money

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Ok, try not to get too angry. I've been on this looking at posts on this site for a couple of months now and I hear "there are easier ways to make money than nursing/NP/CRNA." My question is: are there really?

Nurses start off at a higher salary than most other professions. Sure, that salary doesn't increase much unless you take on specialties, get certifications, go on and get an MSN, etc., but it's still good money. When I think of people that make a lot of money, I think of lawyers, doctors, and business executives. Lawyers go through an EXTREMELY competitive law school, then, if they're good enough, get scooped up by a big firm and may one day make partner and start making insane money...or they stay stuck in their same position for the rest of their career.Doctors don't really start making money until their mid-30s (assuming good money management/debt repayment). Business executives also need to be working a LOT. For example, the higher-ups in accounting firms need to be working most of the time; it's not uncommon for them to work 16 hour days.

Some of you might think that owning a business would bring in good money, and it would, if you're willing to put in A LOT of work. With your own business, you have to be "on-call" every hour of every day. Also, most small businesses fail, and if you're lucky to not fail, then you'll eventually have a Wal-Mart or McDonalds undercut you in price until you're forced out of business (which is ruthless, but great strategy).

Now, with nursing, you have good job security and relatively good money. Yes, lots of nurses are underpaid, but pretty much everyone who has a job feels the same way. Becoming an advanced practice nurse only highers your income and marketability. Sure, it's challenging becoming one, but the pros outweigh the cons here.

My point: I don't think there are really any EASIER ways to make money than going into healthcare; making money is difficult and time-consuming no matter how you want to go about it. Like the saying goes, if it were easy, everyone would do it.

Anyone agree?

I like nursing or I wouldn't be doing it. But I have to say, that a "love for the profession" or a "love of taking care of patients" doesn't mean much when you have bills to pay. Most of us work because we have to. We have to support ourselves. I do not pretend that I went into this field for the pure pleasure of it; I did it because of the decent pay and job stability. I know that it makes you feel good to say you should only go into this profession because you have this overwhelming love of it, but the truth is, none of us would do it free.

Yeah, "pleasure" isn't always the word I'd use to describe the stuff nurses do- LOL :D But you also have a desire to be a nurse- not just have a job that pays fairly well... nurses take a lot of crap (often literally :D)- if you don't have some compassion for the patients, could you do what you have to do? I know I couldn't... JMHO

I don't know about all of you but I'm 29 years old and workout 6 days a week. I consider myself to be in the best shape of my life and that is saying a lot since I had a scholarship to play football, yes I'm a male. Some of you act like 30 is old or something. I bet I will run rings around the younger people on this board, Physically easily. Mentally, now I don't know about that I can be slow once in awhile, lol.

I'm glad you'd rather be rich and miserable :lol2::lol2::loll:... you may just get what you settle for!! If you don't define quality by possessions, you never 'settle'...you're always ahead ! You sound very young... (that's not an insult at all- just an observation).

There are more descriptions to financial situation than rich and poor.... it's not all defined in absolutes :)

Do you also think that right out of school you'll get a 9-5 Mon-Fri job? :lol2::lol2::lol2:

You don't get to decide what "should be" important to ANYONE but yourself. Newsflash :D Not that powerful !!

Why not be the best you can be at what you do, knowing that every day you work, you make someone else's life a bit easier during a time of hardship? What's wrong with that being a big part of the payoff in nursing? Having a big check "should be important to everyone" is so incredibly shallow, IMO- and offensive. But maybe depth of character is meaningless to you (another reason to avoid working with people). You will be working with people you feel are somehow inferior because they don't make "enough" money in your eyes- and that will effect how you give care. You're not doing anybody any favors by being in healthcare if you can't see past the dollar signs. Unless you want to be a CEO or CFO, where you're paid to be insufferable!!

NO.... being content with what you have defines quality of life (and if you can afford more- that's great- but always aiming for more is a set up for a lot of disappointment and waiting "until" you have something. Being able to enjoy what you have gives a sense of contentment and having quality of life .. not waiting for it. :) Sometimes the 'best' is what you can afford at the time. Being content will never happen if you define it in possessions/money. There is always "more"... it's like trying to be perfect- it isn't attainable. Make a list of things that define success and happiness to you...figure out how long you're going to have to work as a nurse (hours/day, days/week, etc) and see if you'll have time to watch your kids grow up... that doesn't have a price.

