Members are discussing the stress levels and compensation in various nursing specialties. Some members mention that nursing is a practical means to earn a living, while others share their experiences in different nursing roles such as hospice nursing, med/surg, and occupational health nursing. There is also mention of the importance of clinical experience, finding one's niche in nursing, and managing stress through coping mechanisms and self-care.
This is my first post here so bear with me. I am a current RN student and while my main focus right now is finishing the program I am nevertheless interested in finding out more about different specialties from nurses who have been there.
I have yet to decide on a nursing specialty for sure. To be honest money is a big motivator for me..but a post I read from forum member THE COMMUTER really struck me as exaclty how I feel. It stated id rather love my personal life and tolerate my job than tolerate my life and love my job. By this I mean im never going to enjoy work, I mostly enjoy traveling, exploring , cars..etc..(hence money motivated).
So begs the question...what nursing specialty out of the seemingly hundreds...would be very low stress on a daily basis and very good pay ( even if masters level as I have considered the NP route after RN school).
Any suggestions? ( I know im kinda asking for the best of both worlds here but im looking for things closest to what I seek). Thanks in advance everyone.
I work on a stroke rehab floor. The days have busy spurts, generally spaced with a bit of downtime. Nights can be really chill on the floor when patients are sleeping.
Typical duties: passing meds (rarely any IVs), ADLs - changing clothes and taking to bathroom, cleaning up poop (though techs handle 50+% of this stuff), and meals. That's about it. What makes it busy is we can have up to 6 patients, and each tech has 6-10 patients. Pretty common for the tech to be busy so the RN has to do their own dirty work.
Patients tend to be older and/or overweight and their bodies can no longer keep up, but general acuity isn't too bad. A bit depressing though.
Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.
What you need to discover is which nursing jobs are the most stressful for you and plan accordingly. I have been a non-acute care nurse for 24 years and none of my jobs have been low stress because I care immensely about what I do. However, I would not do it if I was not paid well :)
The OP said "still great pay." Private duty is the lowest paying nursing specialty around. At the agency I was a manager at (not for PDN patients but we had a large PDN population), all RNs were paid the same, regardless of experience and their hourly rate was the same as I made as a new grad 9 years ago.
To answer the OP, you will not find what you are looking for right out of school. My jobs have gotten progressively easier/less stressful and better paying as I've gone along in my career. I am currently working the least stressful job I've ever had and making about 50% more than I ever made working in the hospital. But I've been a nurse for 9 years.
Maybe,but it is low stress most times.
The LTC facilities are starting at $28/hr while my rate is $31/hr,plus I can get overtime or work 2 agencies,which attests to how low stress it is.
I think comfort level has a lot to do with stress. I worked BMT for years. BMT would be considered by many to be an extremely stressful specialty. For my first 2 years I felt the stress intensely. Years 3-5 I felt more comfortable, but still felt a bit uneasy going into work not knowing what I would get, taking on difficult patients or complex family dynamics, and learning new roles like charge and precepting. After that it all became quite routine and I felt like I could care for 3 BMT patients in my sleep. BMT patients would not stress me out a bit, but start talking to me about surgical wounds and my eyes will glaze over in a minute in a haze of confusion.
I would rather someone call me names and be a known child molestor than some snob who thinks they're above me and feels as their nurse, I'm their personal slave requesting their 50th PEpsi of the night and threatens to report staff.
I don't like high amounts of lifting or CNA type work. (No ICU.) I do like high pressure, critical thinking, and broadening my technical skill set.
I also hate customer service. My job isnt to make you happy. It's to make you well.
Specializes in Ambulatory Case Management, Clinic, Psychiatry.
i have done community psych, locked/acute psych, unlocked psych, psych case management in the hospital, and am now doing primary care. the lowest stress of these was unlocked community psych units ("crisis stabilIzation units"). then j would say community psych. outpatient/ primary care has overall been less stressful as well.
community psych and unlocked units pay less than the hospital. i am a float in primary care/outpatient, so i get a differential, and our clinics are affiliated w a large hospital chain so pay is comparable, although raises are less since we aren't in the Hospital union. worth it for m-f 830-5 w no weekends or holidays..
As a student who hasn't even passed NCLEX yet I'd say beggars can't be choosers...it is NOT easy getting hired as a new grad! Nonetheless, outpatient jobs are always easiest (urgent care, primary care, etc) but pay the least.
Inpatient Rehabilitation. At my hospital the inpatient rehab nurses still get hospital pay and work 12 hour shifts, but all of their patients are medically stable and spend 3 hours a day in therapy. Only one set of vitals/one assessment a day. I floated to that floor before and it was so relaxed. Check it out!
