how old were you when you realized you weren't going to make real money as a nurse

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Laid off pilot use to make 12K a month, sitting in nursing school. That's when

P.S. also carry my own malpractice insurance.

How much does that cost you? Do most of your coworkers carry it too?

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Specializes in L & D; Postpartum.

I see nothing wrong in choosing a profession that pays well. How many people complain about very low paying jobs, but that is what THEY chose to go into? I know quite a few. and if you knowingly choose a profession that is and always has been on the low pay scale, then you must live with it or make a change, because most likely the change isn't going to be that the profession is all of a sudden going to be a big money maker.

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Laid off pilot use to make 12K a month, sitting in nursing school. That's when

Thanks for stopping by, I'm sure someone cannot wait to fill your empty seat when you quit.

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A great majority of bachelor degrees don't even mean much anymore and nurses are complaining about the amount of money they get paid for 2 years of schooling? Amazing.

Let's be honest here. Nursing is not really a "2 year degree." At the vast majority of two year schools, over a year to two years of "prerequisites" are required and you have to get a high GPA in those to get into a decent school.

Throw in the fact that many schools have their application deadlines in February to start school in the fall and you end up taking about 4 years to get that ADN.

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Let's be honest here. Nursing is not really a "2 year degree."

I already addressed that in my post that you quoted from.

At the vast majority of two year schools, over a year to two years of "prerequisites" are required and you have to get a high GPA in those to get into a decent school.

I already addressed the prereqs in my post that you quoted from too. As far as the GPA...shouldn't you get a high GPA? Do you think nurses deserve more credit for their degree because they didn't skate by with Cs? That's pretty ridiculous to imply that somehow nurses are doing more/harder work because they actually have to get decent grades. I think for most competitive programs you have to keep up a pretty high GPA, no?

Throw in the fact that many schools have their application deadlines in February to start school in the fall and you end up taking about 4 years to get that ADN.

As I said in my previous post, yes, it may take that long, but it's not like you're going to school full time for 4 years to get a 2-year degree. The fact that people might elongate the amount of time needed to earn the degree is their own business. If you know that it's likely it's going to take 4 years to get your ADN, then get your BSN. At least you'll have earned a higher degree and have more options. Yes, I know RN-BSNs are not better than RN-ADNs, and I know it doesn't make much/any difference with starting pay, and I know you both will have the same job, but at least you'll have more opportunities down the road.

When it comes down to it, no matter which path you take, if you earn an ADN, you've earned a two year degree. Nothing more, nothing less.

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Thanks for stopping by, I'm sure someone cannot wait to fill your empty seat when you quit.

WOW, and I'm guessing you personally know this person and that is how you're judging their commitment to nursing?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.
Carrolmaccas66,

I understand completely. I know how hard some people work only to pay taxes while others live off the system and bottom line have more money that way. My neice is a welfare Mom and has more disposable income than I do with my husband making over $50g a year. When I finish Nursing School I will still be tight with money because I know most of it will only pay taxes, gas, car payment, daycare, and make up for the lack of child support I get.

I'm glad someone understands what I went through!

I'm in Australia & finished studying 2 years ago. I was unable to gain an apprentice year over here (called a general nursing program [GNP] ) so had to move to another state to get work. Our short sighted government decided to create all these nursing program places at university, but no jobs/GNPs at the end of it! Isn't that clever? And if you are not a native of the state you studied in, you will not get a GNP in another state/territory of Australia - they just simply won't take you, no matter how great your grades/reports were, or even if you were an enrolled nurse (EN is equivalent to your LPN I think). And I know people who were former ENs with many years of experience, who studied to be RNs, had brilliant references, great grades and STILL did not get jobs. Many of them had to go back to being ENs.

I feel very disheartened now by the whole system. It is a shambles here in Oz as far as I am concerned. So I am doing agency work, and today another shift got cancelled. I will probably be forced to work the weekend again, where 2/3's of my pay will go on tax.

As I said, my niece works 3 shifts per week, gets a ton of money and other benefits in child care (they get too much in my opinion) but at least she is working unlike other welfare mums/cheats (and I know many people personally who have had a baby for the money and they ARE cheats). My hard earned tax money is going to support these so-called 'young mums'. And our wonderful government (who has just kicked out our prime minister) decided to give people 18 months or whatever paid parental leave. Now, what will all the young mums do? Stop using condoms to get pregnant - the STD/HIV rate will soar, because these girls are so desperate for the money. It is an easy way out. And I have helped look after them in mid and they are skanky little things, believe me. They could not care less about these precious babies. One minister here does not agree with just giving money - he said there should be more balances and checks, but the gov't doesn't want to see the reality.