I don't have any problem with people making money- but don't go into a profession that requires a degree of compassion and caring... materialistically driven nurses tend to be sorely lacking in empathy and compassion and INSIGHT... and usually suck as co-workers. IME. :cool:

You don't get to decide what makes me happy (thank God) :D

I'm on disability, and while I have much less money than I did when I was working, and struggle at times, I'm not unhappy. I'm alive- and with a lot of medical issues that could have dropped me like a rock many times over (and current leukemia chemo) that is MUCH more important. I'll take alive and doing 'fair' financially to the alternative, any day. It's not always about how much you have- just that you have anything at all, and still living in a decent place because of not living above my means beforehand has been a blessing .... But if you're only in healthcare for the money, that wouldn't make sense to you ....:)

What happens if (God forbid) something would happen to you, and you end up disabled, can't work, and the paycheck dries up- or shrinks a whole lot :D? Insure the snot out of yourself... long term disability pays 50-66% of your base salary at the time of becoming disabled - and with %0 economic 'growth', there are no increases each year, no matter how much more expensive things get- and if you can be happy living with what you can afford, that doesn't cause your world to stop spinning on its axis !!! You won't have any way to derive happiness or contentment if you aren't "rich". That would be pathetically sad. Nobody thinks anything will happen to them. But you never know- and there generally isn't much warning. Planning for the unexpected, good educations for your kids... I can see a lot of peace in having that (I don't have kids, so no worries there) ... but you can do that without constant focus on money just for the sake of money.

I wouldn't change my years of working as a nurse for anything (and this is when it paid a LOT less . It can pay well but doesn't always- depends on position and location-- staff nurses start out 'relatively' low- and the yearly increases aren't huge). I got a lot of satisfaction from a good days work- and accepted what I was paid as good enough (and it was fair for the area/years of experience)- I didn't have some 'need' to have a Mercedes when a used (very used ) Toyota got me where I needed to go just fine for 9 years :) (I've had 3 cars in my life- all used- and I'm not all that far from 50 yrs old...not there yet, but I'm within reaching distance :D I loved taking care of people- that was what drove me- not how big my check was. I made enough to live in decent apartments that provided anything I needed...I didn't want more. What I had was enough.

That eliminates a lot of stress- the ability to be happy where you are...not dependent on something you don't have yet.

If I had had more time with family, and less materialistically valuable stuff as a kid, I would have lived in a tent to get it. I've seen what having a goal of more money at any cost can do. Sure, the house was nice- but I spent a lot of time alone in it d/t parents' work hours- they too wanted to provide well for our family. But a lot of time was lost that can never be replaced. Providing for a family isn't only money. Memories aren't made by reading bank statements :) Good intentions can cause a lot of emptiness.

If material possessions define your happiness, you'll never have enough... that's sad. And pretty much stinks for whoever you take care of- JMHO- but it's my opinion, that is just as valid for me as your "money = happy" is for you. Good luck. I can't see someone who goes into nursing for a 'preferably large' paycheck lasting in nursing for very long. You have to bring more to the table than a single focus on money. :smokin:

Wow, long post. Very interesting, though. What you quoted from me is an opinion. It was worded poorly and sounds like I'm barking a command, but it was an opinion. I'm not telling anyone how to live their lives.

I don't think that people who don't make money are "inferior." I understand that people are dealt different hands in life, I consider myself very lucky to have been dealt a good one. I won't waste it.

Being content is different than being happy. Complacency is what prevents people from getting what they want. Being happy takes hard work. Being content is easier. Everyone has their own definitions of happiness, but I can't say I know many that are doing the work required to achieve it.

I'm not pursuing perfection, I'm pursuing excellence. Trying to be perfect is impossible, trying to be [your version of] excellent is incredibly hard, but entirely possible. Being happy is just as hard. Why? People ALWAYS want more. I find it hard to believe that you say "I didn't want more. What I had was enough." It's human nature to want what you can't have. It's not shallow. Say, for example, you had been able to spend more time with your parents, well it's a trade off: you wouldn't have had a nice house, or nice things. Had you grown up in that environment, you would have wanted more money growing up. It doesn't make you shallow, it makes you human. I don't mean any of that as offensive, I'm just trying to make a point.

Also, someone who works for money can be good at their job. I don't want to be a bad nurse, how would I advance my career? And no, I won't always be a staff nurse, but while I am, I'll be the best I can be.

Yes, I am young. I don't think I have some unattainable, shallow view of life, however.

