For experienced nurses, can you honestly encourage anyone to enter nursing?

wildtime88 · Jan 4, 2002

magelio,

>

If everyone suddenly overnight took your advice, then your workload would double. Then how would you feel?

People want to see change. With the proper changes, I think you would see a lot more nurses that would actually encourage others to join the profession.

Q. · Jan 4, 2002

Originally posted by fergus51
You can make a decent amount of money.....

I know I am stirring the pot, and I'm sorry to use you Fergus but there appears to be an underlying argument that you CAN'T make "decent" money in nursing.

"Decent" money is relative.

fergus51 · Jan 5, 2002

LOL! Don't worry Suzy I can take the flames. :)

My standards are somewhat lower than a lot of others here!! I see nurses who are unhappy making 25$ an hour and I understand their arguments for why they deserve more and I do think nursing is more stressful and requires more knowledge than a lot of other jobs that are payed better, but the first thing that pops into my mind is that a nurse with 30 years experience here isn't making that much. Honestly, I would be happy if nursing wages for more experienced nurses were between 25 and 30$ an hour because as you said decent is relative. I am probably moving back to the States in a year or so and I will be a lot happier with my pay. 40 000 US to me seems really decent right now when I am making a lot less than that.

I am prepared to be flamed.

mjamesRN · Jan 5, 2002

Someone just brought up this topic tonight and I said yes, I would encourage someone to go into Nursing. Know why? Because I know I may be the next person in that bed and I want to make sure there are plenty of people there to tend to me when I can't for myself. Is that a good reason?

Also, as someone who seems to always be "building" on his character, nothing can even hold a candle to the incredible character that comes from all the things we endure and complain about. With everything that Shocks the rest of the world (planes flying into buildings, etc----, may the blood splatter before our eyes)...if there weren't nurses around, mankind would have collectively lost its entire mind centuries ago.

Yes, my back hurts, my legs are like brittle sticks when I climb the stairs, when I catch my face in the mirror after a grueling shift, the oily shine of sweat and stress are inevitable -- and dealing with the politics -- another story...when I went into this I knew it was time to work under my own licensure and NEVER AGAIN for someone else's money. You can fire me for having a VOICE, but you can't take my license, and YES

Q. · Jan 5, 2002

Fergus, I totally agree with you.

My biggest problem with the pay in nursing is NOT the starting pay. Around here, new grads start at $19/hour - and I think that is just fine for a new nurse. My problem with the pay occurs when nurses aren't compensated comensurate with experience and education. For example, there is no incentive other than personal gain to continue your eduacation in nursing. There is no incentive other than personal gain to get additional, COSTLY certifications in this or that.

Another example is this nurse on my floor who's experience and knowledge far surpasses me by a longshot; and while our employer has raised the starting salary for all our new grads to $18/hour, her salary has remained the same for....what....4 years now? The nurses she is training are sometimes making more than her. THAT is the problem.

So ya know what? Fine, let's all give everyone $80,000 a year. But in 4-5 years when we're all STILL MAKING THAT AMOUNT and new grads are making, say, $95,000 a year, will everyone still be happy?

In my opinion, no. It's not the sheer dollar amount I think - I think it's just not getting compensated for your experience and education that you acccumulate over time.

I know others would believe otherwise, that I really think nurses deserve food scraps as payment; ya know, seeing as I myself am a nurse and all, that "has it made," but that's not really the case at all.

nurs4kids · Jan 5, 2002

fergus & suzy,

ya'll rock!!! I completely agree with your philosophy, but I gotta tell ya one thing. When you have kids, that "i'm paid enough" thing changes. It brings out the beast in you. You begin to salivate(love for the child), you focus in on the kill (the desire to give your child the best), you look around at your competitors (those with the same education, the same goals...those who are making MORE). You realize to give your child the best, for your child to compete, YOU need MORE. Sooooooo, all rationale is gone...that "as long as I can have a little extra after the bills", is gone. It becomes, I NEED all I can get, I DESERVE more...my kids DESERVE the best.

The only thing that pulls me back to your side is the realization that my kids could care less about my goals for them. Right now, my kids want momma, food and love. I just wonder, though..when they get older and competition does matter to them; materialism sets in...will I become frustrated with pay?

okay, it's 4am, I'm rambling...

you guys still rock, though !

trac

fergus51 · Jan 5, 2002

LOL Tracy! I only have a Chihuahua so I can't really relate (she only costs about 30 cents a day to feed and I don't have to worry about clothes or college).

