Hey so young nurses, are we really making "that much"?

[tarotale]

I ponder about this all the time. If you are a RN now by this point, you know you don't make that much, but still most of us admit that "well, still among our friends, I make decent money." Are we?

I have been a nurse now about year and half, and I really wonder if people at my age group make as much as or more than I do; I live at Dallas, 1yr and half exp making $25/hr + $4 for nights ($29), and $34 for weekend nights. I think it comes to about $3100-3600 a month after taxes , and I don't know about you, but to me, that doesn't feel very much. I have friends who are teachers, architects, interior designers, and etc, and seeing the way they spend, I doubt that I make more than they do. If I even increase the times I eat out by little bit, I can clearly see my budget affected by it, and it seems like everyone and their grandmother eats out everyday and they still have money to buy other stuff.

Or maybe they are broke and living by paycheck to paycheck because they are not saving up any monies? Ah... I really wish I made enough not to really care whether I eat out today or not. And by the way, I am single and childless... well, I forcefully support millions of lazy freeloaders with my sweat-stained money, so I guess I have lots of children. So, what do you think?

[silverbat]

new mexico... experienced RN $27/hr and up up up New grad, I think aaround 22-24. I have many years Rn exp and work for an ins comaopany and make 68,500.00/yr

[vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN]

In my opinion, in my area, I think that starting Lvn pay is better than decent. Most of my new grad friends and myself make 45-50k. We only went to school for 1 year. The avg annual household income in my area is $80k. This means that we make better than avg, if you consider that a household may contain 2 working adults. Many jobs pay $10 per hr in my area. I recently compared starting Lvn pay to starting teacher pay. LVNs earn more. And we don't have to obtain a bachelors and a post graduate degree as teachers do. I'm very grateful to be doing the work I do.

[FutureRN101]

I have friends who are teachers, architects, interior designers, and etc, and seeing the way they spend,

This is a dangerous way to think. My husband suffers from the same mindset as you on this topic at times and I always remind him that Seeing other people spend money does not mean they SHOULD be spending money. You don't know what goes on in their bank account. If you are not in debt, be thankful. If you can afford clothes, food, and shelter be thankful!

I don't live in Texas but $29/ hour is a pretty dang good hourly wage in my opinion. I'd suggest seeing a financial advisor, they may offer you some suggestions on how to budget or what to cut. I'd say maybe look at your rent/mortgage and whether it is too high for you to be doing the other things you need and want to be doing.

Lastly, I know it can be hard but try to change your mindset. It means the difference between being frustrated and being happy!

[brandy1017, ASN, RN]

It really depends where you live in general and how generous the hospitals are where you work. Many places the wages are on the lower side and even experienced nurses don't make that much, wages can be compressed, but a good, strong unionized hospital I would expect to have better wages and raises. But remember differentials can be cut at any time. I know they have cut differentials significantly at one hospital system and then offered bonuses to the day shift to pick up the slack when people left. There is nothing to stop them from cutting benefits and pay at any time, esp if you don't have a union!

I agree nurses don't make that much money and we sure work our butt off for what we do earn! Also it annoys me to see freeloaders coming into the hospital for free while we work like dogs and our insurance is crap! It just gets worse every year. I really wish we had a level playing field where everyone had the same insurance and out of pockets, but the only way this will happen is if we had national healthcare and I doubt that will ever happen! Although I'm surprised that the corp don't want govt to take over as this is a major expense for them and cuts into profits esp when competing with other countries that have national healthcare!

Many people appear richer than they are thanks to credit cards and home equity line of credit! Instead of saving money, they just spend and live for today. But eventually it will catch up to them.

The only upside to nursing is overtime is usually available so if you need more money you can work overtime or pick up extra hours via agency, if you can handle the stress that is!

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

Budgeting is the key to having financial freedom. Some people never learn this and while it appears that they are living well the bank owns their lifestyle.

Example: Currently I'm sharing a house while I'm looking for a property. The house is beautiful, with top appliances, fixtures and decor. However, nothing is owned outright and the only way my landlord can manage is through lines of credit and renting out rooms. On the surface, she has it made.

Then there's myself. I own nothing and I have nothing of value but I also have no debt at the moment and a decent savings. You never know what someone has. When I was in my 20's I learned how to budget. Saving is like paying a bill, and I buy only the things I can afford.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Many people appear richer than they are thanks to credit cards and home equity line of credit! Instead of saving money, they just spend and live for today. But eventually it will catch up to them.

I completely agree with your salient point. One-third of all Baby Boomers have zero dollars saved for retirement. But because of installment loans, credit cards, leases and mortgages, many people in this demographic cohort appear on the surface to be rather well-off even though they're insolvent.

[Racer15, BSN, RN]

It could be worse. As an ER RN with almost 2 years experience, I make $18.94/hour base pay. Weekend shifts do not pay any different than weekday shifts. I get a 12% shift dif for working 3p-3a and that is it.

