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

I'm sorry you are no longer making $144K/year. That sucks.

I just graduated from nursing school, and for the first time in my life I can be assured that I can make a decent living. I'm happy that I won't be struggling to pay bills anymore, will be able to support myself without the help of my family and can look forward to a future with a lot of different opportunities.

I am sincerely sorry that you lost your job. And yes, this post is snarky, and yes we are living in economic times that are unlike any that have hit this generation. However, I've seen friends lose their homes, be unemployed months to a year, and being faced with having to move in with their parents when they should be well established in their careers. I'm grateful that I have a job, can support myself, and won't have to worry incessantly about my financial well being. If nothing else, I've learned in the past few years that it truly is these simple things that matter.

If you truly want to make more money, there are all kinds of opportunities to pursue an advanced degree, take an extra job on the side, or pursue overtime wherever you land a job. Good luck to you.

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With a BA degree and doing social work, I make $11/hr. My supervisor (MSW, 15 years of experience) and the program director of a non-profit said that until a couple years ago she would have qualified for the same welfare services that her clients were applying for. Now she is only slightly past the cut-off.

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

My first RN pay was $4 an hour in 1974. My last was near to $30 in 1999. I've always been pleased with "real money" as you call it.

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Specializes in Pediatrics/LTC.

I do not believe that there will ever be enough money in the universe to be a nurse on a "bad day" but honestly....12K a month is probably never going to happen, however, I just graduated in February, I have found my first job, 30 dollars an hour base and all the hours I need, the paychecks are pretty nice. I don't know what you mean by "real money"

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.

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.

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UMMMMM maybe its me but you cannot equate being a pilot to a nurse!!! that is like Beyonce giving up being a singer/actress and becoming a nurse and saying " this is chump change for me". My point is if your all about money and money makes you happy then you need to get out this filed and go into something else.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
Disagreeing with you is not the same as telling you that you're not allowed to have your opinion.

Your hairdresser's cousin's uncle's friend's boyfriend is an extreme example. Obviously someone who says "I don't give a damn about the pts, I just want the money" is not what I'm referring to. I'm just tired of people saying that getting into nursing because it makes good money, considering the education required, and it's more recession-proof than most other professions, is the "wrong" reason. Apparently we all need to be little Florence Nightingales, happily mopping up vomit and feces with a vacuous smile on our faces. Sorry, don't buy it. Nursing is not all kittens and rainbows, and it's OKAY to admit that one is not in nursing because they have a love of service in their heart. As long as you treat your patients with respect and you know what you're doing, that's good enough for me.

Finally, someone who doesn't mind telling the truth!

The reason I'm interested in being a nurse is because of the LIFESTYLE. My dad, an accountant and a former teacher, always told me that one should always think about what KIND of life you want. I wanted a lifestyle that would provide stability, decent pay, and enough time to spend time with the family and pursue other hobbies (i.e. writing books). I also liked the prospects of being able to work in many different fields, NICU, Labor and Delivery, Geriatrics, and Pediatrics (sp?) would be my top choices.

Nursing has so much to offer. Yes, one should also do it to help others, but face it: In this economy, people are desperate for employment opportunities, and nursing has plenty of them.

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Specializes in CVICU, Obs/Gyn, Derm, NICU.
How do you make $100,000 as a nurse? I have known nurses in management with several degrees & they don't make this much.

Have they done a lot of extra study?

In our part of the world ....lots experience plus three 12 hr shifts a week - permanent Frid/Sat/Sun nights. Then pick up some agency during the week... aim for one 12 hr shift

The trick is to get maximum penals so must work 12 hr shifts every weekend (not eights)

Without agency, I can get $85,000 for three 12 hr Frid/Sat/Sun shifts.

With one 12 hr agency shift every week... will earn $100,000. There is a lot of tax paid on this though

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Specializes in ICU/ER.

PAY ME MORE!!!!! We didn't get a raise last year thanks to the recession. Working in the ICU where I'm at you have a lot of autonomy, and respond to rapid responses and codes where you act as a team leader. You can be at a code without a doctor for several minutes. Also, I have 7 years ICU experience. My hospital does not pay extra for specialty. I have to charge and not get paid differential when they decide they want me too. In low census times I'm forced to take call and use PTO. I spend a crapload of time home reading new procedures, keeping certifications up to date, etc. Do I get paid well? Yes. Should I be paid more considering the knowledge and responsibility I have? Yes. Did I get in it for the money? Yes. That doesn't mean I'm not a good nurse, or that I don't like patients or what I do. It was simply what attracted me. Just saying.

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Specializes in ICU/ER.

P.S. also carry my own .

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To be an RN, you need 2 years of education. Starting out is around $20. If that's not "real" enough for you, set aside some time and go get a degree in something else or work on advancing your nursing degree. It really blows my mind that people with a 2 year degree complain about how much they get paid.

A 2 year degree in ANYTHING ELSE means NOTHING, it won't help you find a job and a totally unrelated job you find will generally be working in a retail store or as an office assistant getting paid minimum wage.

And I know that people love to say that it really takes 3-5 years to get an ADN because of prereqs. But guess what, those are a few classes you need to take before you getting accepted into the program, it's not like you're going to school full time for five years.

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.

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Did I get in it for the money? Yes. That doesn't mean I'm not a good nurse, or that I don't like patients or what I do. It was simply what attracted me. Just saying.

The only thing that matters is that you're good at your job, and it sounds like you are.

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