and work on the med/surg floor. I do everything the RN's do except they do have to initial my care plans and initial my assessment on new admits. They make $7 an hour more than me....Good for them they earn every penny of it.....Thank God next year at this time Ill be an RN. However even the RN wage doesn't truly compensate the nurses for all we do.
I feel that in my current job I am well compensated...that being said, I have held jobs where I was certainly NOT well compensated, and some of my friends are VASTLY underpaid.
In most cases, nurses are most definitely NOT paid at a rate anywhere near where they should be.
BIG HOWEVER HERE: Considering the economy today, and not knowing what the future holds, a nurse will ALWAYS be needed in the job market. Whether or not there is a recession, or depression, a nurse will always be able to find work that pays a living wage. Not necessarily true for the machinist, beautician, gardener, waitress, etc...
As a profession, there is always security in knowing you will be needed.
It's all so relative. I just get irritated by so many people complaining about it! If you hate it -- please leave. Wal-Mart and Target will always be willing to hire you -- and you will have rude people all day for 8/hr..but no poop! Go to school partttime and get your MSN. NPs have normal hours, better pay and bypass most bedside drama. Sorry, but complaining is just a huge pet peeve of mine. The ave. household income is 40K or less in the US. Most nurses make significantly more than that. Some people I suppose will never be happy. If you hate your situation, just change it instead of making everyone around you miserable. The local University will always be taking applications for those precious liberal arts degrees -- then you can be managers at Wal-Mart and Target and bring home 30K..jackpot! This brings to mind a famous Dolly Parton quote "Honey, get off the cross...someone needs the wood."
I'm an advanced practice nurse with a masters degree in nursing plus an additional advanced practice nursing certificate. I am paid well and have wonderful benefits. Am very happy with my benefits.
I think the post was for us peons..RN's...of course YOU would be happy ..GTO:yeah:
I feel as a new grad I'm probably underpaid by about 10 grand per year. However, who I feel is really underpaid are the experienced nurses. Nurses, especially those in ICU's w/ 15, 20 years experience probably can't even hit the $100K mark unless they're travelers. This is SO wrong for all the knowledge some of them have. Many are more whip smart than the docs, it seems. Not sure what managers even make, but it's the experienced bedside nurses who seem to really be getting the shaft.
The hospitals owe these people SO much more
I was a tech in the ICU and there were some nurses there that made over $100K a year. Want to know how? Working a bunch of overtime with bonuses and not having any time for themselves. It can be done but at what cost? One nurse would work 6 12 hour shifts be off for one, work another 5 off one and so on and so forth. Who can live like that? Another nurse left the unit to work somewhere else and she is only making $8 more than I will make as a new grad and that is not including my night shift pay. And she has been a nurse for 16 years and if I work a weekend night she will only be making $3 more than I will doing to same job. Now that is not fair.
For the stress we have to deal with, the pace we must keep, the missed breaks and lunches, and the fact we have peoples lives in our hands, No, we are not paid what we are worth.
Any hospital in the world could function for weeks, maybe months without administrators, even housekeepers (I've had to clean rooms and I know what a mop and bucket is for) - but they could NOT function even one shift without nurses. I dare say, for experienced nurses, they could even function without doctors in say, a disaster (where the law may allow for bending). I personally have saved my share of doc's orifices by catching their errors - AND I've guided new ones on what meds and treatments to order for patients, even in critical care areas. I've taken ACLS classes with some docs, very scary at their lack of knowledge.
Considering all this, we are definitely not being compensated adequately.
I am a male nurse. The very definition of the word "nursing" implies that if I am able to nurse, I am a female; so I thought I'd clarify. I have spent the last four years as a nurse in ohio and my pay stacks up to the national average, no better and no worse (Just think, those were four good years of life that could have been spent in college). However, there seems to be some kind of myth that nurses are well-paid and have wonderful schedules and benefits. Not true in all situations. I have found my work to be very inflexible on scheduling, unless of course I want to work overtime for some kind of kindergarten smiley-face incentive. Personally, I hold my future in the highest regard and I see no place in it for nursing, there is simply no opportunity to advance compared to other careers. Sure there are thousands of people who will tell you they know so-and-so who makes five hundred dollars an hour doing travel nurse agency legal consulting or some other BS. Nursing is a waste of time, it is a waste of your life. I know that this site is all about nursing pride and whatnot and everyone will hate me for this post, but I can't really get over the resentment I have for being duped into believing that this was the best thing for my future.
(RN student) and work on the med/surg floor. I do everything the RN's do except they do have to initial my 
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I feel as a new grad I'm probably underpaid by about 10 grand per year. However, who I feel is really underpaid are the experienced nurses. Nurses, especially those in ICU's w/ 15, 20 years experience probably can't even hit the $100K mark unless they're travelers. This is SO wrong for all the knowledge some of them have. Many are more whip smart than the docs, it seems. Not sure what managers even make, but it's the experienced bedside nurses who seem to really be getting the shaft.
The hospitals owe these people SO much more