Nurse pay in France equivalent to CNA pay here

[Emergent]

I work with a young French gal who immigrated to the United States. She was a nurse there. She hasn't gotten her license here yet and is working as a CNA. She says that nurses are paid poorly in France and her wages here are as a CNA are equivalent to what she was making there as a nurse. She also says that there is no differentiation between RN and LPN there.

She says in the United States there is much more freedom to advance economically.

[Leader25, ASN, BSN, RN]

I recently saw a documentary on the nurse who made more as a stripper in the infamous "pubic triangle" in Scotland I believe, than working as a nurse.

[FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN]

In many areas of the world a nurse's job is more like a CNA job is in the US.

And even in the US, there are many people who 1. don't know what we do and 2. look down on us.

Glad to be in the US where I earn more than most of these people anyway.

[ffooxx]

They have universal health care and their higher education is basically free...so it's apples and oranges.

[KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN]

They have universal health care and their higher education is basically free...so it's apples and oranges.

... and they have those vacations and pensions. But also THOSE taxes and those costs of living as well.

I do not know fine details but in my estimation more or less decent Paris suburbs are roughly close to North Chicago in terms of cost of living sans cars (excellent system of publuc transport instead). Far from big cities it drops significantly, of course. But I still do not know how someone making 40000 euros/year (high median is around 35000 according to most sources but let's stretch it some for big city factor) can live there with French taxes unless taking train 2 hours or more to and from work.

[Emergent, RN]

My coworker states that in France there are strict laws limiting workers from working overtime, so one is not able to supplement ones income the way Americans do. She prefers to make that choice herself.

[Oldmahubbard]

My coworker states that in France there are strict laws limiting workers from working overtime, so one is not able to supplement ones income the way Americans do. She prefers to make that choice herself.

Because in France, if you work OT, you are seen as taking someone else's job away.

[CiaMia, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, APRN, NP]

As I understand it, there is no NP role in Europe.

There is, but it is not as well established (or well defined) as in the US.

[SpankedInPittsburgh, DNP, RN]

According to my best 3 minute research on Dr. Google the average French citizen is taxed at a rate of almost 1/2 their income (46.5%). According to my last two week paycheck I grossed $4503.00 minus deductions (SSI, taxes and health insurance) of $1819.06 leaving me a net pay of $2684.27 or an effective tax rate of about 41%. Ask yourself if the French are better off with their expansive benefits then us. I think so but that is a matter of opinion. The French taxes are largely spent in France on the French which is most likely why there is no Tea Party there. Please note I'm a proud American and Army Combat Veteran so I have no intention of ever moving to France but it bears the question of what are we getting for all these tax dollars invested. This doesn't even take into account our gigantic and growing national debt. If we were taxed at the rate our government spends money I think we would have a tax rate that far exceeds France's. Unsuccessful Nation-Building and Corporate Welfare is very, very expensive and also economically unsustainable.