[tarotale]

It could be worse. As an ER RN with almost 2 years experience, I make $18.94/hour base pay. Weekend shifts do not pay any different than weekday shifts. I get a 12% shift dif for working 3p-3a and that is it.

good lord does gas cost $2 where you live? i'm sure you will be able to find a ER job almost anywhere in metroplex area with experience.

money is really weird thing though... I calculate my budget, and spend the amount that's within my calculation, but somehow, the dollars in bank acct. ends up being less than what I expected... money is a weird thing. Feels so little when they come in, but feels like a lot is going out even with couple dollars used.

[txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN]

I work for two LTACH's in the Ft Worth area and I make $35 base plus differentials /charge diff at one and real close to $45 at the other (including my diffs).....My charge/house diff is $2 nothing compared to the diffs working weekends or nights.

I didn't know that LTAC would pay that much for RNs, although I assume that most likely, RNs would be holding supervisory positions there (according to my coworker who held the position, it was very very cushy, M-F, +$75,000). I have a friend in this same area making $45/hr base pay as medsurg resource nurse, but honestly, I refuse to work medsurg no matter how much money they would give me, which is the reason I crossed bridge to ER; I applied to 2 NP schools already, hoping I get in next Spring.

Thanks for the info though, it's really fortunate that someone as resourceful as you're live within the same city :)! As SubSippi says, I think it hits tough that we get such as painfully slow raise. There's no merits on performance (maybe a $5 cafe gift card? HA), no bonus on performance, no shared bonus, etc and that's what kills also imo

[tarotale]

I work for two LTACH's in the Ft Worth area and I make $35 base plus differentials /charge diff at one and real close to $45 at the other (including my diffs).....My charge/house diff is $2 nothing compared to the diffs working weekends or nights.

so quick question, what kind of stuff do RNs do at LTAC? I have never held a position at LTAC, since it mostly reminds me of places like nursing homes, SNF, or rehabs where you have people for too long time and just grind the day with them in misery, one nurse per hundred patients, etc; at least that's the impression I have (which I assume would be wrong to some people, and correct to some)

I basically set my mind never to work at any nursing home or long term setting, and I bet there's a good reason why they pay you more at those places compared to hospitals. Your thoughts?

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

so quick question, what kind of stuff do RNs do at LTAC?

LTACH = Long Term Acute Care Hospital

LTAC is acute care, but the patients are kept in the facility anywhere from a few weeks to several months. They're still sick enough to be in an acute care hospital setting, but there's nothing more that can be done for them at places like Baylor, HEB, UT Southwestern, etc. Basically, the major hospital is losing money by keeping a patient who won't improve, so they're discharged to LTAC to continue the acute care.

LTACHs have ICUs, pulmonary units complete with vents, med/surg floors, telemetry units, renal floors with hemodialysis, and so forth. Patients typically have complicated wounds, trachs, vents, central lines, multidrug resistant infections, and other interesting things going on.

Do not be fooled. These are not nursing home residents. They are just as sick, if not sicker, than the patients you have dealt with on a typical med/surg floor. However, they're been sent to LTAC because they're in limbo. They're no longer profitable to the acute care hospital due to their diagnosis related groups (DRGs), but they're still too sick to go home, so they've gotta go somewhere.

Ratios in the D/FW area range from 1:6 to 1:10 for med/surg LTAC. ICU LTAC might be 1:2 to 1:3. Kindred Hospital pays very competitively but has a shady local reputation. Other area LTAC hospitals with better reputations include Lifecare Hospital, Vibra Specialty Hospital, Ethicus Hospital, and Regency Hospital.

[firstinfamily, RN]

Hey Tarotale: First of all, there is never, never enough money!!!! Most people live paycheck to paycheck and then wonder where all their money went!! Frankly, I was raised by depression era parents so we were taught to be thrifty. We recycled before recycle was a common thing. It all depends on how you want to live. If you want to live paycheck to paycheck it is very easy to do by spending. If you want a more quality of life you watch what you spend and save what you can. Materialism is not all it seems to be. People are more important, surround yourself by those who are important and meaningful to you. Your friends may be living beyond their means, credit is an easy way to obtain things!!! And look like you have $ when really you are going further in debt!!! Are nurses paid enough, it depends. I remember when there were hiring bonuses, specialty bonuses, weekend bonuses, etc. With all the cost cutting, nursing being one of the biggest costs(staffing) is usually the first to feel the pinch. I made my highest rate $50.00/hr when I worked agency, that was in my early 30's and believe me, it has been straight downhill since. If you want more $ you are going to have to work more, either part-time at another facility or agency type work. Get your priorities straight and then go for what you want. I don't think for all the years of nursing I have really been paid enough, but I have been able to contribute to my families well-being and that has meant a lot to me. I succeeded further than anyone else in my family or high school friends, but some of it was done at a sacrifice. You need to decide what you want and go for it!!!! There are only a few ways to make more money, one by improving your job status, the other by spending less. I will warn you that moving up in nursing is not always associated with a pay increase, sometimes managerial positions do not make as much as clinical settings.