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

Specializes in addictions recovery, tele, peds.

I think its up to each person and depends on where you live. Where I live 20 is pretty much what all the new grads make. Ive been an RN for 2 yrs and without my night differential only make 22. So its all relative I make fairly decent pay for where I live. Also I feel ok about what I make because I have spent part of my life making 7 an hour at best so Im making alot more now than what Ive ever made. Like I said its all relative.

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Real money is a realative amount. If you want to make big money as a nurse go work in an ICU for a couple of years and then go to school to become a nurse anesthetist.

If you want to make really big money go be a stock broker and steal from the poor and hard working.

:uhoh3:

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
I didn't have to go to school full time and not be able to work full time for 2 years, racking up bills and loans for tuition and books for a fast food job.

Fast food workers did not have to make these sacrifices to obtain their jobs so I fail to see how we are supposed to feel great about our salaries because we make more than they do. We earned the credentials to command a higher salary than someone who stopped their education after high school.

Name one profession that even comes close to the amount of responsibility that a nurse carries that makes far less than a nurse.

Okay, but what about Police officers? Firefighters? On average, they are slightly making less than nurses, and yet they are putting themselves in the "line of danger"...with nursing, it all depends. Sometimes you have more responsibilties, sometimes you have less, depending on the type of nursing and specialty you go into.

Nurses may be underpaid, but looking at the whole picture, RNs are making as much as the average American family of four with ONE income. That's not bad considering you only need an Associate's in order to practice Nursing and can get raises and full benefits. Of course, if we were to just look at Nursing without even taking into consideration other dangerous, low paying jobs, then yeah, nurses should make more. But there will always be complaining. It is never enough.

Pay is all relative. But I think those who complain about making $40,000-$55,000/yr aren't really looking at the big picture. But hey, what do I know? I'm just a poor college student who would kill to make that much money. I am used to making crappy minimum wage, so when I hear about people complaining about making more than triple that amount (my future salary), I get a little upset.

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Specializes in NICU Level III.

I work 24 hours a week and I think I make GREAT money for that. I can afford a very nice apartment, a vacation at least every 2 months, and I have a bit of a shopping habit. Plus I save at LEAST a grand a month and that doesn't include retirement. Life is good and I'm by no means broke.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
I think that "real" money is relative. For a single mother struggling to make ends meet working nights at a Texaco station for $8/hr, the wages that she will make as a nurse are probably considered "real" money to her - not to mention, nursing has numerous specialties that do allow more money to be made than regular bedside nursing, and I think that is another important point to consider.

It's just frustrating to me, as a pre-nursing student, to see so much negativity about nursing and the job, posted HERE, by nurses! Nurses may not get RICH, but they make more than minimum wage, which is probably all some people need and/or want.

I may not ever be rich as a nurse but I should be able to expect cost of living raises and fair compensation for my knowledge, experiences and skills. But nursing doesn't offer that.Actually, the longer you are in nursing, the less you make. They offer higher and higher starting salaries to get people in the profession then don't offer adequate compensation for those of us who work hard to increase our knowledge and improve our skills.

This isn't a bash to nursing...I love what I do. But there is a great deal of room for improvement and that's what I'm fighting for. Nursing IS a profession and needs to be recognized as such! I don't agree with those who seem to feel that nursing is a "calling" and you shouldn't expect to be able to make a fair wage. I so DON'T agree with that statement...it is a profession, a job. We need to step back and stop painting ourselves with this long-suffering, angelic ideal and realize that is contributing to the lack of professional recognition.

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see my post, and think twice about what "real money' is, when you're potentially infected with life threatening diseases daily and bring it home to your family.

You mad brah? I am actually planning on getting into med school while working part time as an RN. Yes I will still see "potentially life threatening diseases" but hell, it seems like it could be a very rewarding career.

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nurses make good money. :up:

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Specializes in IMCU/Telemetry.
True. I guess the only response to that is that we should all be very careful.

I don't think insurance is a necessity, but you might sleep better at night having it. Just like homeowner's insurance isn't required, but you feel better with it. Yeah, there's always a risk with a license.

So if you saw people at their best, should you be paid less? Should a fertility clinic nurse make much less than you if the woman coming in is "at her best" but has decided she wants a kid now and needs a little help?

I think this applies to just about any job. Especially any job where a little bit of education is needed. It's hardly unique to nursing.

I highly doubt anybody would come on here saying they make too much, so I take that into consideration when everyone is whining about their pay. I do see a few people say that they are happy with what they get, but I have never seen anybody complain that they make too much. Even if nurses made $75/hr, they would still say "Oh, but it's soooo stressful and we have soooo much responsibility! We're underpaid and overworked! And it's such a difficult program to get into!" It's good that you feel your job is worthwhile though, it's really difficult to stay with something if you don't enjoy it.

If you want to take my post apart line by line you might at least get it right. You will note that I was responding to another thread and think I ran into a thread merge. I never mentioned other nurses (fertility clinic nurse), and was actually talking about other industrys. I don't think I whined even once.

By taking a post line by line you can make it say things you want it to, and that were never ment. Try reading the whole thing, and speak to that.

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Nursing is a vocation, money is relative.

I am still happy with my earnings as a nurse.

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Specializes in I/DD.

Didn't really read the whole thread but bottom line is 1) At least we aren't social workers, who with a masters degree would be lucky to make $40,000 according to my SW roommate (and their job is not necessarily any easier) 2) My starting wage is the same as my father's, who has worked at his company for 30 years 3) I know there is a lot of talk about the lack of jobs in nursing, but considering the fact that the majority of the students who graduated the class ahead of me are still working at McDonald's (minus nursing students) gives me a little reality check

So going into nursing isn't a get-rich-quick scheme. And maybe I will change my mind in a year or two. But I for one am very thankful for where I am, I consider the oppurtunity to recieve an education a privilege, and even though this is no easy job and I will have to work hard for my money, at least I have a job, 3 day weekends (4 eventually if I play my cards right), health benefits, vacation, etc. Honestly I don't know that many people my age who can say the same.

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Specializes in LTC, med/surg, hospice.

I never thought I would be rich as a nurse. I am ok with my salary..of course I'd LOVE more money but my needs are met and many of my wants so I'm good.

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Okay, but what about Police officers? Firefighters? On average, they are slightly making less than nurses, and yet they are putting themselves in the "line of danger"...with nursing, it all depends. Sometimes you have more responsibilties, sometimes you have less, depending on the type of nursing and specialty you go into.

Nurses may be underpaid, but looking at the whole picture, RNs are making as much as the average American family of four with ONE income. That's not bad considering you only need an Associate's in order to practice Nursing and can get raises and full benefits. Of course, if we were to just look at Nursing without even taking into consideration other dangerous, low paying jobs, then yeah, nurses should make more. But there will always be complaining. It is never enough.

Pay is all relative. But I think those who complain about making $40,000-$55,000/yr aren't really looking at the big picture. But hey, what do I know? I'm just a poor college student who would kill to make that much money. I am used to making crappy minimum wage, so when I hear about people complaining about making more than triple that amount (my future salary), I get a little upset.

You are not "just a poor" anything. You are about to become a true professional that may be used to making "crappy minimum wage" that a potential employer may try to cash in on.

You are the future of nursing and should not accept the first job that is handed to you regardless of pay without investigating other opportunities.

You and your generation of nursing will demand better than the generations before you and this is my hope.

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