No wonder we are getting nursing students who are only in it for $

cherrybreeze, ADN, RN · Nov 8, 2010

I know regions of the country vary widely, but I've been doing this 9 1/2 years, and I don't make close to 65k.....

iNurseUK, RN · Nov 8, 2010

Let us hold on the judgemental 'tude for a second.

I have nursed for 20 years. I had no sense of vocation whatsoever. I thought it was an interesting job with secure employment.

So it has proved to be. I'm a Senior Sister now. The technical stuff is at least as important as the touchy-feely stuff. Not all nurses are the same.

JDougRN, BSN, RN · Nov 8, 2010

I know regions of the country vary widely, but I've been doing this 9 1/2 years, and I don't make close to 65k.....

Cherry, I think that figure is an average, including people who have decades of experience. That is also partly my point- it's very misleading.

Ardneth · Nov 8, 2010

I'm not sure how far off the figure is. I have a family member that is in HR of a hospital chain in the NE and they noted that their base salary for new grad hires is right around $29.00/hr. That's 60k a year without differential or overtime.

Granted, they're not hiring as much right now due to the non-shortage of nurses in the northeastern states.

cherrybreeze, ADN, RN · Nov 8, 2010

Cherry, I think that figure is an average, including people who have decades of experience. That is also partly my point- it's very misleading.

Exactly....that's why I mentioned it.

KarmaWiseRaven · Nov 8, 2010

I think in Callif they make that much. I remember when i left an LVN was making 21 something an hour. And the sign on bonus's were unreal like 10,000 that was in 01-02.Here in Missouri RN's are lucky to make 20 an hour. These are my thoughts use them as you wish

Emergency RN · Nov 8, 2010

lol...

what's funny here is how some wistfully talk about 60k as if it's a lot of money. guess what? i make 100k as regular full time staff with no overtime in the heart of new york city. but, ...guess what else? i pay roughly 40k a year in taxes alone (fed, state & local, the highest combined tax rate in the country), and another 20k a year for housing, ecking out an existence on the remainder (~ 40k) to raise a family of five. some of these people living in the middle of nowhere and "only" making 40k a year, but don't have my cost of living factors, don't realize how lucky they really are. :uhoh3:

hence, it's an illusion; the dollar figure in salaries is all relative to the region. in many instances, those lower salary regions are actually much better off than where i'm at.

as for the op comments about money attraction to the profession of the "wrong" elements, ie. those only motivated by reward (and not the sacrifice that some think is a necessary element in nursing); i say, altruism is fine, but my kids need to eat. the better i get paid and take care of them, the more my heart and mind can be at ease to devote my training and attention fully to my patients. if i'm fretting where my kid's next meal is coming from, a patient's fetid decubitus ulcer would probably be the last thing on my mind. we need to take care of ourselves before we can take care of others, and we shouldn't be made to feel guilty about that.

support your nursing unions! :up:

One2gofst · Nov 8, 2010

Really, it is a "fact" that you need to invest your heart and soul to be a good nurse? So all the nurses, even on this very forum, are ****** nurses because it is not what defines them, but rather a stable, secure profession? Interesting.

roser13, ASN, RN · Nov 8, 2010

The major point to me is the ongoing advertising of Nursing as a sure-fire employment option. Sure, it may (or may not) happen in the future, but there are an awful lot of disillusioned new grads out there, unable to find work for any salary.

I wish the major media would catch onto the fact that there is no nursing shortage right now. Shortage is defined by a lack of personnel to fill available positions. Currently, there is a glut of unemployed RN's competing for a decreased (due to healthcare cutbacks) number of positions. Advertising otherwise seems unethical and immoral right now because it leads students to choose a career path that may never pay off.

PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN · Nov 8, 2010

Let us hold on the judgemental 'tude for a second.
I have nursed for 20 years. I had no sense of vocation whatsoever. I thought it was an interesting job with secure employment.
So it has proved to be. I'm a Senior Sister now. The technical stuff is at least as important as the touchy-feely stuff. Not all nurses are the same.

I can be touchy feely when the situation calls for it...but I prefer to be logical and use my knowledge. It's more fun. Altruism?

Blah. No thanks. :cool:

klone, MSN, RN · Nov 8, 2010

I know regions of the country vary widely, but I've been doing this 9 1/2 years, and I don't make close to 65k.....

That's too bad! I've worked in 2 different states, and in both places, an RN with 3-5 years of experience can expect to make around 65K, if not more. And I'm not talking about NY or CA or other super high COL states.