Is the pay really that bad??

[myty23]

I've read a couple of people on this site saying stuff like "Don't go into nursing for the money" and "Don't expect to get rich with nursing", etc. I'm curious as to why some are saying this. I've been working in the banking field for about 6 years or so and I'm still only making about $25k a year and there's not much better in sight for the future for me. Nursing would have me starting out making at least in the low $40's in my area. There is really not much else in my area where I could make this amount of money unless I get into sales, which I am no good at and it's not stable. I know $40k a year isn't making it rich, but it is making it comfortable and I would be able to take care of my family without struggeling so much. Is there a reason that there is such an attitude about the money? Is it worth it? I really feel that I have a calling to be a nurse (as cheesy as that sounds!), it's all I think about and I don't know why but I'm so drawn to it and the pay makes it even that much better for me. But I'm just curious as to why some seem so down on it.

[k_r_ah]

To support a family nowadays comfortably in most places takes well over a six figure salary

I know many families with children, including my own, that live comfortably without making six figures. Just wondering, what is your definition of comfortable?

[Genetics56]

To support a family nowadays comfortably in most places takes well over a six figure salary

I know many families with children, including my own, that live comfortably without making six figures. Just wondering, what is your definition of comfortable?

Driving a bently, living on the beach, having a house party every weekend (need to keep my social repuatation up to par), purhasing a new big screen tv every month, taking exotic vacations, and eating out every night.

or

Have to live in San Francisco, or New York, or Boston, or Chicago and spend $400 a month just to park my car at my apartment that costs $1,400+ dollars a month, while also driving a bently, and taking exotic vacations.

For me, living comfortable is the following:

Have a car that gets you to point A to point B, has good gas mileage, a cheap house (or apartment), eating out once or twice a month, having a backyard to grow food and have flowers, just having tv and Internet, having a health family relationship, and being able to watch football.

[Jo Dirt]

Very inaccurate infomration above as well, at least around here. BSNs have a bit more classes than management classes and have a whole lot more options than becoming a manager, such as a researcher, an educator, pharm rep, public health representative, on and on.

It took me 15 or so courses to complete my ADN to BSN and only one was in leadership. It might be a regional thing, but if the only difference between an ADN and a BSN where you live is a couple of management courses, then the ADNs are greatly ripped off.

There is a whole forum for these types of discussions, so probably shouldn't go there and get off topic from the original thread, but statements such as yours is a sore spot with me. :chuckle:banghead:

This is true. I get a little annoyed when people diss BSN's and assume the only difference between a BSN and ADN are "fluff" classes. Until you actually take upper division courses in nursing and understand the depth of the coursework you can appreciate the value of earning a BSN.

This doesn't belittle ADN's. Their level of study is just different, not inferior.

I'm still an ADN myself and I'm proud of it. I am also proud I will finish the BSN program in Spring 09.

[Nacki, MSN, NP]

Very inaccurate infomration above as well, at least around here. BSNs have a bit more classes than management classes and have a whole lot more options than becoming a manager, such as a researcher, an educator, pharm rep, public health representative, on and on.

It took me 15 or so courses to complete my ADN to BSN and only one was in leadership. It might be a regional thing, but if the only difference between an ADN and a BSN where you live is a couple of management courses, then the ADNs are greatly ripped off.

There is a whole forum for these types of discussions, so probably shouldn't go there and get off topic from the original thread, but statements such as yours is a sore spot with me. :chuckle:banghead:

Tweety,

this is nothing for you to get bent out of shape for, you've taken this completly off subject. BSNs do get more management classes than ADN's and have the option of furthering their education easier than ADN's. I didn't say that management was the only position BSN's can get, heck I didn't even say what kinds of jobs they can have. Where I'm at just about the only job a ADN nurse can get is at bedside. If I wanted to move up I would have to get my BSN (which I'm working on) and guess what? It's only 7 more classes/3 semesters I have to take. This is not to be a diss on BSNs in the first place. Read the other paragraph please. I'm not changing the topic of the thread. My point was that BSN and ADN are both adequately prepaired to be good bedside nurses and we take the same boards to become a RN!

