Nurse trying to scare me away from RN/Nursing in general

[camci]

I'm a CNA and will be starting (hopefully) LVN school this fall, but last weekend one of our agency RN's came for the holidays and I started asking her about her job and stuff. She is a 60 year old woman who has been in the business for decades, and told me she only makes $30 an hour. I said "but the LVN's here start at $27!" she said "I know, aweful isn't it?". She said everyone will try to glamour me about how much money I'll make as a nurse one day but the truth is they're more underpaid than they let on.

She told me just to stay away from the hard dirty work of nursing and go into computers (uhm, no) or maybe go to something higher than RN one day.

My goal is to one day be a nurse practitioner, but that could be 10 years down the road since I have to be an RN first for 2 years with most NP programs.

Are RN's really this underpaid though? Everywhere I read says RN's make 70-80 a year, is this woman right or is she just an unfortunate exception?

[life_aknew]

While I certainly can empathize with the feelings of discouragement and negativity, I really don't think that she meant it as you took it. Unless she is just plain ole batty, I think she thought she was doing you a favor. She has been a nurse for quite some time and has probably seen a lot of change. Her 'discouraging' was probably just her version of a heads up/warning type of thing.

I used to let comments like that bother me but then I realized that with all professions there are negative aspects-some more than others. I have taken heed and have chosen to go forward despite numerous advice that I shouldn't because there are hardly any jobs for new graduates with just an associate to boot. It's ok to pay attention to what nurses say about the profession one wants to join--even when it isn't candy canes and marshmallows. It's reality. Take what you want and leave the rest.

[taylissa]

That's a good way to look at it, thanks for your perspective :)

[ZooCrew10]

I think you have to have a real desire to do all the work to become a nurse. Sure, a good pay will be great. We could use the money, but honestly I began schooling because one day I want to be able to help people. One day I want to be the one catching babies as a CNM or even NP. I want to be able to help brighten the days of sick individuals, be that light in their life for just a little while. Yeah, it's going to be grueling, and yeah I'll get puked on, pooped on, peed on....but I've already had all that happen and didn't make a dime. That woman sounds bitter, or that, she doesn't want to come head to head with a younger RN who may take her job away. Don't let another person's negative experiences dissuade you from your dream.