I hate to say this, but I think it's true.....

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I think alot of people are going into nursing these days because of the economy and the stories drilled in peoples heads about how nurses make alot of money for only a 2 yr degree. I can tell this by listening to students in my pre-req classes. Some whom I talk to don't have the slightest clue about nursing but they can spout off how much money they think they'll make when they first start out. I'm sure some of you on here will agree with me. I was talking to this one student and he told me, "Yeah, I'm going into nursing. I was a mechanical engineer and was laid off. I can't find work in that right now. Nursing is only two years. I made good money on my last job."

Specializes in Med Surg.

After my last employer rolled up his tent and left town I realized that I was totally burned out on the business/industrial complex. I had given serious consideration to nursing after getting out of high school but where I lived guys in nursing were very rare and were treated like overqualified orderlies - they even had to wear the same uniforms as the orderlies.

I decided to go into nursing for several reasons - it's a challenging field where you have to use your brain all the time, it's a good living once you establish yourself, I'm indoors in a more or less climate controlled environment, I don't get yelled at if I don't wear a tie to a meeting, and a desire to actaully do something that can make a difference.

I have never, ever, found myself bathed in a bright light from heaven and told by a disembodied voice that I should go be a nurse like some of the posters seem to have had happen to them.

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I think it is funny that so many talk about the great money in nursing. Personally, I don't think it is all that great. A lot of us that are doing a career switch will be taking a substantial pay cut! (at least I am...)

There are many reasons to go into nursing, and that is the business of ther person doing it. People of all sorts and with many different intentions can make excellent nurses. And, some who have "wanted it their whole lives" can be terrible!

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Yeah, It is good money, and if the pay for RNs ever goes down due to too many entrants, I'm sure that people will simply specialize. I've heard of a lot of people running around saying that they're going to be CRNAs in 5 years and making 200K a year (as if it were that easy or linear).

Okay this is getting so tiring- listen and listen well.

First off, nursing is good money, WHEN you get a job and keep it. No two ways about that. It's hilarious to me but it just dawned on me that people who make comments like this are probably disgruntled with the number of people coming into nursing.

And if the deman/supply theory is anything to go by, their fear is maybe that the pay scale will tip over....in the wrong direction and no longer make nursing, the lucrative(deny it) career that it is. Hehehe...there is enough to go around for everyone. Relax:) And if not, something else will work out just fine.

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Specializes in ICU.

I know that it's disheartening to hear people at the beginning of the program who seem like they have very different motives than you. Wouldn't it be fantastic if every doctor and lawyer also went into the field because they solely wanted to help people?? People tend to think that a nurse's job is easy because it's possible to teach one in 2 years, but while that may be frustrating, just think of how wonderful it is that so many more people are interested in the career enough to truly learn about it anyway?? The fact is that we NEED nurses. It may be tough for new grads right now, but the shortage is by no means over and we need all the compassion we can get (even if it was initially for the "wrong" reason!) My preceptor told me that his number one reason for nursing is STILL the money and nonetheless, he is no doubt the kind of nurse that I would want to take care of my family and me.

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Specializes in Med/surg, ICU.

from thecommuter's post: nursing is the only profession that scrutinizes the motivations of its members. are you doing it for the money? are you a nurse because you like people? are you a nurse because you're a selfless angel of mercy?

take a close, hard look at the other educated professions in society. nobody is really questioning the motives of the physician, college professor, engineer, librarian, social worker, physical therapist, businessman, linguist, or pharmacist. other members of their professions aren't bothering them about selecting their respective career fields for the love of the job itself or other altruistic reasons. other members of their respective professions aren't asking, "is this a higher calling for you?"

this might sound blunt, but another nurse's personal reasons for entering the profession are absolutely none of my business. we, as nurses and future nurses, need to take a lesson from the other professions and stop beating each other down. i do not work for free, and i fully expect to be paid for the services that i render.

for me, the kick-ass above post really captures how institutional sexism is operating in the female-dominated field of nursing. i do not think it is any one person's fault, hence the word "institutional", it is there whether or not you think it is there in your own personal life or job.

i think about this aspect of our female-dominated field a lot, especially when i see products marketed such as cute scrubs, angel pins, and t-shirts with hearts & butterflies. is that representing who we are? it is okay to discuss how much money we'll make in a lot of other professions but not so much in nursing.

also, suzanne gordon wrote "nursing against the odds". she is a journalist and in her introduction she says that she has written about lots of other people and professions but only when she tells people she is writing about nursing do they assume she is a nurse. she says no one has ever assumed her to be an actor, ballet dancer, or coal miner! very interesting messages that are sent out in the media.

i entered ns in 2003 and i chose this job because i knew i would love it and that it would pay well. i work in a federal hospital and make a good salary. the traits i see in nurses around me as well as myself are intelligence, speed, organizational skills, irreverant sense of humor, deep caring, and the ability to handle a lot of stress. nowhere do i see hearts & halos floating around them/me in an ethereal haze of angelic compassion!