[beachbum3]

I don't get where people say $20-$27 an hour starting is not good pay. Please. That is very good pay. Why do people even care to be rich? If you become rich, just about every single person accumulates more expenses and drains the extra income anyways. My yearly expenses is expected to be $16,312 my first 12 months out of college. With the salary that I have that I listed in another post above, I could go and purchase a brand new car, get a house, and a lot of other stuff, but now way am I going to do so. Most people I graduated with that I was friends with got new cars. I still drive the same used 2001 Ford Focus that I was driving before college. I hope to drive this car for another good decade. A good nursing friend that I went to college with got a starting salary of $27.50 per hour. This person went out and bought a whole new wardrobe, brand new car (value of $35,000+), goes out every weekend, and travels all of the time when she can. What was wrong with the clothes and car she had before?

I have to disagree... first of all "good money" is according to ones situation and perspective. Good money to me is making enough to pay the bills, have some to save, be able to take my family on vacation every year, and buy the things that I want and need (with in reason). I want a new car... is it absolute necessity? No, but I drive a 2 door civic with 150 k miles on it and have 3 kids. I'd like something bigger. I get enjoyment out of having nice things. Clothes wear out. If it looks decent still- ie not stretched out, faded, still fits and doesn't look out dated, I'll wear it. But it makes me happy to look and feel put together- and for me that means buying new clothes here and there. I think good money is having enough to live a life where one finds themself happy, financially secure, and not stressed about money. $20-27 an hour will not afford me that (I have 3 kids). I'd have to work 1-2 over time shifts a week to be comfortable. To me its not "good money". Its OK money. And nurses definitely are not paid what they are worth.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Tweety,

this is nothing for you to get bent out of shape for, you've taken this completly off subject. BSNs do get more management classes than ADN's and have the option of furthering their education easier than ADN's. I didn't say that management was the only position BSN's can get, heck I didn't even say what kinds of jobs they can have. Where I'm at just about the only job a ADN nurse can get is at bedside. If I wanted to move up I would have to get my BSN (which I'm working on) and guess what? It's only 7 more classes/3 semesters I have to take. This is not to be a diss on BSNs in the first place. Read the other paragraph please. I'm not changing the topic of the thread. My point was that BSN and ADN are both adequately prepaired to be good bedside nurses and we take the same boards to become a RN!

The "that's it" when you said "BSN have more classes on management, that's it!"......bothered me, because, not that's not it. You forgot the courses in research, statistics, community health...just to name a few.

That's all I objected to. Otherwise points well taken, because I strongly believe, as many do, that bedside ADN and BSN nurses provide excellent and similar care. with niether one being superior to the other. My apologies.

[myty23]

I think good money is having enough to live a life where one finds themself happy, financially secure, and not stressed about money. $20-27 an hour will not afford me that (I have 3 kids). I'd have to work 1-2 over time shifts a week to be comfortable. To me its not "good money". Its OK money. And nurses definitely are not paid what they are worth.

So what would you be doing if you weren't a nurse? If 20-27 an hour is so bad try making 10-12 an hour and supporting your kids, even a shift or 2 of overtime doesn't get you enough to pay all of the bills, much less get you a new clothes, a yearly vacation, and a nice car.

Also, I know the job as a nurse is hard and you aren't paid what your worth, but there are also many other positions where people aren't paid what they are worth and they make a lot less than nurses.

What about the soldiers who are on the front lines risking their lives every day with no safe place to sleep, no good food to eat, no breaks, not being able to see their families for months to years at a time. Most of them make about $2500 a month or less. What about firefighters? Many firefighters starting pay is below poverty level. Police officers? More of the same. Do you think that their jobs aren't stressful? They aren't paid anywhere near what they are worth. Nurses are way better compensated than most of these positions. I think it's really easy for people to focus on themselves and complain without looking at the big picture and see that they aren't the only ones who are way underpaid for what they do.

[beachbum3]

So what would you be doing if you weren't a nurse? If 20-27 an hour is so bad try making 10-12 an hour and supporting your kids, even a shift or 2 of overtime doesn't get you enough to pay all of the bills, much less get you a new clothes, a yearly vacation, and a nice car.