I need money to survive in this materialistic world. I will take more $$$ whenever possible. But it also helps that I like science and medicine and can communicate effectively. At the end of the day, my family and I need things, and thus $$$ will always be on my mind! Good job OP.

I am drawn to nursing because I can measure my success by something other than just money. Sure, you can work at any number of jobs and get paid much more money, but in my experience, that's not been enough to drive ME to excel. I worked as an IT professional for most of my career and made good money doing it, but the profit driven nonsense drives me crazy. When profit is first, everything else is second... including the welfare of "the customer." In nursing, your patient is supposed to be first. I like the idea of not having to worry about profit and marketing and all of that other stuff that is designed to separate people from their money to buy some sort of thingy that they probably don't need.

There are many who have given up better paying jobs to do something that moves them. If you're young, you may find yourself eventually thinking the same way. I used to think like you, but ended up unfulfilled and unhappy.

Specializes in Critical Care.

My brother has a 2 year computer degree and makes around 90,000 while I've been working many more years and don't come close. He can work from home so doesn't have to come to work everyday. I wish I could do his job, but I don't have that aptitude. He tried explaining things and I was totally lost and bored. Granted there have been several layoffs since he's worked there (banking) and he was kept on and was considered the top guy at his job. The threat of layoffs are there and they are actively outsourcing. They asked if he would go to the Phillipines to train some computer workers there but he wasn't interested. They have sent him on training things to Hawaii, Chicago, and LA over the years.

I envy him because he has so much money in the bank, over a years worth of income in savings, plus retirement. I struggle to pay the bills and have a much more modest retirement savings and am still paying off my student loans.

Granted I could make what he did if I would do overtime but I find the job too stressful and frustrating to do that. By the end of the shift my feet are aching so bad I can't stand it, my knee is acting up and I'm limping, walking on these hard concrete floors.

Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

I'm not going to get angry at the OP. There aren't too many professions where you can get an associate's degree and immediately start making $50K+ a year right out of the gate.

And I find the "How could you go into nursing for the paycheck??" posts to be really annoying. G-d forbid someone admits that their primary motivation for going into nursing is not altruistic. Bleh.

Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
What are kumquats, anyway? And who chose that name?

They look like tiny little oranges

That's not the comparison I'm making. I'm saying that there just aren't easy ways to make money. Nursing is hard, as is being a lawyer. If you want to make twice the money you're making now, be prepared to do something four times as hard, stressful, and demanding...no matter what the profession.

I agree with you. If you work your butt of in many jobs, you can make more money. I don't think that nursing is the "easiest" way to make decent money, though. Where I live, the unionized transit workers can make over $100K, operating trains and buses . . . is that harder than nursing? Maybe yes, maybe no.

Specializes in Cardiac, PCU, Surg/Onc, LTC, Peds.
I'm glad you'd rather be rich and miserable :lol2::lol2::loll:... you may just get what you settle for!! If you don't define quality by possessions, you never 'settle'...you're always ahead ! You sound very young... (that's not an insult at all- just an observation).

There are more descriptions to financial situation than rich and poor.... it's not all defined in absolutes :)

Do you also think that right out of school you'll get a 9-5 Mon-Fri job? :lol2::lol2::lol2:

You don't get to decide what "should be" important to ANYONE but yourself. Newsflash :D Not that powerful !!

Why not be the best you can be at what you do, knowing that every day you work, you make someone else's life a bit easier during a time of hardship? What's wrong with that being a big part of the payoff in nursing? Having a big check "should be important to everyone" is so incredibly shallow, IMO- and offensive. But maybe depth of character is meaningless to you (another reason to avoid working with people). You will be working with people you feel are somehow inferior because they don't make "enough" money in your eyes- and that will effect how you give care. You're not doing anybody any favors by being in healthcare if you can't see past the dollar signs. Unless you want to be a CEO or CFO, where you're paid to be insufferable!!

NO.... being content with what you have defines quality of life (and if you can afford more- that's great- but always aiming for more is a set up for a lot of disappointment and waiting "until" you have something. Being able to enjoy what you have gives a sense of contentment and having quality of life .. not waiting for it. :) Sometimes the 'best' is what you can afford at the time. Being content will never happen if you define it in possessions/money. There is always "more"... it's like trying to be perfect- it isn't attainable. Make a list of things that define success and happiness to you...figure out how long you're going to have to work as a nurse (hours/day, days/week, etc) and see if you'll have time to watch your kids grow up... that doesn't have a price.

