Moonlighting Nurses

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I have been talking to nurses in my area who are having to moonlight in other jobs due to the low wages here. Only 1 hospital in the county - low wages and not alot of clinics or medical offices. All of them pay low wages. When gas was cheaper they could drive to larger cities (very long commute and often bad weather) but now they said it isn't worth it. They can't move cause they are married and they live here due to husbands job (some are farmers). They often work in an office setting as an LPN or RN during the day and moonlight at nights and weekends in retail or such. How common is this? They don't even get insurance benefits at their jobs. Is this just the area I live in or what?

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What area are you talking about?

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Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, Home Health, Oncology.

Yes, where are you located?

THe RN's in my area make excellent wages and good benefits.

Yes, I live in a large city, but there are also many smaller areas around here

that have hospitals & offices.

I'm really surprised to hear your story.

Mary Ann

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Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

OH I hear you too, I live in a rural area of Oregon...and since we have 4 local RN schools it is hard to make above a begining wage because they can simply hire a newbie and let you go! Plus, once you get a position, as hard as it can be around here, you DON'T let it go!!!!! I work with nurses that have been in the same facility 20-30 years!

I make about what a one year RN makes and I am on year 6! But alas..it does pay my bills so I don't have to moonlight. But my CNA's, dietary staff, receptionists, housekeeping, etc do take on other jobs (even being full time at ours) to make ends meet. Same situation, why keep paying that one person when you can easily replace them for decreased wages and horrid benifits!

Alas, also for me, they make RN's work only just under 36 hours per week so they CAN'T make benifits or get full time wages! A little trick seen in most facilities now! It is getting very bad for us nurses here and medics in general.

Hopefully I won't have to moonlight, but I am thinking really hard about a job I can do at home for some extra money especially for the holidays!

Moving is NOT an option either...I don't want to leave my families farm! I have a little acre of heaven we have built on to our perfect little cozy home over the last 7 years and no way will I let that go! Hubby is a local paramedic too so both our jobs are local and need to stay local...

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This is rural/small town Indiana. The LPN was making about 7 an hour and no benefits. Typical wages. Going an over hundred mile round trip might gain a dollar or two an hour - but with gas prices and bad winter weather and wear and tear on cars - it isn't worth it. This is what jobs pay here unfortunately. In some cases people can't move.

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$7 an hour for an LPN- I am making more than that as an CNA right now and as soon as my nurse tech certificate goes through I will make $15.00. I know where I live our LPN's make around $17.00 an hour starting, RN's over $20. I dont live in a big city, we only have one local hospital, but I do think wage is a little higher than average on the west coast.

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This is rural/small town Indiana. The LPN was making about 7 an hour and no benefits. Typical wages. Going an over hundred mile round trip might gain a dollar or two an hour - but with gas prices and bad winter weather and wear and tear on cars - it isn't worth it. This is what jobs pay here unfortunately. In some cases people can't move.

7 an hour??? Dear GOD.

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$7 an hour for an LPN- I am making more than that as an CNA right now and as soon as my nurse tech certificate goes through I will make $15.00. I know where I live our LPN's make around $17.00 an hour starting, RN's over $20. I dont live in a big city, we only have one local hospital, but I do think wage is a little higher than average on the west coast.

Whaaaaat? 7 dollars ? Might as well be 7 pesos ! :eek:

Z

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Alas, also for me, they make RN's work only just under 36 hours per week so they CAN'T make benifits or get full time wages! A little trick seen in most facilities now! It is getting very bad for us nurses here and medics in general.

Actually, it is the individual facility that decides what "full time" is (for determination of benefits). Most places where nurses work 3 12's calls 72 hours per pay period full-time for benefits purposes. I know of some places where 60 hours per pay period gets full-time benefits. If your facility is limiting your benefits because you work less than 80 hour per pay period, that is their own greed and poor employment practice -- it does not HAVE to be that way.

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Actually, it is the individual facility that decides what "full time" is (for determination of benefits). Most places where nurses work 3 12's calls 72 hours per pay period full-time for benefits purposes. I know of some places where 60 hours per pay period gets full-time benefits. If your facility is limiting your benefits because you work less than 80 hour per pay period, that is their own greed and poor employment practice -- it does not HAVE to be that way.
The midwest economy is really bad. I think the economy in other states will go this way too unfortunately. It seems to be spreading across the country.
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$7 an hour for an LPN- I am making more than that as an CNA right now and as soon as my nurse tech certificate goes through I will make $15.00. I know where I live our LPN's make around $17.00 an hour starting, RN's over $20. I dont live in a big city, we only have one local hospital, but I do think wage is a little higher than average on the west coast.

Are you sure its not $17.00 per hour I make 21 with my diff 7 dollars cant be right.

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Specializes in Everything but psych!.

I can hardly remember WHEN I DIDN'T moonlight! I moonlighted when I was living in Los Angeles, SanFrancisco Bay area, Minneapolis, and Hawaii. Now that I am in the Milwaukee area, I am still moonlighting! (Actually I am moonlighting x 3). Is it to make ends meet? Yes - No. It just makes life easier. And I enjoy what I do. I am so sorry for those who HAVE TO do it. In the other areas I did not have a choice. Here I DO have a choice, and I've made it. The only place I did not moonlight, was in Upper Michigan. Heck, in such a small area if a person moonlighted, it would be conflict of interest!

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