Also, I know the job as a nurse is hard and you aren't paid what your worth, but there are also many other positions where people aren't paid what they are worth and they make a lot less than nurses.

What about the soldiers who are on the front lines risking their lives every day with no safe place to sleep, no good food to eat, no breaks, not being able to see their families for months to years at a time. Most of them make about $2500 a month or less. What about firefighters? Many firefighters starting pay is below poverty level. Police officers? More of the same. Do you think that their jobs aren't stressful? They aren't paid anywhere near what they are worth. Nurses are way better compensated than most of these positions. I think it's really easy for people to focus on themselves and complain without looking at the big picture and see that they aren't the only ones who are way underpaid for what they do.

I take a bit of offense to your post. You immediately assume that I don't know what its like to be on the other side of this.

I worked those other jobs and was always incredibly stressed about money. I'm 29 years old and have 3 kids. My first was born when I was 19. I know what its like to have less, much, much less. I have spent the last 10 years scraping by and its only gotten better since my SO and I have gotten together because now there are 2 incomes as opposed to my one. I survived (barely) on 1500 a month with 3 kids living in a 2 bedroom apartment, commuting 4 hours a day round trip into the city because I made more there. My rent was 800 a month, train pass was 120, train station was 30 miles from home. Do the math and add in all utilities, groceries, gas money and clothing for the kids. Many many nights the kids ate and I didn't because I didn't have enough food to feed all of us.

My SO was Marine, for 8 years and so I'm very aware of their sacrifices and living arrangements, as he was combat.

I never said nurses were the only ones underpaid. It was in reference to the original topic, was about nurses.

Thanks for the sermon but your preaching to the choir.

[Genetics56]

So what would you be doing if you weren't a nurse? If 20-27 an hour is so bad try making 10-12 an hour and supporting your kids, even a shift or 2 of overtime doesn't get you enough to pay all of the bills, much less get you a new clothes, a yearly vacation, and a nice car.

Also, I know the job as a nurse is hard and you aren't paid what your worth, but there are also many other positions where people aren't paid what they are worth and they make a lot less than nurses.

What about the soldiers who are on the front lines risking their lives every day with no safe place to sleep, no good food to eat, no breaks, not being able to see their families for months to years at a time. Most of them make about $2500 a month or less. What about firefighters? Many firefighters starting pay is below poverty level. Police officers? More of the same. Do you think that their jobs aren't stressful? They aren't paid anywhere near what they are worth. Nurses are way better compensated than most of these positions. I think it's really easy for people to focus on themselves and complain without looking at the big picture and see that they aren't the only ones who are way underpaid for what they do.

Exactly. My first job after high school was working at a feed mill. I made $9 an hour. My second job was working at a scissors factory. I made $12 an hour. After four months on the job, the plant cut down to only 1st shift. So I lost my job. My third job was working at another factory. I made $7.50. My fourth job was working at another factor making walls for houses. I was paid $10 an hour. My fith job was working in the hospital setting as a patient transporter for three years (I did an internship while in college..for my fourth year of experience). I was paid $9.50 an hour.

My first job in college was working as a lab assistant. I was paid $7.50 an hour. My second job while in college was working as a campus parking attendent. I was paid $7.00 an hour. My third job in college was working as a teaching assistant. I was paid $8 an hour.

When I was getting ready to graduate last May, I applied to well over 300 jobs. I know that I interviewed for over 25 jobs. 18 out of the 25 jobs that I interviewed for would not offer more then $13 an hour (even with my college degree). I was lucky to get the job I even have now. If I didn't have that hospital experience, I would be stuck making $13 an hour with my college degree.

Twenty to twenty seven dollars an hour starting is a good starting salary. 20 per hour would be $20 x 40 hours per week x 52 weeks (assuming two weeks of paid vacation) = $41,600. That is a good salary to start a career with (the upswing is the problem....but you can do something about that if you want----further education, management, etc, etc, etc). If you are married and your significant other makes at least $25,000 a year, that would give you a yearly salary of $66,600.

