We had this huge discussion at work today, and i thought i'd get your opinions.
The statement was this: "We have to many people becoming nurses for the money. Its not like it used to be, where a nurse chose to be a nurse because they liked helping people. Its all about the money,."
We were talking about the increased patient complaints, and an older nurse stated the above and thats the reason for increased patient complaints.
Specializes in ICU, CCU, Trauma, neuro, Geriatrics.
Ails, I have come in contact with a few of those phillipino doctors who become US nurses. None of them impressed me. All are gone from our facility now, we didn't want to extend their contract.
Not all of the nurses had really good experience either before coming here. I made friends with a few and was really impressed with some who are wonderful nurses. Probably the same ration of good vs mediocre that we have in US citizens trained as nurses.
Specializes in ICU, CCU, Trauma, neuro, Geriatrics.
Supply vs demand, that is more the issue right now in nursing. Not enough nurses so in places they 'drop the bar'. Well during this time where I work we decided to 'raise the bar'. Guess what, we got much better staff and much better staffing. As far as the qualifications and attitude of the nursing graduates, there are still the 30 and 90 day evaluations. If you as staff really think there is a problem, try to orient this person and then re-evaluate them and work with them. A swan is really ugly as a chick. We were all there at one point in our career.
The attitude of a facility filters down from its administration, go to meetings if you feel there is a problem. Find a facility with an attitude that works for you.
We have an aging population of nurses, we need to train our replacements well. Be a mentor, take that step. Yes it is a challenge, new nurses ask a lot of questions. You did too at one time. Ask your ADON/team leader etc. for someone who seems to have simular ideals that you can work with. Just a reference person, not necessarily someone who works in your department.
In every profession there are people there "just for the money." There are a lot of careers the pay a lot more than nursing and the work is much easier. If they went into or are going into nursing for the money they aren't too bright or are masochistic and will get out once they realize the reality of nursing.
But whenever I hear older nurses talking about the new nurses and longing for the good old days I cringe.
I am an older nurse but I do not want to go back to the days of white caps, standing whenever a doctor walked into the unit and we were not seen as skilled medical professionals just glorified babysitters.
Thank you so much for your response. I totally agree with you. I am a new nurse who believe that you should treat your patients the way you would want to be treated, but I think that those nurses who believe that nurses
should do nursing just because they love helping people, and donot think that money matters is not being honest. They are actually hurting the profession, by placing so little value on what they do. These nurses are the reason that nurses earn what they do today, and are treated with so little respect by some physicians. I am so glad that the nurses who are coming in to the profession are more demanding, because nursing is hard work and no nurse should make under 50.00 an hour. Giving of oneself on a day to day basis is very emotionally draining although the rewards of helping your patients are great. I believe you cannot put a price on what nurses do, but hospitals and other facilities can certaintly put forth more effort in salaries and benefits for nurses. I think that once nurses learn to stick together and form a united front, they will all be much happier as for as salaries, working conditions, better treatment and respect by the medical establishment. I hope this will come with the new nurses.
In every profession there are people there "just for the money." There are a lot of careers the pay a lot more than nursing and the work is much easier. If they went into or are going into nursing for the money they aren't too bright or are masochistic and will get out once they realize the reality of nursing.
But whenever I hear older nurses talking about the new nurses and longing for the good old days I cringe.
I am an older nurse but I do not want to go back to the days of white caps, standing whenever a doctor walked into the unit and we were not seen as skilled medical professionals just glorified babysitters.
Thank you so much for your response. I totally agree with you. I am a new nurse who believe that you should treat your patients the way you would want to be treated, but I think that those nurses who believe that nurses
should do nursing just because they love helping people, and donot think that money matters is not being honest. They are actually hurting the profession, by placing so little value on what they do. These nurses are the reason that nurses earn what they do today, and are treated with so little respect by some physicians. I am so glad that the nurses who are coming in to the profession are more demanding, because nursing is hard work and no nurse should make under 50.00 an hour. Giving of oneself on a day to day basis is very emotionally draining although the rewards of helping your patients are great. I believe you cannot put a price on what nurses do, but hospitals and other facilities can certaintly put forth more effort in salaries and benefits for nurses. I think that once nurses learn to stick together and form a united front, they will all be much happier as for as salaries, working conditions, better treatment and respect by the medical establishment. I hope this will come with the new nurses.
