Thinking about nursing

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FarmgrrlRN

290 Posts

Specializes in Pediatrics.

I live in southeastern Virginia, aka Home of the US Navy. Here new grads start off at $16/hr for days; $20/hr for nights. Speaking to nurses, friends of the family, their saying is "don't do it for the money!" because our area does not pay its nurses well.

New homes, that are in nice neighborhoods, all seem to start in the $160's range. The house we live in is 50 yrs old (as well as all of those around us) and our backyard neighbor has the same 1000 sq ft house on the market for $87K, which is verrryyy low for this area these days. (These are not pretty houses, teeny 3BR/1BA, he's lucky, he has a garage!)

Its seems with the market and interest rates, home prices have sky rocketed as interest rates have plunged. An avg 2BR/2Ba apt can rent for $650-900/mo in this area.

I'm going to school so that I can one day own my own home and a new car, and I also REALLY want to be a nurse! I don't expect anything too fancy but at this rate anything will beat the 15 yr old car I drive now! Anyways, I'm a little worried but I expect that in two years, pay rates should increase (hopefully) just in time for graduation. :) I know they still won't be where they should be. A girl can dream right?

SirJohnny

401 Posts

Specializes in LTC & Private Duty Pediatrics.

All:

- It's not all about the $$. I have an MS-Computer Science degree, and will be taking a 50% pay cut to go into the nursing field.

- But, I am sick and tired of the b.s. management that we have to put up with in this field. Am tired of sitting in a cubicle all day long. Tired of last minute - hurry up projects, where you are told on Friday that you will be working the weekend.

- We are salaried, so no overtime for comming in on weekends.

- Tired of living in the absolute middle of nowhere (Evansville, Indiana).

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- You would think after 8 yrs of school (BS-Applied Math, BS-Comp Sci, MS-Comp Sci), things would be better.

- I have been through 4 layoffs in past 2 years (EDS, Lucent, Qwest, and Hewlett-Packard). Am now working in Evansville, IN as a software engineer.

- I also see more and more of the software engineering jobs going overseas or to H1B visa holders.

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- So, that's why I want to go into nursing.

- Also, the travel nurse opportunities really appeal to me. Would love to work 13 weeks and then take a few weeks off and then repeat it again.

- Also, can finally live back in central PA (State College area).

John Coxey

([email protected])

Furball

646 Posts

Hi John! Sounds like nursing will be a great change for you. Good luck! Most of the male nurses I've worked with have been excellent...I've even met a few Comp. sci escapees! :)

John, you sound a lot like my brother. He is in computer science too and he was making $75,000.00 on his job before he got laid off. He has been through several lay offs in just the past 6 years and he is fed up with it all. I told my brother I think he would make a GREAT nurse because he is so loving and caring plus he has an interest in the human body. He is seriously thinking about it too. His wife is already a nurse and she told him the EXACT same thing I did about how he will make a great nurse.

tonicareer

374 Posts

It is definitely cost of living and supply and demand. I have a degree in el. ed that is worthless because of the huge supply of teachers. Here I can make 40 to 60 dollars a day as a sub (if I get called which is seldom). I can work day care centers for minimum wage part time no benefits. But making 15 dollars an hour or more for nights and benefits sounds great. The average price of a house (3 bedroom and 1 bath) is around 45, 000 here. Now if I move to a big city I will make more per hour and pay more for rent or mortgage. Right now only 600 a month for an apartment. I would not want to live in New York or California because of the high cost of living. But in a small rural area 15 an hour seems like a lot( at least to me). Plus you can go any where and quickly find a job. The papers are full of ads (yes I know some of the places are crummy to work at). But the biggest problem is waiting to get into school for a nursing major in the first place.

studentdeb

364 Posts

You guys make me wonder if I should stay in my current position where I make $16.28 per hour. I live in Ohio so I am hoping that once I finish school, I will be able to make a decent amount. I heard once that one of the local hospitals start RN new grads off at $19.00 but in a couple of years, that should be a little more. I have doubts everyday about going for nursing (mostly because I have a fairly decent job, but not in medical) so I keep plugging away with school and hope that I can do it.

studentdeb

364 Posts

Rebel_Red- can I ask why you left social work? That is something I have considered also, but decided on nursing. I think if I can't hack nursing, social work will be my next field of choice.

Thanks

Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

Look over on the General Nursing Discussion board here

New RN grads in Florida stated they are only make $15-$16 an hour. The only way to find out what hospitals are really paying is to talk to the nurses who actually work there, but for anyone wondering how much their state is paying go ask there! I never go by what the newspapers say.

One of the best paying places (and low cost of living, etc) is Texas! I am in Oklahoma now (where they pay is not good) and after graduating we are serioulsy thinking of moving to Dallas area (its only 2.5 hours away from here) just because they pay is soo much better.

M

neelyt

24 Posts

I have been reading some responses in this section and have noticed a lot of you referring to an RN as only a two year degree but the schools I have looked at required 120hrs to complete the nursing degree, I am just now able to pursue my nursing degree and would like to know what to expect out there. I have not been around the nursing world to much as I have not been able to pursue my goal of becoming a nurse until just recently. Help me if you can. Tom

LoriB

77 Posts

Tom,

If you have a bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field you can do an accelerated bsn in one year or a non-accelerated bsn in two years. I believe the ADN programs are two years but I haven't looked into that so someone else can answer. I am beginning my pre-reqs in the fall and will hopefully start nursing school next May. I am applying to two accelerated programs in Philly.

Lori

neelyt

24 Posts

Thank you Lori, I only have an associates completed and I just found out that some of the credits might not be accepted so I will be in the same boat you and might be even farther. None the less I will complete everything needed in the next year. I will get my RN. Tom.

jadednurse

435 Posts

I think there is an important point to considerwhen you say you are surprised at nurses who complain about their salaries: Where are they in their careers? I didn't complain about my salary when I got my first job as a nurse...I didn't know any better! I think alot of the frustration is voiced by nurses who have been in the field for awhile.

Seems other professions , while they make less in starting salaries, quickly meet and exceed our profession's after 10, 15, 20 years of experience.

And I just had to chuckle to myself when I noticed that most of the posts that said nursing isn't an underpaid profession are coming from people who haven't gotten their feet wet yet. It would be interesting to see if you feel the same in about 10 years! :chuckle

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