I mentioned to a guy I work with that I am going to (start) nursing school, and he told me his wife had just passed her NCLEX a year before and has been working for a non-profit ever since. When I asked if he minded telling me about what she made, he said 24k a year....
I live in TN where the cost of living is lower, and I expect to make lower than the national average because of that; but 24k??? I can make that being a manager at a McDonalds. Skimming through sites like Monster.com I have never seen a nurse making anywhere near that little money, even just starting out.
He may be mistaken, or his wife is hiding money on him or something... but if nursing school is 1/2 as hard as people say it is I want to be compensated for all of the hard work I put in to become an RN.
I live in California, not in a big city but not in the desert and the minimum is $75,000 year for full-time hospital nurses. Most make more than that with overtime.
I'm currently in Knoxville, an RN 3 years in, and a lot of it (the pay) depends on experience, LPN vs RN, and where you work. I made $21/hr straight out of the gate, and the other major players in the area pay even lower at about $17-$18/hr for new grads. One pays more, and it is the only hospital in my immediate area that is unionized. That being said, where I work, I can opt to pick up bonus shifts, and if I play my cards right, I can make upwards of $50/hr, but I have to make bonus and OT pay for that to happen. Also keep in mind the pay for an LPN/LVN is going to be lower than that of an RN. The cost of living here is quite a bit lower than in some other parts of the country also, so the pay reflects that.
I'm currently in Knoxville, an RN 3 years in, and a lot of it (the pay) depends on experience, LPN vs RN, and where you work. I made $21/hr straight out of the gate, and the other major players in the area pay even lower at about $17-$18/hr for new grads. One pays more, and it is the only hospital in my immediate area that is unionized. That being said, where I work, I can opt to pick up bonus shifts, and if I play my cards right, I can make upwards of $50/hr, but I have to make bonus and OT pay for that to happen. Also keep in mind the pay for an LPN/LVN is going to be lower than that of an RN. The cost of living here is quite a bit lower than in some other parts of the country also, so the pay reflects that.
I live in Knoxville as well. After about 5 years what can you expect to make here?
I was curious about the 36 hour week and OT. If I picked up an extra day that would bring me to 48 hours. Would only 8 of it be OT, and the other 4 being regular time? If that is the case it would make working small amounts of OT much less appealing.
What do you know about this "non-profit" your friend's wife is working for, and what her role is there? If it is a charitable organization, she may be in a "semi-volunteer" type of position (that is, making less than market wages because of her commitment to the cause that the organization promotes).
Also, this may be a dumb question, but are you certain that his wife is an RN, and not an LPN? Lots of people in the public use the term "nurse" without understanding that there is a clear distinction.
When I was working in East Tennessee several years ago, RNs were making significantly more than $24k/yr. More like ~$60k.
Also what type of hours is she logging? Is she just doing 1 day a week clinic work?
Also what type of hours is she logging? Is she just doing 1 day a week clinic work?
The guy knew the general knowledge, so I don't think he was BS'n. He said that she worked OT, and he didn't like her working more than 4 days (12 hour shifts) because it was so draining on her. A girl I work with said she had started nursing school. When I pressed her further about "Ya, doesn't learning the citric acid cycle a million times suck", and "Did you have to take the TEAS? What did you get?". She looked at me like a confused dog; she had no idea what I was talking about.
Point being a lot of people can be full of crap. I am no expert, but I don't think he was lying to me.
I predicated the $ question with "if you don't mind me asking, ball park", and that is when he gave me the obscenely low number. I would think if you choose to give an answer most people would tend to brag.
I personally think she is lying to him. I don't know the guy that well, much less his wife whom I have never met; but what he said does not add up.
When I pressed her further about "Ya, doesn't learning the citric acid cycle a million times suck", and "Did you have to take the TEAS? What did you get?". She looked at me like a confused dog; she had no idea what I was talking about.
Uh...pretty sure LPNs have to take biology and physiology as well. Not to mention, not every school uses the TEAS or HESI A2.
scoope23
126 Posts
How does that balance out with the high cost of living there?