THe reason im a nurse is because medics dont make the money nurses make.....
WHy i became a medic, is the same reason im a nurse (besides the increase in pay) is seeing the difference i make in peoples lives every day i work. Nursing is a rewarding and challenging career that has become so specialized as the years go by.
For those of you that say nurses dont make much money....Your crazy....Sure, were not millioniares, but we do well....I agree, we are underpaid, but still, we are paid well.
Talk to a paramedic, they'll tell you about being underpaid......
This is an interesting thread...honestly I do have to say that I think the majority of people in this proffession is for the money...sorry but that is what I have seen. However, I also see them burn out easily...take easy jobs...not perform to potential in current job...leave for reasons...and also slowly be pushed out of the profession.
My career choice...hmm I describe it as doing something I love and will do forever, hence my constant career advancements. I am bothered by people who say..."I am a nurse at work, I am not when the clock stops" My nursing carries with me everywhere I go, I am constantly doing physical assessments, offering a hand when needed. It doesn't stop when the clock stops. If I do something for 40+ hours a week, dang I better love it, cause that is a good portion of my life. My job has never stopped when the clock did...I love it too much...IT is part of me..it is what makes me, me!!!
Now regarding the pay, honestly I wonder if it is good money or not...sure it looks good but you know...when you go home crying over a great pt. you just lost or the prognosis is bad. Or your supervisors are riding your butt to take on more pt. Or you realize heck I didn't pee today(great UTI's comming later in life for that one) Or the pain in your back, or problems with circulation, CTS, you name it...nurses develop it...why because most of us work a job spending 8hours on our feet, most of us are dedicated to our patients and our employeers that...if our work isn't done or up to where it needs to be for that day...we don't take a break and we dont go home.
Most people work a job where it requires minor parts of physical and mental at one given time...Us nurses...we need to utilize our brains 100% of the time and be capable of doing physical labor 100% of the time...do it at the same time for 8hours. WE develop CTS due to constant charting(which I think the more charting the better, gives the healthcare team working with that pt. a 360 degree view of the pt. however I love the pt. contact more).
No we do not make good money for what we do and what we put our bodies through and what we put our families through...so you have to be in it for more than just money...it is too demanding of one's self...the one's that are in it for the money...well I feel for their patients...because their patients deserve more.
I hate it when a nurse complains about a person asking her a question out of "buisness hours"....because she is not working...if you have an issue with it because of safety and liability concern, that is different..however I NEVER heard of a nurse getting in trouble or causing problems by offering incorrect information...because what do we do with our patients..constant pt. education...hence we are always walking a fine line between our role and the providers role.
IF you are a nurse...CARING is your number one priority...not just for your duty hours. IF your in it for the money...I sure the hell will chase you out along with several other nurses!!!
IT's NOT about the money...it is about the care we provide on a mental, emotional and physical level to our patients.
Sorry so long, but it was kinda of depressing to read what was wrote in this post about it being about the money, but hey it is reality!
THe reason im a nurse is because medics dont make the money nurses make.....
WHy i became a medic, is the same reason im a nurse (besides the increase in pay) is seeing the difference i make in peoples lives every day i work. Nursing is a rewarding and challenging career that has become so specialized as the years go by.
For those of you that say nurses dont make much money....Your crazy....Sure, were not millioniares, but we do well....I agree, we are underpaid, but still, we are paid well.
Talk to a paramedic, they'll tell you about being underpaid......
I agree we are paid better than some professions. but when you say that we are paid well, I have to disagree to a certain extent. Just take a look at what nurses make in the southern part of the country. I know about low pay okay
This is an interesting thread...honestly I do have to say that I think the majority of people in this proffession is for the money...sorry but that is what I have seen. However, I also see them burn out easily...take easy jobs...not perform to potential in current job...leave for reasons...and also slowly be pushed out of the profession.