To the OP....As a potential nursing student..I say this bc I already have over 90 semester hours, college that I applied to forgot to attach my transcripts to my app. I re-ordered my transcripts, they still claimed not recieved...I then called their main office, got the same...then I complained that there is no way 3 colleges could screw up. Anyway, I missed the nursing reviews, and they failed to evaluate transcripts unless your in the program...which makes no sense, as one has to know what does or does not transfer in. Anyway....Had a supervisor on the phone, they called, I taped the whole thing....it was 41 minutes of lies. Idk if it's trying to cover up the gaf, instead of just admitting a mistake( several ). I realized all of a sudden, everyone is catty...Lol. Almost as if, they have to be catty to keep their jobs bc they have no nursing skills left, as their instructors. Anyway, I did a cross section search on the school. It has a retention rate of 32% based of the government Fin. Aid stats. Furthermore, they were hiring instructors...new in ads, the standards were low. Put it this was, you did not need a B.S degree. Anyway....LIKE YOU OP.....it got my wheels turning. This single handed has questioned my thoughts on Nursing. How can professionals be the most unprofessional...or discriminatory.
So, I am just taking classes Like Micro...Patho etc...To knock out all possible science classes, so just straight up nursing...it's just an ADN program btw. ....Kind of wish I would have went for OT( occupational Therapy ). Their not catty, everyone seems to like their job, and their salaries are good to their education. That being said, I like AP....Albeit I weight train and can tell when someone has a fwd deposition( internal rotation of head of humerus ) and are not in thoracic extension. If I could make 80k just to sit in AP classes ALL DAY...I WOULD!
However, anyway...Why not NP school? What about psych nurse. Work nights...No admin there, shift differential( which isn't much when your talking about making $28 an hour..what is $2 more dollars? What $80 more dollars a week? However, correct me if I am wrong anyone....but I heard psych nurse you typically get $4-5 more an hr. I say this bc this was mentioned to me. Also, since I am a male, there would prob be an additional $2 an hour pay. So idk if I got this wrong...base pay $28+Shift Diff $2+Psych Pay $4-5+Male on psych floor+$2= 34 to 36 an hour. Also working nights, no administration. I could be wrong, as I can only go by advice!!!! Me personally I would like to work with gastric Bipass patients....stroke...Kind of like OT, but closer to rehab. In fact, If I could make the pay grade of a MSN Nurse and do rehab work...that would be a happy marriage. For me, I like that. See many people have injuries, sports athletes. Many people have, " OPTIONAL", surgery. However, they are told they need to lose x amount of weight to have surgeries, or gain x amount of weight....they are already dealing with PHYSICAL health issues.....HOWEVER, it becomes mental. So the doc says lose 70lbs to have surgery....they go to PT...but it doesn't help them bc they are not told how to lose the weight. So them getting a surgery becomes restless...before you know it their husband doesn't want to be intimate, while their youngest child is finishing up highschool with aspirations to leave for college...life is passing by for this person waiting for surgery. No doc will say how...and no PT has the balls for liability reasons or w.e....to give advice or tell them how. It's pathetic. So I was talking to people and mentioned weight training....yes to mainly people in their 50s and older. They had a Psych.D in the room, followed by ostomy nurses, wound car etc...All was useless IMO, address the ISSUE. These people need to lose weight. Take all emotion from it. Lose x amount of weight to get a surgery with risky results but a reward( as discussed with their physicians ). So, I asked patients..." Can you open a door?" Simple q...their response, " Yes." I said in weight training we call that a " Row". Can you sit down?....they reply, " Yes ". Ok...we call this a seated row. I ask, " Can you bend down and pick up groceries?" Women replied, " Yes." I said ok, " We call this a Deadlift or squat. You can mimic these muscle doing a leg press."......I was just amazed all the money wasted on all these people, and low results. Did people not study the muscle groups? Do they not train? Are their minds so boxed in, they cannot see the person for who they are, but not for a surgery they might face? It was funny, but the whole room clapped after I got done talking...I was just a person who happened to come across this group and listened , and said F that and chimed in. ANYWAY OP....to me that would be what I would like to do....or close to it.
