If Nurses were paid $8.50 per hr, would you or would you not

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I have seen a couple of posts about the motives of students/career changers/people going into nursing . I thought of the question and I want to know.

If RN pay became regulated and new grads had to start at $8.50 and the cap was $17...

1. would you still go into nursing ?

2. would you quit nursing?

why and why not.

Specializes in PCCN.

you know, this scenario isn't too far fetched- think about it- hospitals are hiring( when they are hiring, that is) new grads at lower rates. Since the market is saturated, they continue to do so. The long timers have been shoved out of the market due to the bs that is unacceptable anymore. Now the hospitals continue to hire less experience at less pay. Over a period of time........... I could see this happening, maybe not 8.50 an hour, but certainly not a rate that is worth the BS we have to endure. I used to be in IUE( electrical union- yep, im in one of those OTHER discussions, lol) and they, even being unionized, allowed the company to do this by a tier sysyem. The new hires would never make what the old hires would, and the starting rate was 1/3 their top rate.

Scary, isn't it.

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Why doesn't anyone ask Physical Therapists if THEY would work for $8.50 an hour?

JMHO and my NY $0.02.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

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well first i would say that if this were the case, the cost of education for a nurse would be much less. example, when i started out as a cna we were being paid anywhere from $5.15 (minimum wage at the time) to $8 an hour. not much, but my education to become a cna was 3 weeks long, and cost me $200.

so, with that said, you would have to expect the education required to be less, and the cost of that education to be less, if nurses were paid $8.50 an hour.

and if that were the case, then yes, i would still choose to be a nurse. just like many cnas that i know who are knocking on 50 years old, and have been at it since their teens or twenties. i am talking about those who do that work because it is their passion. i personally know of two who passed up a full scholarships for an adn program, that they were guaranteed a spot in, because the associated college was owned by the hospital system. and, these were intelligent women, who could tell the new nurses what to do, and how to do it. they just did not have the passion or desire for being a nurse.

i guess it can be compared to my dh and mil, trying to get me to go to med school. i have to explain that becoming a nurse isn't settling to me, it is what i want to do. i want to have more time with my patients, advocate for them, and provide a higher level of care. and those cnas that i was speaking of, maybe wanted to spend even more time with the patients, connecting with them, and getting to know them.

so, anyway, in short my answer is yes.

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geaux saints!!!... black & gold to the superbowl!!!.. who dat!!!...

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Specializes in SRNA.

Nope, I'd make more money sitting on the side of a road with a sad face and a cup.

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Specializes in Research & Critical Care.

Lol, you guys are getting way too technical with these answers.

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Specializes in LTC/Skilled Care/Rehab.

I get paid less than that working in retail but I don't think I could work as a nurse for that much. I would be fine working for less for a while since I am a new grad. Doctors get paid less during their residency and I would be fine getting paid less if I could do a RN residency. It would beat getting paid $0 and sitting on my butt. And maybe new grads wouldn't be so unattractive to hospitals.

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

I wish I could afford to work for $8.50 an hour...but my husband and I bust our butts as it is to pay bills and we live pretty simple.

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Specializes in LTC.
No way, no how....I like a roof over my head and food on the table. I love what I do, but doing it for $8.50 an hour is just saying "you're right, nurses are worthless".

HAHA if you knew how close I was to actually doing that (very little work for LPNs right now in my state)! I figure my sign might say "Out of work nurse...I've helped thousands, can you help me this time?" But I guess most people would say "DAHHHHH....WTH you're a nurse, isn't there supposed to job shortage?" :lol2:

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I'm with the ice cream taster. Any career path that paid that little would never have been a blip on my radar screen, so I wouldn't have considered getting the education. If something like that came out of some future health care reform bill, I'd be in law school before the ink on the bill was dry.

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Specializes in SRNA.

Heck, minimum wage in WA state is $8.55.

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Specializes in ER, PACU, Med-Surg, Hospice, LTC.

No way. Never. EVER!!!!

People on public assistance make more than that.

Heck, my FIL pays his housekeepers $25 an hour!! As a teen, I use to get paid $15 cleaning offices, PT....back in the late 80's!

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No way. Never. EVER!!!!

People on public assistance make more than that.

Heck, my FIL pays his housekeepers $25 an hour!! As a teen, I use to get paid $15 cleaning offices, PT....back in the late 80's!

Some new grad positions only pay about $25/hour :( and that's in California!! I should've saved on the student loans and got into cleaning houses.

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