I don't have any problem with people making money- but don't go into a profession that requires a degree of compassion and caring... materialistically driven nurses tend to be sorely lacking in empathy and compassion and INSIGHT... and usually suck as co-workers. IME. :cool:

You don't get to decide what makes me happy (thank God) :D

I'm on disability, and while I have much less money than I did when I was working, and struggle at times, I'm not unhappy. I'm alive- and with a lot of medical issues that could have dropped me like a rock many times over (and current leukemia chemo) that is MUCH more important. I'll take alive and doing 'fair' financially to the alternative, any day. It's not always about how much you have- just that you have anything at all, and still living in a decent place because of not living above my means beforehand has been a blessing .... But if you're only in healthcare for the money, that wouldn't make sense to you ....:)

What happens if (God forbid) something would happen to you, and you end up disabled, can't work, and the paycheck dries up- or shrinks a whole lot :D? Insure the snot out of yourself... long term disability pays 50-66% of your base salary at the time of becoming disabled - and with %0 economic 'growth', there are no increases each year, no matter how much more expensive things get- and if you can be happy living with what you can afford, that doesn't cause your world to stop spinning on its axis !!! You won't have any way to derive happiness or contentment if you aren't "rich". That would be pathetically sad. Nobody thinks anything will happen to them. But you never know- and there generally isn't much warning. Planning for the unexpected, good educations for your kids... I can see a lot of peace in having that (I don't have kids, so no worries there) ... but you can do that without constant focus on money just for the sake of money.

I wouldn't change my years of working as a nurse for anything (and this is when it paid a LOT less . It can pay well but doesn't always- depends on position and location-- staff nurses start out 'relatively' low- and the yearly increases aren't huge). I got a lot of satisfaction from a good days work- and accepted what I was paid as good enough (and it was fair for the area/years of experience)- I didn't have some 'need' to have a Mercedes when a used (very used ) Toyota got me where I needed to go just fine for 9 years :) (I've had 3 cars in my life- all used- and I'm not all that far from 50 yrs old...not there yet, but I'm within reaching distance :D I loved taking care of people- that was what drove me- not how big my check was. I made enough to live in decent apartments that provided anything I needed...I didn't want more. What I had was enough.

That eliminates a lot of stress- the ability to be happy where you are...not dependent on something you don't have yet.

If I had had more time with family, and less materialistically valuable stuff as a kid, I would have lived in a tent to get it. I've seen what having a goal of more money at any cost can do. Sure, the house was nice- but I spent a lot of time alone in it d/t parents' work hours- they too wanted to provide well for our family. But a lot of time was lost that can never be replaced. Providing for a family isn't only money. Memories aren't made by reading bank statements :) Good intentions can cause a lot of emptiness.

If material possessions define your happiness, you'll never have enough... that's sad. And pretty much stinks for whoever you take care of- JMHO- but it's my opinion, that is just as valid for me as your "money = happy" is for you. Good luck. I can't see someone who goes into nursing for a 'preferably large' paycheck lasting in nursing for very long. You have to bring more to the table than a single focus on money. :smokin:

Really? Lighten up. You're assuming a lot about the OP from just a few sentences? Your post came across to me as really condescending. It's totally ludicrous to judge someone for their reasons to enter a profession. It's not like nursing is some holy religious Order that only the select few perfect saints can join.

"I'm glad you'd rather be rich and miserable :lol2::lol2::loll:... you may just get what you settle for!! If you don't define quality by possessions, you never 'settle'...you're always ahead ! You sound very young... (that's not an insult at all- just an observation).

There are more descriptions to financial situation than rich and poor.... it's not all defined in absolutes :)

Do you also think that right out of school you'll get a 9-5 Mon-Fri job? :lol2::lol2::lol2:

You don't get to decide what "should be" important to ANYONE but yourself. Newsflash :D Not that powerful !!

Why not be the best you can be at what you do, knowing that every day you work, you make someone else's life a bit easier during a time of hardship? What's wrong with that being a big part of the payoff in nursing? Having a big check "should be important to everyone" is so incredibly shallow, IMO- and offensive. But maybe depth of character is meaningless to you (another reason to avoid working with people). You will be working with people you feel are somehow inferior because they don't make "enough" money in your eyes- and that will effect how you give care. You're not doing anybody any favors by being in healthcare if you can't see past the dollar signs. Unless you want to be a CEO or CFO, where you're paid to be insufferable!!

