How can you say you're not paid well?

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Apr 7, 2005

Tell me, what garbage man makes $36.00 to$50.00 an hr.?

Only if you tell me how many nurses make what you have stated above.

Granted, there may be some who do, but don't forget, there are all too many who make what I do.. $17.00 an hour.. just barely. And I'd say there are plenty of trash collectors making more than that ! :stone

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · Apr 7, 2005

"Could someone please explain to me why a physician can make a 6 digit-plus salary and the nurse who is the next highest level of education in the hosptial only starts out a couple of dollars higher the the cna's or the nurse techs. "
Sorry to bust up the pity party, but I must chime in.
Doesn't PT have masters degrees and pharmacy is now a doctorate compared to most of the 2 yr associate ADN nurses (majority of the nurses are ADNs at my hospital where I have worked for 11 years - I would say that less than 20% have BSNs). Also, I know that the majority of the medical TECHNOLOGISTS who work in the lab have 4 yr college degrees, usually a biology major and a chemistry minor. There are some 'techs' that only have a 2 yr associate, but they are called medical technicians and, overall, they represent only about 10-15% of the 'med techs'. I know because I am a medical technologist.... and btw, we are called 'med techs' but not in the sense that you define a 'tech', for example, a 'monitor tech'. .. and for God's sakes, please don't call us (the med. techs) phlebotomists. We worked hard for our BS degrees and it is a put down when you make that faux paux (spelling?). It is equivalent of me calling you (a NURSE) a 'clerk' - see my point?
I guarentee you that the salary for a medical technologist (4 yr Bachelors degree) doesn't start out at what a nurse (2 yr associate) starts at and we sure don't get any of the nursing perks (higher pay, sign on bonus, call pay, charge pay, bonus for additional shifts, etc, etc, etc). And if it is about responsibility, I can kill a patient in the blood bank as fast as you can at the bedside.
I am not knocking your profession. I am just fed-up with being abused in the lab for absolutely NOTHING and, hence, am going into nursing (among other reasons). At least in nursing, you are (better) compensated and you have more choices available to you.
Just wanted you to hear/read the other view and realize that nurses aren't the only ones that get dumped on, get no respect, are overworked and underpaid, are under-appreciated, don't get good benefits, yada, yada, yada.
Looking for my oxygen mask as I begin my descent down the soap-box ladder,
lifeLONGstudent

Sorry to delay your descent from on high, but even if I had a BSN, I would only make about a dollar an hour more than I'm making now.

Nursing pay is poor regardless of educational level.

rjflyn, ASN, RN · Apr 7, 2005

Union ones. In my home town the union trash collectors who worked for the city made $28 hr back in the late 70's. I know they dont make that much now but.

rj:rolleyes:

Tell me, what garbage man makes $36.00 to$50.00 an hr.?

austin heart, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2005

Sorry to delay your descent from on high, but even if I had a BSN, I would only make about a dollar an hour more than I'm making now.
Nursing pay is poor regardless of educational level.

And to add to this, MANY hospitals do not pay extra for a BSN.

BabyNurse513 · Apr 7, 2005

Could someone please explain to me why the nurses are complaining that they're not being pad well. In case my math is wrong this is the figure that I come up with.
3 day/12 hour shift at average $28/hr in New York
12 hours *$28=$336 per day*3 days $1008 per week* 52 Weeks that's $52,416 per year......that's just the average in New York. If you do 4 days you pull in almost $70,000.
So, what the all the complaining about not getting paid? I just don't understand.
Am I missing something?
Aaron
PS: I didn't even include any sign on bonus or night differential pay.

Do you actually live in New York? Becuase I do and 52K, even 70K, is not a lot of money and I am single with no kids!! You forgot to factor in the union dues, NY State tax, New York City Tax etc. which came to $977.21 on my last paycheck.

Do you have any concept of how much rent is in Manhattan?? Even for a small one room studio in a nice part if the city that is 2 weeks of your paycheck. That is before utilities and other expenses etc.

I work in the biggest NICU in Manhattan, see the sickest babies and I am not up for working another day per week after being on my feet for over 12 hours working my a** off.

LydiaNN · Apr 7, 2005

Could someone please explain to me why the nurses are complaining that they're not being pad well. In case my math is wrong this is the figure that I come up with.
3 day/12 hour shift at average $28/hr in New York
12 hours *$28=$336 per day*3 days $1008 per week* 52 Weeks that's $52,416 per year......that's just the average in New York. If you do 4 days you pull in almost $70,000.
So, what the all the complaining about not getting paid? I just don't understand.
Am I missing something?
Aaron
PS: I didn't even include any sign on bonus or night differential pay.

My son has asked me a number of times over the years what I get paid and I resisted telling him, since I didn't think he had the frame of reference to understand. Finally, I sat down with him and a copy of our household budget and first explained how much our standard of living costs to maintain. In that light, our household income doesn't sound like the pot of gold it would be if it were all disposable income, like he thought it was before he understood exactly how much is spent on bills and living expenses. Your question reminds me of his. You really don't seem to have the frame of reference to understand why many of us believe that we're underpaid. It is a matter of considering the level of education and skill we bring to our work, the value of what we do, and where we fall on a scale with our similarly educated peers. It isn't that we're not being paid a living wage. It is that we're not being paid what we're worth, taking all things into consideration. It doesn't seem to me that you've done that.

*PICURN* · Apr 7, 2005

I thought the EXACT same way when I first started nursing school, and up until I started as an RN....

