Encouragement needed - Frustrated and insulted by hourly rates

[kemansha1]

I am a new grad. I chose to pursue nursing as a second career based on all of the stories I have heard of nurses being valuable assets in a community/in demand etc. I did well in school. I passed my NCLEX a month ago and I have been searching for a god job. As an adult I have some real-world experience of what a salary needs to be to be "good." I knew I was going to have to step back a bit in terms of money as I launch my new career but I am feeling frustrated and frankly insulted by some of the hourly rates I have been quoted. I have spent a lot of time on this site reading people's complaints about treatment/hours/pay etc and I am very worried that I have made a mistake in investing in this career. Please, someone help me regain confidence that I will find a good job with opportunities for growth.

[MarquieshaH]

Good luck with whatever you choose to do. I hope everything work out fine for you.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

I was expecting you to say $18-20/hr base pay or something like that. I echo the others, that the pay rates you have been offered are actually exceptionally good for a brand new nurse.

[OBwonKnewbie]

You aren't licensed and you ate upset they aren't offering you the same pay as an experienced nurse??

[ponymom]

II entered nursing (lpn) as a second career so by the time I retire I will not have progressed to the higest wage I could be at had I started earlier. I come from a well-paid trades background in manufacturing. Once I had my fill of the health care cluster mess, I put my plans for further schooling on indefinite hold and jumped right back into the trades at a $$$ raise over my nurse wage and once again enjoy all the nice benes I had before nursing with none of the ltc bs. My factory wage pays about $16hr more than my nursing wage, >$35 hr which is pretty good money for me. I have no loans, mortgage or etc. I also live in the northeast but I live rural, for that I am very thankful. Cheap living here.

[cylmara]

26.50 per hour ?

Here in Florida if you have at least 3 years experience in a hospital you can make 25.00 per hour.

The rate for new grad is 22.00 per hour...

[cappeljs]

As. Nurse of over 45 years, I would advise working in a hospital for some solid med-surge experience. Give yourself a chance to see what area of nursing you enjoy. You won't get paid top dollar when you are just starting out, and having clinical experience will make you a much better NP. Best of luck to you!

[SunnyPupRN]

There are probably hundreds of new grad RNs on this site who would KILL to find an RN job in a hospital and be able to make $25/hour.

Yup, I've been an RN since 2003 [with a few years taken off] and I make $19/hr with 25 cent shift differential.

[Mchristy25]

Thank you for your positive post. I am not the original poster but some of these replies were simply mean. I find it hard to believe that some of provide compassionate care to your clients. It's difficult and frustrating when you work hard on school and you don't feel like you will be able to support yourself financially. The East coast is very expensive to live. OP hang in there!

[lufkin]

I believe above all else, nursing is a calling. You can not go into nursing for profit. It has to be a heart thing. Just passing your NCLEX is great, but there are steps to get to greatness. As one of the post stated, it is best to work in a hospital setting in different areas to get a variety of experience for several years. A new nurse really needs the experience of everyday life in various environment, then they can go and get the better jobs with better pay.

But, money is not what nursing is about.

[emmy27]

Yup, I've been an RN since 2003 [with a few years taken off] and I make $19/hr with 25 cent shift differential.

Whaaaaaat?

Where on earth are you working? That was new grad hospital pay in one of the most poorly-compensated regions of the country ten years ago. A nurse with 13ish years of experience should definitely be making more than that.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

I believe above all else, nursing is a calling. You can not go into nursing for profit. It has to be a heart thing. Just passing your NCLEX is great, but there are steps to get to greatness. As one of the post stated, it is best to work in a hospital setting in different areas to get a variety of experience for several years. A new nurse really needs the experience of everyday life in various environment, then they can go and get the better jobs with better pay.

But, money is not what nursing is about.

Oh, for pity's sake!

Nursing is not a calling. Above all else, a nurse should be competent. This calling business is just judgemental feces from a male bovine. You absolutely CAN go into nursing "for the profit" and still be a great nurse.

[Ackeem, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN]

The struggle is real in Florida i have to work 60 hrs to break 70k a year.