Governments need to learn our value

[ERnurse07]

Hi everyone,

I started reading a book last night about Canadian nurses in various areas of clinical practice and I began to think about how much we do - the author started by saying how nurses are there when we are born and nurses are there when we die - and we are there in many instances in between. Anyway, I started discussing the wage rates with my hubby this morning (he is a police officer) and he says that at the very least nurses wage rates should be on par with firefighters and police officers. The more I think about this the more I keep thinking - we need to be paid our value - I know this is an old issue - but it is getting under my skin - I am getting a degree which is now required to be a Registered Nurse in Ontario - spending thousands of dollars - re-mortaging our home - and there are bankers making more money than we do - and they are shuffling papers - not holding people's lives in their hands - where the hell is the justice?? So that is my complaint - I just needed to vent - thanks for reading

[dynamiteRN]

Thank-you for your suggestions dynamite :) I will have a look - does it apply to Canadian's as well? thanks!

ERtraumanurse

From the few hours I have spent in this website, it seems like they are looking at both national and international issues that comes up in the media. There were some members from other countries as well. Are you practicing in Canada?

[ERnurse07]

From the few hours I have spent in this website, it seems like they are looking at both national and international issues that comes up in the media. There were some members from other countries as well. Are you practicing in Canada?

I am currently practicing as a RPN and I am in school for my RN/BScN - my plans are to travel nurse to Florida or Texas during the winters since I am a winter hater :chuckle So the issues will affect me either way - whether US based or international - I have noticed that terrorist stuff is now included in the US textbooks - my interest is in the ER and I am assuming that hospitals want you to be prepared in this aspect? Talk to you soon!:)

[UnewmeB4]

First, I do agree, we are undervalued, and not just in a monetary way...make sure you read this befoore going on, as some of you will undoubtedly be livid.

Did you not look at what pay scales were before getting into this profession? I did. And that was "a 100 yrs ago", if I wanted to make more than a nurses salary, I would have become something else, or, would continue my education, and become a more highly paid nurse. Unfortunately, to do that, I would not be doing the kind of nursing I enjoy most, bedside nursing. Another option, would be Agency, or Travel. That is not an option for me personally, in this stage of my life. I would not have become a Social Worker, as many of their jobs require a Master's, and the pay sucks even more!

Of course I would like to get paid more, who wouldn't?