My career choice...hmm I describe it as doing something I love and will do forever, hence my constant career advancements. I am bothered by people who say..."I am a nurse at work, I am not when the clock stops" My nursing carries with me everywhere I go, I am constantly doing physical assessments, offering a hand when needed. It doesn't stop when the clock stops. If I do something for 40+ hours a week, dang I better love it, cause that is a good portion of my life. My job has never stopped when the clock did...I love it too much...IT is part of me..it is what makes me, me!!!
Now regarding the pay, honestly I wonder if it is good money or not...sure it looks good but you know...when you go home crying over a great pt. you just lost or the prognosis is bad. Or your supervisors are riding your butt to take on more pt. Or you realize heck I didn't pee today(great UTI's comming later in life for that one) Or the pain in your back, or problems with circulation, CTS, you name it...nurses develop it...why because most of us work a job spending 8hours on our feet, most of us are dedicated to our patients and our employeers that...if our work isn't done or up to where it needs to be for that day...we don't take a break and we dont go home.
Most people work a job where it requires minor parts of physical and mental at one given time...Us nurses...we need to utilize our brains 100% of the time and be capable of doing physical labor 100% of the time...do it at the same time for 8hours. WE develop CTS due to constant charting(which I think the more charting the better, gives the healthcare team working with that pt. a 360 degree view of the pt. however I love the pt. contact more).
No we do not make good money for what we do and what we put our bodies through and what we put our families through...so you have to be in it for more than just money...it is too demanding of one's self...the one's that are in it for the money...well I feel for their patients...because their patients deserve more.
I hate it when a nurse complains about a person asking her a question out of "buisness hours"....because she is not working...if you have an issue with it because of safety and liability concern, that is different..however I NEVER heard of a nurse getting in trouble or causing problems by offering incorrect information...because what do we do with our patients..constant pt. education...hence we are always walking a fine line between our role and the providers role.
IF you are a nurse...CARING is your number one priority...not just for your duty hours. IF your in it for the money...I sure the hell will chase you out along with several other nurses!!!
IT's NOT about the money...it is about the care we provide on a mental, emotional and physical level to our patients.
Sorry so long, but it was kinda of depressing to read what was wrote in this post about it being about the money, but hey it is reality!
I need to respond to your post. I was explaining that nurses need to be compensated fairly, and I PERSONALLY DONT BELIEVE THEY ARE. As far as chasing someone from nursing, Good luck it wont happen because it is usually the nurses that bicker about their profession, and try to eat their young that usually burn out faster. They usually end up burnt out, old and complaining about the new nurses making the same money it took them years to make
Marylyric, sorry if it appeared I was referring to your comment...I wasnt honestly just stating my own opinion, not to anything in particular...as for being a medic then and nurse because of money...hey you made a career choice to better yourself...doing something you enjoyed...I personally don't see anything wrong with that...Now if you were in another career and choice to be a nurse because of the money, one with out a caring background...that is different...
As for chasing out the money lovers, hon you gotta know I am passive aggressive and the last thing us type of people do is bicker...however we do make things clear that are unacceptable...someone say I don't make enough money or upset because they have a difficult patient..when I say upset I dont mean venting, I mean constant nonstop complaining...oh no that I would say well trade me the patient, I would give an easy one of mine. I am truelly saying when people tell they are in it for the money, I remind them we are dealing with lives and the next time their loved one is here or they are...purhaps that nurse is in it for the money too. I believe what comes around goes around...eventually when the kitchen gets to hot...only the dedicated ones can stand the heat.
snowfreeze, BSN, RN
948 Posts
Ails, I have come in contact with a few of those phillipino doctors who become US nurses. None of them impressed me. All are gone from our facility now, we didn't want to extend their contract.
Not all of the nurses had really good experience either before coming here. I made friends with a few and was really impressed with some who are wonderful nurses. Probably the same ration of good vs mediocre that we have in US citizens trained as nurses.