NO.... being content with what you have defines quality of life (and if you can afford more- that's great- but always aiming for more is a set up for a lot of disappointment and waiting "until" you have something. Being able to enjoy what you have gives a sense of contentment and having quality of life .. not waiting for it. :) Sometimes the 'best' is what you can afford at the time. Being content will never happen if you define it in possessions/money. There is always "more"... it's like trying to be perfect- it isn't attainable. Make a list of things that define success and happiness to you...figure out how long you're going to have to work as a nurse (hours/day, days/week, etc) and see if you'll have time to watch your kids grow up... that doesn't have a price.

I don't have any problem with people making money- but don't go into a profession that requires a degree of compassion and caring... materialistically driven nurses tend to be sorely lacking in empathy and compassion and INSIGHT... and usually suck as co-workers. IME. :cool:

You don't get to decide what makes me happy (thank God) :D

I'm on disability, and while I have much less money than I did when I was working, and struggle at times, I'm not unhappy. I'm alive- and with a lot of medical issues that could have dropped me like a rock many times over (and current leukemia chemo) that is MUCH more important. I'll take alive and doing 'fair' financially to the alternative, any day. It's not always about how much you have- just that you have anything at all, and still living in a decent place because of not living above my means beforehand has been a blessing .... But if you're only in healthcare for the money, that wouldn't make sense to you ....:)

What happens if (God forbid) something would happen to you, and you end up disabled, can't work, and the paycheck dries up- or shrinks a whole lot :D? Insure the snot out of yourself... long term disability pays 50-66% of your base salary at the time of becoming disabled - and with %0 economic 'growth', there are no increases each year, no matter how much more expensive things get- and if you can be happy living with what you can afford, that doesn't cause your world to stop spinning on its axis !!! You won't have any way to derive happiness or contentment if you aren't "rich". That would be pathetically sad. Nobody thinks anything will happen to them. But you never know- and there generally isn't much warning. Planning for the unexpected, good educations for your kids... I can see a lot of peace in having that (I don't have kids, so no worries there) ... but you can do that without constant focus on money just for the sake of money.

I wouldn't change my years of working as a nurse for anything (and this is when it paid a LOT less . It can pay well but doesn't always- depends on position and location-- staff nurses start out 'relatively' low- and the yearly increases aren't huge). I got a lot of satisfaction from a good days work- and accepted what I was paid as good enough (and it was fair for the area/years of experience)- I didn't have some 'need' to have a Mercedes when a used (very used ) Toyota got me where I needed to go just fine for 9 years :) (I've had 3 cars in my life- all used- and I'm not all that far from 50 yrs old...not there yet, but I'm within reaching distance :D I loved taking care of people- that was what drove me- not how big my check was. I made enough to live in decent apartments that provided anything I needed...I didn't want more. What I had was enough.

That eliminates a lot of stress- the ability to be happy where you are...not dependent on something you don't have yet.

If I had had more time with family, and less materialistically valuable stuff as a kid, I would have lived in a tent to get it. I've seen what having a goal of more money at any cost can do. Sure, the house was nice- but I spent a lot of time alone in it d/t parents' work hours- they too wanted to provide well for our family. But a lot of time was lost that can never be replaced. Providing for a family isn't only money. Memories aren't made by reading bank statements :) Good intentions can cause a lot of emptiness.

If material possessions define your happiness, you'll never have enough... that's sad. And pretty much stinks for whoever you take care of- JMHO- but it's my opinion, that is just as valid for me as your "money = happy" is for you. Good luck. I can't see someone who goes into nursing for a 'preferably large' paycheck lasting in nursing for very long. You have to bring more to the table than a single focus on money. :smokin:"

Why is it that "IMHO" is usually preceeded by one or several arrogant, chesty comments??!!!??! Humble oppinion my foot!!

Wait until you're moving 300 lb patients around....those bottles might start to look pretty good again :) LOL Nursing is an extremely physical job!! And there is life after 30.....for most of us who are older, it doesn't really start until 40- but it's hard to explain....just know that you'll run your butt off as a nurse for a lot longer than age 30 :D

Haha true story indeed =) I think although nursing and bartending you're on your feet a lot, the physicality of it to me is very different. I'm working as a CNA right now while in school, and I haul some pretty decently heavy patients all day, but I don't feel as emotionally or physically exhausted as being at a restaurant all day lifting a variety of things and bending over or getting on tippy toes every couple of minutes! It's hard to explain! Only thing I can do right now is stay in shape, and hope my body doesn't age too quickly!

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