IDK how nursing can cross into that....psyh/rehab. However, If I could make a pay grade of a Masters degree nurse and can get into that realm...I would! Or sit in AP CLASSES. In fact, I was going to retake an AP lass for the heck of it, got all A's and B's. However, I like it. Also like Stats( Human Stats, Stats to improve outcomes ). I dislike Micro....Anywho, other things that crossed my mind were Nurse Practitioner. I think, I know sounds weird coming from a guy, delivering babies would rewarding! To me, there has to be a purpose...as mentioned with rehab etc. I cannot sit there, like a drone, just patch someone up and move on. That comes off offensive...what I mean, for me, PAY+PURPOSE+Less Stress via the job. There is Health Information, get your masters! NP, Health information, There was a thread were some were claiming high salaries for NP pysh. In the tune of 110k to start...Trust me OP...we have the same mind when it comes to salary+less stress. AKA unless nursing school reveals to me something different...Masters degree is a staple. I KNOW I HEAR..." You have to love what you do." Uhm...student debt is a factor. Debt to income ratio....do you want to get a house? Well, if your in 100k in debt, and only make 42k...your screwed. I will give credit to social workers...but they have to get their Masters, go 80-100k in debt to make 42k. Yes, they go in for the love of their job...but look at the ROI, and the economics. I mean, this is a business. You are making a career business decision. Hospitals are a business, out-patient, business. Look at the scenerio I gave. A psych.D, specialized nurses....ALL I talk about was the " Fact of the matter."....and a room clapped, a women came up to me in the parking lot crying telling me her story.
People are people to me. The fact one has a PH.D does not impress me, I mean that, I even have said it to a D.O....who was trying to hit on me lol. To me, it's how you got there....your character, Anyone who had support( Mother and father paid their way, or they have a lose knit family who let them live rent free, their health, can get a masters. Yes, it takes motivation, and yes I respect those who have Ph.Ds...but it does not impress me. What does, is the story of how you got there....That impresses me. TO ALL OF YOU NURSES who had kids( I don't ), and studied....To all those who had to work, and studied...To all those who overcome...and studied....Weither You " Love your Job", or not...If your proficient at what you do and have a commitment to excellence, not to just your job, but to yourself..yes you crazy people who took Micro and did Smears and stains, stick an NG tube, work a 12 hour shift and are asked more.....and in this respect to yourself, you find a way to make more $$$$...or " Love your job", and you now are a happier you, makes a happier family( if you don't have one, to start up one ) I have respect YOU( even if not $$$ ). Anyway, my view on nursing got distorted a little( see my opening ). However, OP it's a simple good q. Your ROI and salary should be a factor. So idk, maybe someone can chime in on what I said, or advice on psych nurse, rehab nurse( if there is one )? NP etc.
Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.
injured1 said:
To the OP....As a potential nursing student..I say this bc I already have over 90 semester hours, college that I applied to forgot to attach my transcripts to my app. I re-ordered my transcripts, they still claimed not recieved...I then called their main office, got the same...then I complained that there is no way 3 colleges could screw up. Anyway, I missed the nursing reviews, and they failed to evaluate transcripts unless your in the program...which makes no sense, as one has to know what does or does not transfer in. Anyway....Had a supervisor on the phone, they called, I taped the whole thing....it was 41 minutes of lies. Idk if it's trying to cover up the gaf, instead of just admitting a mistake( several ). I realized all of a sudden, everyone is catty...Lol. Almost as if, they have to be catty to keep their jobs bc they have no nursing skills left, as their instructors. Anyway, I did a cross section search on the school. It has a retention rate of 32% based of the government Fin. Aid stats. Furthermore, they were hiring instructors...new in ads, the standards were low. Put it this was, you did not need a B.S degree. Anyway....LIKE YOU OP.....it got my wheels turning. This single handed has questioned my thoughts on Nursing. How can professionals be the most unprofessional...or discriminatory. So, I am just taking classes Like Micro...Patho etc...To knock out all possible science classes, so just straight up nursing...it's just an ADN program btw. ....Kind of wish I would have went for OT( occupational Therapy ). Their not catty, everyone seems to like their job, and their salaries are good to their education. That being said, I like AP....Albeit I weight train and can tell when someone has a fwd deposition( internal rotation of head of humerus ) and are not in thoracic extension. If I could make 80k just to sit in AP classes ALL DAY...I WOULD! However, anyway...Why not NP school? What about psych nurse. Work nights...No admin there, shift differential( which isn't much when your talking about making $28 an hour..what is $2 more dollars? What $80 more dollars a week? However, correct me if I am wrong anyone....but I heard psych nurse you typically get $4-5 more an hr. I say this bc this was mentioned to me. Also, since I am a male, there would prob be an additional $2 an hour pay. So idk if I got this wrong...base pay $28+Shift Diff $2+Psych Pay $4-5+Male on psych floor+$2= 34 to 36 an hour. Also working nights, no administration. I could be wrong, as I can only go by advice!!!! Me personally I would like to work with gastric Bipass patients....stroke...Kind of like OT, but closer to rehab. In fact, If I could make the pay grade of a MSN Nurse and do rehab work...that would be a