We make SO much $$$

Nurses General Nursing

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My whining on the "What's wrong with nursing management?" thread reminded me of a funny story.

I was just a few weeks out of my ICU orientation, and I was talking to a family during visiting hours. One of them asked about my scrub color (I was wearing seafoam green, most of the nurses that night were wearing navy blue, the color we are supposed to wear). He asked if the different colors meant different levels, and I told him no, actually, we were supposed to wear blue, but I got these off the sale rack and I'm waiting to see if my boss says anything. (I really did get them off the sale rack; top and pants cost me $12!:) )

Then he said, "Sale rack? Why would you shop the sale rack? You're a registered nurse, you must make a ton of money!" I could not believe my ears. I don't know, maybe my paycheck would be a ton of money to him, but it's sure not to me. And for the back-breaking work we do, I don't think we get paid nearly enough.

Comments?

My employer was haranguing me about working more hours. I told him that I keep day shift open for the new line of work I'm trying to get in to. Definitely blue collar with the potential of eventually earning almost 3 times what I now make. Excellent medical benefits. I have had to remind these people more than once why I'm interested, and I always throw in that no college degree is required. I still haven't finished paying for my less than useful college education.

don't i wish, i have had people tell me the same thing since me and my wife are nurses they think we are rolling in the money.what a laugh. nursing is not the area to go into if you are looking for money. we have to much responsiblity and work to hard not to mention that the amount of education required is high than other professions that make much more money with better hours.

my friend works for a unionized grocery store as a cashier. she makes about $3.00 less/hr than i do as an rn,bsn w/ several certifications and 15 yrs experience. we started our jobs at the same time 15 years ago. i am glad to see my friend doing pretty well in terms of $, but c'mon,whose job is more stressful and requires a ton more education and intellect? she makes oodles more $ than lpn's in this area who are responsible for large groups of oldsters in the nursing homes around here. it's sad. we are professionals. most of us do a great job w/ what we have and people need us. you know what really got me? a few years ago when the lewinski/clinton thing was in the news and i heard that hog linda tripp was making $80k/year. for looking ugly and gosssiping w/ a ding-a-ing. sorry to be ungracious. i am not a morning person and i just heard an administration-loving (butt kisser) colleague got the 6% raise rather than the customary 3%. i guess they give extra points for prolonged sitting as lonng as you smile at management while doing it! arrrrgh!

Originally posted by Shevalove

Compared to other "professionals" our pay is bad ! Nothing against Computer Programers and Accountants an such...but we deal with so much, We have lives in our hands...but what do I know??

My husband is a computer programer, and can't find a job in his field. He is currently working as a contractor for a large company in another city. We as nurses may not make the highest salaries, but as my mother used to say "we'll always have a job"

I work with a CNA who constantly laments that RNS make too much money. It's funny.

Funny you mention this now! Just the other night one of the medical residents commented on how well we are paid. I informed him of how much we pay for health benefits and how much the suits plan on increasing our "contribution" by up to 25% over the next few years. So I said to him "with those numbers in mind, please explain to me how my 4% raise is going to make up for the ADDITIONAL 12 to 25% I will be paying for health insurance? Would you agree that I and my colleagues will essentially be taking a pay cut?" He was flabbergasted at how much more we pay for health benes than they do. He was also shocked to discover what the starting rates of pay are for an area so close to NY and Philly! So even our own health care colleagues are ignorant to the reality of our pay scales!!

In many occupations there is a difference between what a job involves and what is actually done. Nursing still has a reputation from an earlier shortage era during which salaries for nurses progressed faster than a lot of other careers. That rate slowed dramatically once managed care really took over, and there are those who claim it is going to become worse in the future as nursing becomes more commoditized. Unfortunately, public perception of the career has not changed. This includes incoming nursing school graduates who fail to realize their salary will reach a maximum 5 years later with only gradual inflation adjustments made afterward.

Due to the current recession a good portion of the overall labor population is overworked, so don't feel like you are alone. Many people are now doing the same quantity of work that was being done by 4 or more employees a few years ago. This reduction in staffing allows businesses to raise or maintain productivity. Doing more with fewer employees often results in a workforce who ends up tired, burned out, and ill.

As for programming, I worked as a programmer a few years ago. There are NUMEROUS delusions held by the public regarding that career. People think it is easy, high paid, fun work with plenty of jobs just waiting for someone to show up. Nothing could be further from the truth. Unemployment is a big part of a technology worker's career path, especially in programming.

Just wondering - What do stock brokers start out with in those states?

In those states there might not be any stockbrokers. For that matter, many of them in the more prosperous states were laid off after the crash of 2000. A few years ago I used to have a friend who worked for less than a year as a broker. That job is not as lucrative as you think. Few people stay in it very long since they cannot handle cold calling all day long with no results.

I make $20/hr as Clinical Coord. for a Pedi pvt duty agency, granted one of the things taken into consideration with my rate is I am "part time" admin and work the rest of the hours I need to be full time doing shifts and get "full time admin" benes (woo hoo! 40 hrs/yr sick time and 80 hrs/year vacation and crappy insurance I don't need at a cost that doesn't even make it worthwhile to sign up as a secondary). Oh and I mustn't forget...I get to be on call 24/7 for Nursing support...unless I make arrangements for coverage 2 weeks in advance.

Of the 30 Nurses I supervise(16 LPN, 14 RN) everyone[\I] of them is within $4 of what I make, 5 of the RNs are only .25 below me...and have worked for the company for

Obviously I really love my job.

Rosy:

"well we will always have a job" While job security is a big plus, we should not blindly accept crappy pay and work conditions and just shrug it off an say at least I have a job. I am lucky at this point because I am finally in a nursing job with very good working conditions and management. I work in an ICU inwhich the acuity is not always high and we never have more than two patients; and in addition we are almost always fully staffed. But I know this is the exception rather than the rule and have worked in really hard units. However, because I have been a nurse 4.5 yr.s I making about 85% of my max, I enjoy working with critical patients, but can't really afford to stay b/c I can barely support my family. So I am trying to go to anesth. school so that I can finally get ahead financially as a nurse.

Also, I agree with Connie RN post about what her sister the MD said about working for such a low wage. Many of my friends who are MD's said they would not do our job for such low compensation either. But then again they are taught not to feel guilty about demanding that they are compensated well for an important service, like we are in nursing school. If they would stress more unity and business savy than nurs. theories maybe we as a profession would stand up and demand better working conditions and pay. Nurses are a sleeping giant in healthcare and we need to get out the Nightingale era and into the 21 'st cent.

Anthony

well said. We are often taught to feel "lucky" to have a job, be there, etc.

THEY ( hospital admin. pts., pts's families) are LUCKY we are there for them....... may not always be the case in years to come.

Nurses need to check their " grateful attitude" at the door and act like professionals.

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