Does it bother you when someone wants to be a nurse just for the money?

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I have an acquaintance that wants to be a CRNA. No mention of being an RN first or how long it would take her to do it, just wants to be a CRNA. She's mentioned not wanting to work as an RN in the middle to avoid bedside nursing and "butt wiping" and just wants to go and get her Master's. She thinks being a CRNA is easy.

As a nursing student in an ADN program, I value bedside nursing and no matter what my wage may be in the future, I would like to stay at bedside. I don't think this person really knows what nursing is and I think she just wants to be a CRNA because of the money. She never seemed like a caring person, is quick to throw tantrums and has no patience at home. I do wish her the best with whatever career she likes, but it feels like she is turning up her nose at the line of work that I want to do. Does it bother you when you meet people like this?

This might just be my own bright-eyed and bushy-tailed naivete, but it seems to me that people who are only in it for the money would naturally get weeded out; it seems like if someone can't handle the gross stuff--blood, feces, etc.--that they'll never last long enough to get into a position to make money to offset the fact that they don't have a passion for their career. It certainly does bug me, even as a student, when I run into these people, but I don't let them put a damper on my day.

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Specializes in peds, psych.

Good for you premed13 glad that you are able to put all your feelings aside and just pursue your own path! Im still pretty bright eyed and bushy tailed myself I graduated nursing school w my lpn at 20 and have been a nurse 7 years, lol however just you wait you may find a few things will change for you over time! Any nurse that says money isnt a factor to some degree is a lier, otherwise they all would just go volunteer somewhere, like I say you have to have a firm grasp for this profession but do you have to be die hard, live it ,breath it every moment to be great mmmm probably not, I know lots of chefs, accountants, engineers etc who got into their profession for the salary that are fabulous at what they do,even extraordinary... ask them if they would do it all day for a crappy check tho.... nah I doubt it. And while I agree that if the sole purpose of obtaining a nursing career was money time will tell if that said nurse can hack it ya never know things sure do grow on people ehem I am a peds nurse lol, anyone that knows me was shocked.... 5 yrs later I am requested by all parents in my area who need a trach and vent nurse:)

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Specializes in ED, Telemetry,Hospice, ICU, Supervisor.
This might just be my own bright-eyed and bushy-tailed naivete, but it seems to me that people who are only in it for the money would naturally get weeded out; it seems like if someone can't handle the gross stuff--blood, feces, etc.--that they'll never last long enough to get into a position to make money to offset the fact that they don't have a passion for their career. It certainly does bug me, even as a student, when I run into these people, but I don't let them put a damper on my day.

In my experience one of the best motivations in life is trying to get your bills paid. People will adapt and overcome most challenges in order to get paid well. In the end if you are a competent professional and carry out your duties well, does it matter what motivated you to get into the field. I have had many friends wanting to go into RN just so they can take care of babies. Unfortunately they did not realize the kind of commitment it took to finish pre-reqs, however I know a father of 3 that took out loans to get through nursing so he could pay for his family expenses. We all have different reasons for getting into the career.

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Specializes in ED, Telemetry,Hospice, ICU, Supervisor.

I understand there are some people that believe we should only be in this field because we want to help out the sick and needy. I also understand that some people look down on those getting into the profession because of pay, especially in the west coast. For those of you who are burdened by the pay check you receive every 2 weeks or so, I will gladly volunteer to take those pay checks from you.

We all get into the profession for our own reasons people. I am tired of getting the speech about how I should be doing it for the sick and needy. Well I am not a saint, I am just a regular dude with bills to pay. Next question most people ask is why the medical field? My next answer is because I got exposed to making a difference in peoples lives while serving as a combat medic in the ARMY and I figured I could do better in the civilian side of the house. There is also the great pay scale found in California that will support my standard of living, I kinda like having food in the fridge.

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Specializes in peds, psych.

So true! Nursing is a wonderful career, but like anything it can be learned, great nurses are made from all sorts of stock, and the reasons why we got here don't really matter the fact we did and survived does;)

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Specializes in peds, psych.

Oh I also forgot to mention the reasons I chose to pursue my rn.... money and further seperation from bedside nursing. I love being an lpn but i have to do this for the next 25 years might as well open allllll the doors and the better pay wage, in my line of work I do absolutely every single thing the rn does and make $6 less an hour nope not gonna happen lol, So yes 4 motivated me Im basically locked into what I do now for my wage lpns dont typically make $25 an hr but as an rn I can make much more and dont get mad people but I will be doing less lol. I will then just be signing off on the careplan my lpn wrote haha, I know Im gonna get broiled for that one!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.

No. It always amazes me when people think nurses should NOT work for money! The whole world revolves around it so why not? U can make good money as an agency nurse, and we all need money (though the tax taken off isn't worth it sometimes).

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatric, Hospice.

Yes, it bothers me when people are ONLY in it for the money. If I heard someone say, " I want to be a nurse so I can make X amount of dollars, otherwise I don't really care about being a good nurse", I'd want to roll my eyes and walk away. I feel that attitude cheapens my profession somehow.

I like to think most nurses enjoy caring for others somewhat ;). Let' be real, no one would do this job for free and sometimes I think we all should be paid MUCH more for what we go through.:redbeathe

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This might just be my own bright-eyed and bushy-tailed naivete, but it seems to me that people who are only in it for the money would naturally get weeded out; it seems like if someone can't handle the gross stuff--blood, feces, etc.--that they'll never last long enough to get into a position to make money to offset the fact that they don't have a passion for their career. It certainly does bug me, even as a student, when I run into these people, but I don't let them put a damper on my day.

Being in it for the money and beign able to handle all that are not exclusive. The money might actually motivate soemone to handle a lot more than someone not in it for the money, right? we are not all motivated by the same things and money is a HUGE motive in all aspects of life.Never bothers me at all when people are in it "just for the money."

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Specializes in geriatrics.

One of the reasons I became a nurse is that I genuinely care about people. The other is that it pays well (at least where I live). I certainly didn't take out thousands in loans for nothing. We all deserve to make a living.

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I feel I should amend my statement: I'm not bothered by people being in it "just for the money" until a patient or the family of that patient suffers needlessly because of it. I agree that we all deserve to make a comfortable living, but certainly not at the expense of others. I'm just not sure that a person who is in it just for finances will really grasp the idea that these people are counting on them, sometimes to save their lives.

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Specializes in geriatrics.

Anyway, what difference does it make if someone says they are in it for the money? We all need to make a living, and nursing is a job. Really, a persons motivations are no one else's business.

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