happy marriage. For me, I like that. See many people have injuries, sports athletes. Many people have, " OPTIONAL", surgery. However, they are told they need to lose x amount of weight to have surgeries, or gain x amount of weight....they are already dealing with PHYSICAL health issues.....HOWEVER, it becomes mental. So the doc says lose 70lbs to have surgery....they go to PT...but it doesn't help them bc they are not told how to lose the weight. So them getting a surgery becomes restless...before you know it their husband doesn't want to be intimate, while their youngest child is finishing up highschool with aspirations to leave for college...life is passing by for this person waiting for surgery. No doc will say how...and no PT has the balls for liability reasons or w.e....to give advice or tell them how. It's pathetic. So I was talking to people and mentioned weight training....yes to mainly people in their 50s and older. They had a Psych.D in the room, followed by ostomy nurses, wound car etc...All was useless IMO, address the ISSUE. These people need to lose weight. Take all emotion from it. Lose x amount of weight to get a surgery with risky results but a reward( as discussed with their physicians ). So, I asked patients..." Can you open a door?" Simple q...their response, " Yes." I said in weight training we call that a " Row". Can you sit down?....they reply, " Yes ". Ok...we call this a seated row. I ask, " Can you bend down and pick up groceries?" Women replied, " Yes." I said ok, " We call this a Deadlift or squat. You can mimic these muscle doing a leg press."......I was just amazed all the money wasted on all these people, and low results. Did people not study the muscle groups? Do they not train? Are their minds so boxed in, they cannot see the person for who they are, but not for a surgery they might face? It was funny, but the whole room clapped after I got done talking...I was just a person who happened to come across this group and listened , and said F that and chimed in. ANYWAY OP....to me that would be what I would like to do....or close to it. IDK how nursing can cross into that....psyh/rehab. However, If I could make a pay grade of a Masters degree nurse and can get into that realm...I would! Or sit in AP CLASSES. In fact, I was going to retake an AP lass for the heck of it, got all A's and B's. However, I like it. I dislike Micro....Anywho, other things that crossed my mind were Nurse Practitioner. I think, I know sounds weird coming from a guy, delivering babies would rewarding! To me, there has to be a purpose...as mentioned with rehab etc. I cannot sit there, like a drone, patch someone up and move on. That comes off offensive...what I mean, for me, PAY+PURPOSE+Less Stress via the job. There is Health Information, get your masters! NP, Health information, There was a thread were some were claiming high salaries for NP pysh. In the tune of 110k to start...Trust me OP...we have the same mind when it comes to salary+less stress. AKA unless nursing school reveals to me something different...Masters degree is a staple. I KNOW I HEAR..." You have to love what you do." Uhm...student debt is a factor. Debt to income ratio....do you want to get a house? Well, if your in 100k in debt, and only make 42k...your screwed. I will give credit to social workers...but they have to get their Masters, go 80-100k in debt to make 42k. Yes, they go in for the love of their job...but look at the ROI, and the economics. I mean, this is a business. You are making a career business decision. Hospitals are a business, out-patient, business. Look at the scenerio I gave. A psych.D, specialized nurses....ALL I talk about was the " Fact of the matter."....and a room clapped, a women came up to me in the parking lot crying telling me her story. People are people to me. The fact one has a PH.D does not impress me, I mean that, I even have said it to a D.O....who was trying to hit on me lol. To me, it's how you got there....your character, Anyone who had support( Mother and father paid their way, or they have a lose knit family who let them live rent free, their health, can get a masters. Yes, it takes motivation, and yes I respect those who have Ph.Ds...but it does not impress me. What does, is the story of how you got there....That impresses me. TO ALL OF YOU NURSES who had kids( I don't ), and studied....To all those who had to work, and studied...To all those who overcome...and studied....Weither You " Love your Job", or not...If your proficient at what you do and have a commitment to excellence, not to just your job, but to yourself..yes you crazy people who took Micro and did Smears and stains, stick an NG tube, work a 12 hour shift and are asked more.....and in this respect to yourself, you find a way to make more $$$$...or " Love your job", and you now are a happier you, makes a happier family( if you don't have one, to start up one ) I have respect YOU( even if not $$$ ). Anyway, my view on nursing got distorted a little( see my opening ). However, OP it's a simple good q. Your ROI and salary should be a factor. So idk, maybe someone can chime in on what I said, or advice on psych nurse, rehab nurse? NP etc.
jeeeeeez paragraphs, where exactly are you going with train of thought....sorry you list me,sat 3rd sentence
LiveFit99
48 Posts
I work on a stroke rehab floor. The days have busy spurts, generally spaced with a bit of downtime. Nights can be really chill on the floor when patients are sleeping.
Typical duties: passing meds (rarely any IVs), ADLs - changing clothes and taking to bathroom, cleaning up poop (though techs handle 50+% of this stuff), and meals. That's about it. What makes it busy is we can have up to 6 patients, and each tech has 6-10 patients. Pretty common for the tech to be busy so the RN has to do their own dirty work.
Patients tend to be older and/or overweight and their bodies can no longer keep up, but general acuity isn't too bad. A bit depressing though.