[myty23]

I take a bit of offense to your post. You immediately assume that I don't know what its like to be on the other side of this.

I worked those other jobs and was always incredibly stressed about money. I'm 29 years old and have 3 kids. My first was born when I was 19. I know what its like to have less, much, much less. I have spent the last 10 years scraping by and its only gotten better since my SO and I have gotten together because now there are 2 incomes as opposed to my one. I survived (barely) on 1500 a month with 3 kids living in a 2 bedroom apartment, commuting 4 hours a day round trip into the city because I made more there. My rent was 800 a month, train pass was 120, train station was 30 miles from home. Do the math and add in all utilities, groceries, gas money and clothing for the kids. Many many nights the kids ate and I didn't because I didn't have enough food to feed all of us.

My SO was Marine, for 8 years and so I'm very aware of their sacrifices and living arrangements, as he was combat.

I never said nurses were the only ones underpaid. It was in reference to the original topic, was about nurses.

Thanks for the sermon but your preaching to the choir.

Well, excuse me for offending you. But it kind of offends me when people complain about having to work an extra shift so that they can be comfortable enough to buy a fancy car, buy clothes, take vacations, while they are making 20-27 an hour. When they could be making $10/hour and they wouldn't be able to do all of those things even with overtime. Since you've been through the tough times it seems like you would be thankful to be able to put food on the table with your pay rather than complaining.

No problem for the "sermon", you say I'm preaching to the choir, but your attitudes about pay make it obvious that I'm not.

[Babs0512]

All of this math is really beside the point. Nurses simply do not make enough money for the responsibility they have, the hours they must work, often the conditions they must work in. Working without benefit of breaks/meals. It's that simple.

I don't want to argue about other workers or other professions, I'm well aware that there are others out there who don't earn what they should either, AND there are many jobs where a person is OVERPAID for the job they do (I'm speaking about my city DPW workers).

Lets not argue about this. I know that I'm struggling, I will not have anywhere near enough to retire on - and before anyone accuses me of being irresponsible with my money, I was a single mother for 10 years and didn't have any extra money to put into retirement. I've only started putting money in retirement acct 1 year ago, I'm 46, do the math.

Stanley, before you go dissing me, going back to school is not a option. I cannot afford it. I'm not going into more debt at my age with loans, and my employer won't pay the tuition until AFTER the semester is over, so I have to come up with the money to pay in advance. Not going to happen, don't have it. So, some of us due to situational difficulties cannot "move ahead" with our careers.

If we were paid what we were worth, we wouldn't have to.

[beachbum3]

Well, excuse me for offending you. But it kind of offends me when people complain about having to work an extra shift so that they can be comfortable enough to buy a fancy car, buy clothes, take vacations, while they are making 20-27 an hour. When they could be making $10/hour and they wouldn't be able to do all of those things even with overtime. Since you've been through the tough times it seems like you would be thankful to be able to put food on the table with your pay rather than complaining.

No problem for the "sermon", you say I'm preaching to the choir, but your attitudes about pay make it obvious that I'm not.

So I'm thinking you misread my original post. I wasn't complaining about the pay. I was suggesting that earning a "very good living" or being able to live "comfortably" was subjective and according to ones own standards. It also depends on where you live. Could I afford my house (which is by no standards fancy- its a 3 bedroom 40 year old house) if I were trying to get by on my set hours on day shift with no other income? Not a chance. I wouldn't be able to pay my mortgage, pay the utilities, daycare, groceries, and gas. I'd be short, every month. I don't have a car payment, or a fancy car.

So if wanting to be able to pay my bills with out robbing peter to pay paul every month, feed my kids, put clothes on their back, save some so I can maybe retire someday, and have the audacity to go to a movie or out to eat once in awhile and take a vacation each summer, which, by the way means for us going to see my family in another state, makes me a greedy, materialistic, ungrateful b!tch, then so be it. Excuse me for expecting my CAREER and profession to afford me to live decently.

You can save your self righteousness for someone else. I earned my way to where I am, and served my time and struggled enough that I am deserving of the things I want.