So, you and I are busting our hump to support these kids who don't have a clue about motherhood, and who could not care less.

I feel so strongly about it, I am going to take it to federal parliament here & complain. Nothing will probably happen, but at least I will have tried something. I don't think it will ever change thought unfortunately.

I can't have children but don't know how people make ends meet, working long hours & doing shiftwork, don't get child support, & are still able to pay all the bills. My hat goes off to you.

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how old were you when you realized you weren't going to make real money as a nurse

I was nine, maybe 10. My mom was a nurse so I knew the score. All I ever cared about was making enough money to feed my kids and keep a roof over their heads. Now I work to spoil the grandkids and to pay for vacations and my nice car.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

When people criticize one another for having less than "pure" motivations for wanting to become a nurse I laugh!!! Everybody has the right to go to school, put in the time, the effort, and the money to get into and finish nursing school. Whether they do this to fulfill some lifelong dream of being Nurse Nightingale or whether they just want a secure income is really none of my business. If they make the grades and get into school they are going to come out and compete with you for a job. Get over it. This holier than thou attitude is ridiculous and only demonstrates insecurity about one's own ability.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.
I am a PRE-Nursing student. I just landed a temp job making $8.00/hr, and I will be working as an Office Assitant making 8.65/hr. Nurses typically start with $20-25/hr. That is almost triple the amount of measly money I have made working at McDonald's ($7.30).

So while Nurses may feel as though they are underpaid, you have to look at the whole picture. Your typical American house is only netting in $50,000/yr. Some nurses make MORE than that working 3 12s. $50,000/yr is VERY good money, and if you combine it with a spouse's income, you could be upper-middle class.

Not bad, considering that you only need an Associate's to become a nurse.

ETA: Also, Nurses really have more power in the amount of money they make because they are usely paid by the hour. You can chose to work nights and weekends and holidays, and you are oftentimes paid MORE for working those "weird hours."

Nurses have far more flexibility in their scheduling. I know of a nurse who works Sat/Sun, 2 16 hours, and then she has Monday to Friday off. Nurses typically have health insurance as well, but maybe not full benefits.

Nursing has lots of positives, and when the average Nurse is making 50,000/yr with NO overtime, imagine how much a Nurse can make just by working an extra five hours a week.

I too did clerical/administrative work for a measly $20 p/hour before becoming a nurse. Yes you can get good jobs, etc, but sometimes those jobs are not forthcoming. Also when you make more money - I work more weekends than weekdays - much of it goes on tax. So your income will be what is left after tax - and I get a lot of tax taken out my pay, which annoys the hell out of me. I thought having a degree & being an RN would mean I have more money to myself; not so (that is what everyone told me anyway). And trying to get permanent jobs here is nearly impossible, as the Australian government has cut down drastically on advertising permanent nursing jobs where you need a ton of experience and 2 degrees just to apply. I know people who have permanent nursing jobs & do agency on the weekend just to pay their bills. So for those who make $80,000 a year I hope that is after tax. It would be nice to have that money! And if you work extra hours, it just goes in tax, sad but true.

Sometimes working extra hours just isn't worth it anymore.

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I made over a 100k as a new grad working near the bay area. It offers me a comfortable living. Big freaken deal about making "real money". Nobody is putting a gun to your head :crying2: If you really think hard, how much $$ do you expect to make as a nurse... 200k/year?

Try a different career if you want to be a baller.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

To the poster who was complaining about not making enough money when having poop thrown at her from a Hep B/HIV infected patient...

Try making $12/hr as a Paramedic for 3 1/2 years. Try working in cramped conditions with little to no resources, living with the very real threat of being shot by a patient (happened to a friend of mine last year) being infected with dangerous diseases, traveling out into horrid weather conditions when no one else will, picking up that HIV/Hep B infected patient and NOT KNOWING THEY'RE INFECTED, stocking an ambulance, keeping up with training, long distance transports at least every day...all the while being called an ambulance driver...

MEANWHILE....not being able to adequately provide for your family because EMS is still viewed, in some parts of the country, as the bastard offspring of the Fire Department...

You do all that...THEN come talk to me about not getting enough money for the job you do...

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