Nurses that “only do it for the money”

TriciaJ, RN · Mar 30, 2019

What do we think of firefighters who are only in it for the money? How about baristas? Shoe salepeople? Who cares why they do what they do as long as they do it decently? And if they don't do it decently, then it's a problem for someone.

Are nurses supposed to be inherently different? Do we somehow have different DNA from everyone else?

klone, MSN, RN · Mar 30, 2019

People who do a *** job need to either step up their game or get out. Thing is, I know plenty of nurses for whom nursing is a “calling” and do it for their love of Florence Nightingale and blah blah and they’re still *** nurses.

As long as you do a good job and you work hard and are generally a pleasant person to work with, I don’t give a flying *** what your motivations are for coming to work each day.

heron, ASN, RN · Mar 30, 2019

4 hours ago, AFJ32780 said:
What is your thought on nurses who only join the profession for financial gains?

You first. What are your thoughts on the subject?

kp2016 · Mar 30, 2019

You do know it’s 2019 right? Nurses are trained, skilled professionals. Why the heck shouldn’t we want to be paid for our hard work!

This site is full of posts about experienced nurses earning barely more than new grad nurses, unsafe patient ratios and mandated overtime. All of these unfair work conditions have their origins in the archaic notion that Nursing is a vocation rather than a profession. Frankly I think we need more nurses who are only in it for the money!

TheMoonisMyLantern, LPN, RN · Mar 30, 2019

Many of the most competent nurses I've known and that I've admired went into nursing for financial reasons. Ironically they have been some of the most dedicated nursing professionals that I've worked with as opposed to the martyr types. I think realistically money by itself is not the only motivator, we see the worst aspect of humanity so some level of caring is needed. No need to be a bleeding heart though, that's been a lesson I've had to learn over the years.

AFJ32780, MSN, RN, NP · Mar 30, 2019

On 3/30/2019 at 4:30 AM, heron said:
You first. What are your thoughts on the subject?

I think that nursing should be something someone wants to do. If they solely do it for the money, that’s ok too as long as they do their work and do it with the patient in mind.

I've been a patient in and out of hospitals all my life. Throughout these years I’ve encountered hundreds of nurses. Most have been wonderful and caring (I am sure a few of these wonderful nurses were only in it for the money, but you couldn’t tell). At the same time, a few nurses I encountered, couldn’t hold their facial expressions, we’re condescending, ignored us and one gentleman in my last surgery even admitted he was there for a paycheck, and what’s worse is that you can tell.

Ultimately, nursing is a job. Period. But it’s a job with human lives as the main source of work so compassion from all nurses, regardless whether it’s a “calling” or a “paycheck”, is greatly needed.

FYI: Not bashing anyone, most nurses out there are great nurses, regardless of their reasoning for going in to this field.

AFJ32780, MSN, RN, NP · Mar 30, 2019

4 hours ago, TriciaJ said:
What do we think of firefighters who are only in it for the money? How about baristas? Shoe salepeople? Who cares why they do what they do as long as they do it decently? And if they don't do it decently, then it's a problem for someone.
Are nurses supposed to be inherently different? Do we somehow have different DNA from everyone else?

One difference, between selling shoes and iced coffee, is that nurses and firefighters are caring for human lives. Not to say that people that are only doing for the money don’t do a good job but we really can’t compare, making a cappuccino to rescuing a live.

AFJ32780, MSN, RN, NP · Mar 30, 2019

4 hours ago, Jedrnurse said:
Well, there are about 1,000,000,000 posts on AN dealing with that precise issue. And that's a low estimate.

Ok.

Quota, BSN, RN · Mar 30, 2019

While there were many factors in my recent career change to nursing money was a big one. From a larger paycheck to significant cost savings from a drastically shorter commute with associated car related savings on top of that. I’m absolutely there for the money and not some greater “calling”. I was gifted with chocolates from two different patient families yesterday. Pretty sure they can’t tell/don’t care I’m there for the money. Their family member received good care and they are happy.

JadedCPN, BSN, RN · Mar 30, 2019

To mimic what others have said, it really makes no difference to me as long as you do your job. Truly. Those who think it is their calling are not inherently better nurses than those who do it for the money.

ETA this afterthought: This has me thinking, is there any other profession that is "scrutinized" as much regarding this topic as nursing? This is always brought up, usually by our own colleagues, but nobody asks if EMTs do it just for the money, or firefighters, etc.

FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN · Mar 30, 2019

It's unfortunate when people get stuck somewhere that's miserable for them because they need the money. It sucks for that person, the people they work with and their patients or customers.

You really can't do a good job when you're in that position.

That's what I think of when you say someone who only does it for the money.

I'm not only in it for the money. I am deeply interested in psychology and psychiatry. But I picked psych nurse over social worker because nurses make more money. If money meant more to me, I would have stayed in the hospital where I made more. But I went to community psych which I found much more interesting and satisfying even though I make less. Its a quality of life thing.

A good portion of the nurses I worked with in the hospital were trapped and miserable because they had to have that paycheck. Glad I got out when I did.

You can find people trapped in miserable jobs anywhere and in every field. Sometimes it's not the job, but it's just a bad fit for the person. Sometimes the job just sucks. But people need to pay their bills and take care of their families so they suffer through it.

I don't think very many nurses start the career for the sole reason of making money, although I'm sure money is a factor, its a decent paying job. I think people who like money enough for it to be the sole reason they work tend to go for careers in finance. But some nurses wind up staying in a place they hate or a role they've personally outgrown because of money.

JKL33 · Mar 30, 2019

On 3/30/2019 at 6:55 AM, AFJ32780 said:
Ultimately, nursing is a job. Period. But it’s a job with human lives as the main source of work so compassion from all nurses, regardless whether it’s a “calling” or a “paycheck”, is greatly needed.

On 3/30/2019 at 6:58 AM, AFJ32780 said:
One difference, between selling shoes and iced coffee, is that nurses and firefighters are caring for human lives. Not to say that people that are only doing for the money don’t do a good job but we really can’t compare, making a cappuccino to rescuing a live

Well how about comparing it to working on an auto assembly line or running an amusement/theme park, then?

What nurses feel about working with patients (providing care for another human being) doesn't have jack squat to do with anything, and that is/will be true no matter which messed up business or govt scheme is being used to pay for the care (or for-profit, non-profit, not-for-profit or public care). Those who pay ultimately dictate what care looks like through policy and regulation. This ceases to be primarily a hand-holding and brow-mopping endeavor based on severe limitations of time and budget.