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

carolmaccas66, BSN, RN · Jul 1, 2010

I suppose getting nurses' pay and working as a nurse is better than being unemployed, and I feel so sorry for all those poor people who lost their houses in the recession.

Justanotherday · Jul 1, 2010

Also, I think that the aspect of pay versus education required is something that alot of people consider. If you qualify, financial aid can pay for the 1-1.5 years of pre-reqs and the two years of NS, leaving you probably at least $40k per year, starting, before taxes.
Just my again :)

Very true. My financial aid covers my classes and my books completely. Mine will be a second income for our family, as I have been a housewife for 20 years.

BluegrassRN · Jul 1, 2010

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

Cry me a river. I make great money as a nurse. I don't need 12K a month to live on. What is wrong with this country, that we all have to have big houses, big cars, expensive clothes, the "best" of everything? It's so sad and disappointing.

klone, MSN, RN · Jul 1, 2010

I bet the newest nurse still makes a lot more money than an unemployed pilot.

Otessa, BSN, RN · Jul 1, 2010

Cry me a river. I make great money as a nurse. I don't need 12K a month to live on. What is wrong with this country, that we all have to have big houses, big cars, expensive clothes, the "best" of everything? It's so sad and disappointing.

There is nothing wrong with big houses, big cars, expensive clothes, etc. If you can AFFORD them, why not?

I splurge on some things and sometimes I shop at thrift stores. Some people blow their money on what *I* would consider sad and disappointing-cigarettes, gambling, lotto,tanning, this list goes on and on-if they can afford it -I say GREAT(their choice, obviously)!

Just because someone has "big houses, big cars, expensive clothes, the "best" of everything" doesn't mean they can't afford it and didn't work hard for it.

You have to have money to give money:twocents: (although my family also gives the gift of time to others as well)

Cheers.

caliotter3 · Jul 1, 2010

Remaining a pilot is easier said than done. The airline industry has been declining and retracting as consumers are opting to catch less flights. Many unemployed pilots, engineers, teachers, and other laid-off professionals are jumping into the nursing bandwagon with hopes of a switching to a career that they mistakenly believe is recession-proof.

My uncle was a pilot for KLM, then an American airline, in the 60's. When he was laid off from his airline pilot's job in America, he never worked in the airline industry again. As a matter of fact, he never worked again, as he could not deal with the reality. His wife had to support the family by herself. He wasted away, lost his health, and died an early death, like so many men who lose their jobs.

carolmaccas66, BSN, RN · Jul 1, 2010

My uncle was a pilot for KLM, then an American airline, in the 60's. When he was laid off from his airline pilot's job in America, he never worked in the airline industry again. As a matter of fact, he never worked again, as he could not deal with the reality. His wife had to support the family by herself. He wasted away, lost his health, and died an early death, like so many men who lose their jobs.

How sad that all that knowledge was lost! Maybe the person who wrote this blog could go into airline teaching? Do you need a degree for that?

Otessa, BSN, RN · Jul 1, 2010

I bet the newest nurse still makes a lot more money than an unemployed pilot.

My husband is a pilot and has been unemployed from flying twice (3 years total time).

He had a plan in place and was never truly unemployed

-He was a stay at home dad for over a year when our children were infants (better than paying someone else $10+/hour for infant care)

-he changed careers-made a lot less-never complained , but missed flying because he LOVES flying.

I have ALWAYS had the stable job and for many, many years made WAY more than he did.

laynaER · Jul 1, 2010

You will not be making this money right out of nursing school though.

$35-39/hr? I guess it depends on where you live. Where I live new grads starting salary is $38/hr. The new grads that do perdiem work get $45-$8/hr.

I pretty much agree with everyone else. I really get annoyed when I hear people are going into nursing just for the money and the money only. The money is good, it's not superb, but it's pretty decent and you won't be starving but for what we have to deal with? Can't put a price on that and those who enter the field for the wrong reasons are a detriment to the profession. They give us all a bad name.

klone, MSN, RN · Jul 1, 2010

My husband is a pilot and has been unemployed from flying twice (3 years total time).
He had a plan in place and was never truly unemployed
-He was a stay at home dad for over a year when our children were infants (better than paying someone else $10+/hour for infant care)
-he changed careers-made a lot less-never complained , but missed flying because he LOVES flying.
I have ALWAYS had the stable job and for many, many years made WAY more than he did.

I have a coworker whose husband decided, kind of midlife crisisy, that he wanted to be a commercial airline pilot when he grew up. So for several years, she was the sole breadwinner while he did all his flight training. Then she was the primary breadwinner while he worked for peanuts as a co-captain (or whatever they're called). Ten years into his dream, he's now making the same amount of money she is.

Up2nogood RN, RN · Jul 1, 2010

You will not be making this money right out of nursing school though.

Yes, SoCal new grads can start at $35/hr easy.

And I easily made 95k last year as a 2nd year RN with a part time 2nd job.

Otessa, BSN, RN · Jul 1, 2010

My husband is a pilot and has been unemployed from flying twice (3 years total time).
He had a plan in place and was never truly unemployed
-He was a stay at home dad for over a year when our children were infants (better than paying someone else $10+/hour for infant care)
-he changed careers-made a lot less-never complained , but missed flying because he LOVES flying.
I have ALWAYS had the stable job and for many, many years made WAY more than he did.

Oh, when he got the "big" flying job, we didn't change our lifestyle much-went on nicer vacations(DisneyWorld instead of ValleyFair) and splurged on eating out more-never were big spenders anyway.