Being a newly grad nurse, I can't deny the fact that we are in need in money to help paying bills that have been piled up since we were in school. We doesn't love money, right? I am sure we all do, and we work hard for it.
But after listening to these nurses, I am wondering where is our professional/ethical practice?
I have recently picked some odd shifts and start working in a rural hospital through agency and happened to chat with few nurses who used to work in NWT and Yellowknife in isolated Northern Canada in the lunch room.
All they said is "working up north is good money and in fact, it is like our gold mine"... they went on and on about going through the loop hole such as ask the patient to come and see you after hours and you can get paid for call back, which is legal service just different time slot.. and get paid more.. etc
The more I listened, the more I feel wrong - first thing crossed my mind was "is that why we can't get too much work cause majority of the hospital / nursing facility is out of budget"???? Where is our ethic? I thought we all took an oath.
Well, maybe I am still a "new blood" to the profession and over-reacted with things like that, which is technically happening everywhere (someone has to watch out for themselves kind of mentality)?
"A reputation once broken may possibly be repaired, but the world will always keep their eyes on the spot where the crack was.†- Joseph Hall
I wouldn't say that money is EVERYTHING in the profession, but it is a part of it, just like any other industry.
If you're in it solely for the money, you probably won't last, because there are a lot of unpleasant aspects of the job.
At the same time, it certainly isn't wrong for anyone to be expected to be paid their fair share for their work.
As nurses, we went through years of schooling. We have to keep our knowledge and skill base, since the healthcare industry is constantly changing. No matter what type of nursing we are in, we are, in some way, impacting another person's life. Anyone who does that surely deserves compensation and is not less of a nurse for expecting that. If nurses were given free housing, car, and payment of all other bills, then yeah, one could say they were "in it for the money." But, we're like everyone else...somehow, we need to pay our own way in society, too.
A lot of people are saying they didn't take an oath. I thought all nursing programs did that at graduation, with the lighting of the candles.
You learn something new everyday.
It's symbolic...not literal.
As for the subject of the thread-I have ALWAYS treated healthcare for the business that it was...I'm on the clock for at least 6 days a pay period to utilize nursing skills, critically think, perform physical procedures to facilitate a goal for the patients I am assigned for with a strong work ethic; the reward is my paycheck that allows me to travel the world, pay mortgage and bills and live comfortably.
I entered this profession because I understood that it paid well and employment was never going to be an issue. Pay is very important to me because I want to be well off. If you don't care about the money, that's fine. I only ask that you send any disposable income my way.
A lot of people are saying they didn't take an oath. I thought all nursing programs did that at graduation, with the lighting of the candles.
You learn something new everyday.
Candles? There were candles?? I saw no candles. Nobody said anything to me about any candles.
There was no oath here, either. The only calling I received was when my dad opened that 'nursing' door with one hand and shoved me through it with the other because he was paying for my education; and nursing is all that he would pay for. Being a new grad (of high school), jobless, and clueless, when he slammed that 'nursing' door behind me, I took a deep breath, smiled, and said hello to the world of nursing.
I entered this profession because I understood that it paid well and employment was never going to be an issue. Pay is very important to me because I want to be well off. If you don't care about the money, that's fine. I only ask that you send any disposable income my way.
Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
Next people are going to be saying attending graduation wasn't mandated.
Nope. We had the choice to attend our pinning ceremony (3 people did decide not to attend) and the whole college graduation ceremony was optional as well. Most of the nursing majors skipped that one.
Being a new grad (of high school), jobless, and clueless, when he slammed that 'nursing' door behind me, I took a deep breath, smiled, and said hello to the world of nursing.
target98765
194 Posts
I didn't take an oath. I need money to live so if I help someone in the process that is great.