I COMPLETELY agree that experience and education should be rewarded. Our pay scale maxes out at 30$ an hour sfter nine years with our new contract. So nurses with nine years are making the same as nurses with 30 years. It used to max out at six years, but the gov't had to come up with another way to keep us from making money. I think it is absolutely ridiculous here that nurses who want to go into specialty areas like ICU, L&D, NICU, OR, Emerg, etc. have to take courses on top of their degree and most hospitals won't pay you for it. To work in L&D our hospital requires that you have taken at least 3 courses in L&D (2 theories and a practicuum) which costs about 1600$. We are short nurses but they won't pay any nurses to take the courses, they prefer to just wait for a nurse who has already taken them on her own time to appear. My BIGGEST nursing issue here is the lack of training available, especially to new grads, and the fact that they will not train nurses in specialty areas when we have a huge shortage is ridiculous. It just forces new grads to go to the US where they can be trained on the job in a specialty area as soon as they graduate. Education should be encouraged and rewarded, as should experience.

Stepping off the soapbox now...

leesonlpn · Jan 6, 2002

I have been nursing for 22 years. I have been working with undergrads the past few months and the majority I wish hadn't chosen nursing as a career. They are totally unenthusiastic, do not volunteer to do anything, their work is sloppy, they don't seem to have a clue about bedside nursing. What do they talk about? Money. How much do you make on a stat. How much do you make on overtime etc. They wear blue nail polish, hair in those messy pony tail styles, they chew gum, way too much jewelry. I blame the way the degree program is being taught, and I blame the undergrads who have entered a profession that should only be undertaken because it's a heart choice, not a wallet choice. The students have two more years to go, and then guess what? I'll be working with them. With the raise the nurses recently got in British Columbia, it's more evident than ever who is earning the dollars, and who isn't.

mjamesRN · Jan 7, 2002

I'm a new nurse-- just started in May (that seems like a hundred years ago now), and I've seen several posts regarding the inefficient training the new grads are getting. I would like to see some specific detailed examples of how new nurses are "sloppy" in their work. I ask this because I take my job very seriously and want to make sure I'm not among the sloppy.

I find myself torn between what I do to make a sick person feel better (a basic part of the vocation I hope), and the lack of time to do this when there are so many policies to adhere to and so much documentation to be done. Whenever an error is approached by my manager, I find that it's not necessarily something that is detrimental to the patient, but about keeping the hospital out of court.

This is very discouraging. I leave work very angry alot of the time because I felt I could've done more for my patients but that isn't as important as far as the corporation is concerned.

What is this diacotomy? Is this the real reason nurses are so discontented? ten years ago when I consideered nursing, I balked becasue I felt I didn't have the true vocation. I admit I went into it more than partly for the money this time, but I don't FEEL like a nurse. I feel like a pawn.

debalina · Jan 8, 2002

[ To all recent new grads-I find it so sad that so many new nurses feel that way. And it's true - My first job out of school was at the hospital I trained in -even the same floor. I did well on my orientation-eager to work hard and to learn. Then I transfered to my regular assignment on 3-11. I hit a brick wall in the guise of another nurse Let's call her Kate. I felt she was stalking me!

She didn't trust me to measre urinary output, record I&O, to give meds, or to chart correctly. She did not give me any support or encouragement just criticism. I did leave the hospital after 3 1/2 months feeling no confidence in myself and feeling I had made a very poor choice.

I don't know how I mustered up the courage to apply to a LTC facility. But there I found a an older nurse to help me get my nursing act together. she helped me find my own confidence and by getting myself together-learned how to become a team player. soooo.... all you experienced nurses out there - be nice to each other and help the new grads because we{as a profession} need all the help we can get!!

bungies · Jan 21, 2002

I've actually struck this question in my family recently. My dad wants me to talk my half-brother into nursing (you can always get a job, he's great with people, that kind of thing) but I just can't do it. If someone doesn't look to nursing for themselves, I won't try to talk them into it. HOWEVER, I chose undecided, because I have and will again describe why I love nursing to people who are interested.

Hard question, harder to answer in poll format. I'm not undecided as such, just can't give a simple answer to a question that I consider more complex.

prn nurse · Jan 31, 2002

NO !!