Here in CA I'm making between $25-29/hour depending on the weekend/night differential. I thought WOW I AM GOING TO BE RICH!!!! Especially when compared to what I was making as an aide.....all throughout school I was thinking WHY are all these nurses complaining?!?!?!?!?!

Well.....after my first day orienting in the PICU as a new grad, my thinking definately changed. I thought "wow...i am earning EVERY last dollar". Then my thinking changed even MORE when I got my first paycheck...."WHO THE HECK IS OASDI!?!?!?!.....whats this "agency fee" OH and btw we have to pay $52/month for PARKING!!!!" well you get the picture. It didn't really hit me and I didn't really realize what all the huffing and puffing was about until after my first two weeks of working as an RN.

LydiaNN · Apr 7, 2005

"Could someone please explain to me why a physician can make a 6 digit-plus salary and the nurse who is the next highest level of education in the hosptial only starts out a couple of dollars higher the the cna's or the nurse techs. "
Sorry to bust up the pity party, but I must chime in.
Doesn't PT have masters degrees and pharmacy is now a doctorate compared to most of the 2 yr associate ADN nurses (majority of the nurses are ADNs at my hospital where I have worked for 11 years - I would say that less than 20% have BSNs). Also, I know that the majority of the medical TECHNOLOGISTS who work in the lab have 4 yr college degrees, usually a biology major and a chemistry minor. There are some 'techs' that only have a 2 yr associate, but they are called medical technicians and, overall, they represent only about 10-15% of the 'med techs'. I know because I am a medical technologist.... and btw, we are called 'med techs' but not in the sense that you define a 'tech', for example, a 'monitor tech'. .. and for God's sakes, please don't call us (the med. techs) phlebotomists. We worked hard for our BS degrees and it is a put down when you make that faux paux (spelling?). It is equivalent of me calling you (a NURSE) a 'clerk' - see my point?
I guarentee you that the salary for a medical technologist (4 yr Bachelors degree) doesn't start out at what a nurse (2 yr associate) starts at and we sure don't get any of the nursing perks (higher pay, sign on bonus, call pay, charge pay, bonus for additional shifts, etc, etc, etc). And if it is about responsibility, I can kill a patient in the blood bank as fast as you can at the bedside.
I am not knocking your profession. I am just fed-up with being abused in the lab for absolutely NOTHING and, hence, am going into nursing (among other reasons). At least in nursing, you are (better) compensated and you have more choices available to you.
Just wanted you to hear/read the other view and realize that nurses aren't the only ones that get dumped on, get no respect, are overworked and underpaid, are under-appreciated, don't get good benefits, yada, yada, yada.
Looking for my oxygen mask as I begin my descent down the soap-box ladder,
lifeLONGstudent

You know what, though? This is a nursing forum, so surprise surprise, we discuss things of concern to us. Not because we don't believe that others have it rough, too. Not because we don't think that there should be forums available for other people to go and vent about the inequities they face. Just because it is nice to share OUR frustrations with OUR peers.

RNKPCE · Apr 7, 2005

Don't you agree that there are some days when you couldn't be paid enough to do what you do.? When you have a patient crashing and another patient wanting water added to their flower vases and the man down the hall pulling out his IV and the mutiple family members calling to see how their "mom" is, the aide who keeps disappearing, and you are having trouble reaching a doctor for the patient who is crashing. On these days I wish I could just leave and go home. No amount of $$$ is worth that stress. You become an expert at prioritizing but still you feel like it isn't worth it. Fortunately those shifts are far and few between.

live4today, RN · Apr 7, 2005

I thought the EXACT same way when I first started nursing school, and up until I started as an RN....
Here in CA I'm making between $25-29/hour depending on the weekend/night differential. I thought WOW I AM GOING TO BE RICH!!!! Especially when compared to what I was making as an aide.....all throughout school I was thinking WHY are all these nurses complaining?!?!?!?!?!
Well.....after my first day orienting in the PICU as a new grad, my thinking definately changed. I thought "wow...i am earning EVERY last dollar". Then my thinking changed even MORE when I got my first paycheck...."WHO THE HECK IS OASDI!?!?!?!.....whats this "agency fee" OH and btw we have to pay $52/month for PARKING!!!!" well you get the picture. It didn't really hit me and I didn't really realize what all the huffing and puffing was about until after my first two weeks of working as an RN.

Aint "reality" a bummer? :rotfl:

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · Apr 7, 2005

Don't you agree that there are some days when you couldn't be paid enough to do what you do.? When you have a patient crashing and another patient wanting water added to their flower vases and the man down the hall pulling out his IV and the mutiple family members calling to see how their "mom" is, the aide who keeps disappearing, and you are having trouble reaching a doctor for the patient who is crashing. On these days I wish I could just leave and go home. No amount of $$$ is worth that stress. You become an expert at prioritizing but still you feel like it isn't worth it. Fortunately those shifts are far and few between.

I agree with all of your post except that last line. Those shifts are all too frequent for some chronically understaffed facilities.

There ought to be some kind of compensatory pay for nurses who have to work in understaffed conditions, really, don't you think? It's so hazardous to the patient's and nurse's health to have to work like that.

Or maybe in the case of a call-off, the staff who does work should split the pay of the one who called out if no replacement was found?

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Apr 7, 2005

I agree with all of your post except that last line. Those shifts are all too frequent for some chronically understaffed facilities.
There ought to be some kind of compensatory pay for nurses who have to work in understaffed conditions, really, don't you think? It's so hazardous to the patient's and nurse's health to have to work like that.

Couldn't agree more.