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I have heard the same kind of conversations in my A&P class. I was laid off in December of 08 and had planned to go back to work in the same field. I hated my job and my job environment and knew it was not for me but felt trapped. My husband and I sat down and both concluded I needed to do something I felt passionate about or at least cared about. The being layed off was a catalyst and has lead me here. I am trying to get into an LVN program so I can spend some time in the nursing environment and continue on this path to RN. I am paying out of pocket for all of this as well. I do not qualify for financial aid or scholarships. I am 33, I have a husband and two kids. Those who are in this for the money frustrate me b/c it is difficult enough to get seats without those who are not really passionate about nursing. Not to mention, I have overheard conversations of those who have dropped out of the program (some more than once) thereby depriving someone else more serious and determined from having that spot and wasting alot of peoples time. While I understand circumstances demand it at times, it seems a bit more common than it should be. In my opinion. Some of these folks are coming back to nursing b/c they got laid off or their husbands did. I understand this and I hold no animosity, but it does seem unfair at times. These people already have more credits and having been in the program already, have a better chance of getting in now. It's making it hard on the rest of us who didn't ditch the program. (Just Saying) This is a life change for me. I am making my dream come true. I will not stop until I get there, but these folks do frustrate me as I mentioned. However, we are all complex creatures with differing motivations and mine are no more or less valid than any others. Besides, I'm really to busy trying to pass my lab practicals and exams to be fretting over this. lol So I'll shut up now. ;)

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Specializes in adult nursing.

i dont think it matters why you went into nursing, i wanted to be a vet, didn't get the grades and picked something else. does that mean when i qualify in 6 months i wont be good at my job? nope.

i do nursing in the uk, it is a three year diploma or degree and a four year honours degree and it is no longer done in colleges, i am third year of the honours programme, get my registration at the end of this year and my honours at the end of next and when people ask me why i went into nursing they usually follow with "it can't be for the money" its not a particularly well paid job over here however its better than some jobs. most people here go into it for job satifaction but if it was for money (aside from the fact they would be crazy!) that wouldnt make them any worse. my friend doesnt want to be a nurse anymore but wants to finish her degree and she would be a fantastic nurse who i would happily let look after me or my family and she doesnt even want to be one!

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Specializes in LTC, Medical, Rehab, Psych.

I'm sorry- what money?

I hear this kind of thing all the time and I always wonder what someone did before nursing that they're deciding to go into nursing for money. I'm a new nurse and I make the same amount of money I did before I changed careers. And I've now got new loans to pay back.

I'm not sure I could understand why an engineer would be talking about making money as a nurse since engineers are typically paid much higher salaries than nurses. Maybe since this person was laid off, they're thinking that nursing is at least a living as opposed to retail, etc?

I can't figure people out.

But that's alright. I did this for "opportunity," thinking I'd be adding to my skills, but as a June 2009 grad, I've found less opportunity than I had in my former occupation. I have an RN job but there are times when I wish I hadn't left the old one.

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Ones motivations shouldn't be anyone's business true, However what is unfortunate is the fact is the starter of the topic is right there's a lot of this going on and to be honest it affects care. Mostly I believe its the schools fault because they do not grade clinicals they only grade tests and allow many terrible clinical students with lil to no bedside manner and and absolute coldness of what they need to do or get paid to do and that's where it ends attitude.

So in these kinds of times this article I think should start off something more like "We know a lot of people are being motivated by dollars only should we really start looking at another way of grading our Nurses since care isn't the top priority in the schools at this time???"

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Specializes in adult nursing.
Ones motivations shouldn't be anyone's business true, However what is unfortunate is the fact is the starter of the topic is right there's a lot of this going on and to be honest it affects care. Mostly I believe its the schools fault because they do not grade clinicals they only grade tests and allow many terrible clinical students with lil to no bedside manner and and absolute coldness of what they need to do or get paid to do and that's where it ends attitude.

ok in the uk our clinical placements are assessed and depending on the school may be graded but there is a report at the end you carry all the way thruogh for otehr mentors to read so they can see if you did good or bad.

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Of course people want to earn a decent living. However, when all they talk about is money all through nursing school over and over and over it makes you worry. This is the kind of person who will cheat in school and again cut corners on the job and rationalize all kinds of behavior on the job. Everyone wants to have money but the question here is focus, values and ethics. I have no idea how one could screen for this. All nursing schools should have an ethics class for starters. But you can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink.

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I can say that nursing wasn't always my passion either. I wanted to become the first female Sergeat Major of the Army but after deployments my hubby said no. Also after being deployed and seeing many friends and other shot, killed and helping it lit a fire under me. I started out as a CNA and after the army MA so that I could sustain while doing preqs for nursing school. I think everyone has their own reasons but if they are in for the money, they will be looking for other employments very soon.

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