pay

Bortaz, MSN, RN · Aug 23, 2008

If we had some mortgage help we could work for a little bit of money and not complain.:watherthunderstormc

Exactly what kind of mortgage help do you want, and who do you want to give it to you? If you're talking about the government paying for it, I can tell you right now I have no interest in funding your mortgage (through my taxes). If you can't afford that lovely villa, I suggest you downsize.

stilltrying · Aug 23, 2008

I do not expect for YOUR tax dollars to pay my mortgage, nor did I expect to take everything MY husband and I worked for and place it into a BASIC family home. Only to have the value flushed down the toilet, and owe more than the home is worth now. That is not my fought. You are possibility the only person in America who own a home and it has held it's value. GOOD FOR YOU. THE REST OF US FULL TIME WORKERS,STUDENTS,and PARENTS can use a little help. And I don't care where it comes from! You sound like the finance companies. What are all these home owners supposed to down size to? HOMELESS!

Jules A, MSN · Aug 23, 2008

By stating that your plumber- who by the way has NO formal education is worth the $65 an hour that you pay him, while in the same post saying that nurses- who are paid sustantially less for MORE education and responsibility are compensated fairly- you are saying that the work that the plumber does is more valuable than that of the nurse.

Actually plumbers in my state do have education/work requirements as well as a board exam to pass for their license:

For work experience in state you need four years of Board-approved work experience under a licensed master plumbing, including at least 7,500 hours under the supervision of a licensed master plumber.

You can apply up to 1,500 hours of Board-approved education to the 7,500-hour requirement. You must also list any hours you've worked as an apprentice plumber. Any hours you work as an unlicensed apprentice plumber will be subtracted from your hours worked as an apprentice plumber. An unlicensed apprentice plumber must register with the Board before applying for the journey plumber exam. (http://www.contractors-license.org)

In truth few plumbers are paid $65 an hour unless they either master plumbers or do HVAC work also which has other experience/educational requirements. They have to drive and maintain their vehicle/tools to the job, carry expensive insurance etc. but none of this is really the point. The truth is that it is about market value and for anyone that thinks plumbers have it so easy please feel free to become one.

Bottom line is I prefer not to make judgement calls about which contributing member of society is more valuable than the other and the truth is its all about market value anyway. Plus as a new grad with my ADN I'm making over $50 an hour when I do weekend work so no complaints from me. :)

Babs0512 · Aug 23, 2008

Well personally my plumber is worth every penny of $65 an hour. Years back I do think nurses were underpaid but for the most part now we make a good income, at least in my area of the country if you consider the amount of education needed for your ADN.

How much education is necessary to become a plumber?? How much is their college tuition? I'm not dissing plumbers, it's a necessary profession, but come on, you're going to compare what nurses do to what plumbers do? Other than handling pipes, I already do most of what plumbers do, I work crappy hours, I deal with feces and other bodily fluids daily, smells don't bother me - yet they make $65/hr and I make just over a third of what they do! That's hardly reasonable or fair.

They unclog inanimate pipes, I disimpact real people. They "save" my water heater, I save their children.

We are sooo underpaid. Doesn't matter our education. Most plumbers learn their trade by apprenticeship, not by formal education, they are way overpaid compared to nurses - better yet, we are way underpaid compared to plumbers.

Jules A, MSN · Aug 23, 2008

I do not expect for YOUR tax dollars to pay my mortgage, nor did I expect to take everything MY husband and I worked for and place it into a BASIC family home. Only to have the value flushed down the toilet, and owe more than the home is worth now. That is not my fought. You are possibility the only person in America who own a home and it has held it's value. GOOD FOR YOU. THE REST OF US FULL TIME WORKERS,STUDENTS,and PARENTS can use a little help. And I don't care where it comes from! You sound like the finance companies. What are all these home owners supposed to down size to? HOMELESS!

The good news is that property, like stocks, is only worth more or less when you actually sell it. The rest is on paper. With real estate everyone should accept that it is not a liquid asset and if you find yourself in a position where you have to sell it can be unfortunate depending on the market climate. The problem with "the mortgage crisis", imo, is that people took out more than they could afford and now can't make their mortgage payments. When interest rates are so low the only people taking out a variable rate is buying over their head and as for the interest only loans, well don't get me started. I also find it hard to swallow that there needs to be a bail out. Kind of a moot point now I guess but if Americans started living within their means this wouldn't be necessary.

Jules A, MSN · Aug 23, 2008

How much education is necessary to become a plumber?? How much is their college tuition? I'm not dissing plumbers, it's a necessary profession, but come on, you're going to compare what nurses do to what plumbers do? Other than handling pipes, I already do most of what plumbers do, I work crappy hours, I deal with feces and other bodily fluids daily, smells don't bother me - yet they make $65/hr and I make just over a third of what they do! That's hardly reasonable or fair.
They unclog inanimate pipes, I disimpact real people. They "save" my water heater, I save their children.
We are sooo underpaid. Doesn't matter our education. Most plumbers learn their trade by apprenticeship, not by formal education, they are way overpaid compared to nurses - better yet, we are way underpaid compared to plumbers.

I added some info above about their requirements. I can't bame you for being upset there is no way I would work for the low 20s as a RN especially with your 16 years of experience! Since nursing wages are so bad in your area are you sure plumbers make $65?

Babs0512 · Aug 23, 2008

I have to pay plumbers too, and trust me, I haven't found one who makes less than $50.00/hr. I had one come to "fix" my water heater, took him - no exaggeration - 5 minutes, and I got a bill for $97.50! That's a HELL of a wage.

I make approx 26.00/hr (I say approx because I just had an eval and haven't gotten a pay check to see what my raise is) I agree with some of the other posters. Comparing jobs is useless. It's what we have to do and the responsibility we have that makes us so underpaid.

I can't tell you in the past years how many patients were saved because I intervened at the approp time, called the MD, argued with the MD (who couldn't bother to come off the golf course) and due to MY assessment skills and knowledge was able to get the approp orders from the MD far away. Yes, I've even had to TELL the MD what would be appropriate to order for the situation - many times!!!

We are the infantry, we are the first line of defense for the patients.

I spoke with or CEO, I told him, "This hospital would function just fine without Administration, for probably several months" he agreed "yeah, that's true" I continued "Yet, this hospital couldn't function even one shift without the nurses". He again agreed. So I asked "Why then are we paid such a pittance in compared to administration?" He didn't have an answer to that.

Bortaz, MSN, RN · Aug 23, 2008

The good news is that property, like stocks, is only worth more or less when you actually sell it. The rest is on paper. With real estate everyone should accept that it is not a liquid asset and if you find yourself in a position where you have to sell it can be unfortunate depending on the market climate. The problem with "the mortgage crisis", imo, is that people took out more than they could afford and now can't make their mortgage payments. When interest rates are so low the only people taking out a variable rate is buying over their head and as for the interest only loans, well don't get me started. I also find it hard to swallow that there needs to be a bail out. Kind of a moot point now I guess but if Americans started living within their means this wouldn't be necessary.

Exactly the response I'd have made, and worded better. Thanks.

RS0302 · Aug 23, 2008

Here we go again...lol. To the original poster have you ever worked in a hospital before? Most people have a distorted image of what nursing is like. Even my husband does not get it. Hes been in the army for 7 years...he knows what overworked is and I see what he goes through. However, no matter how much I try to explain what I really do at work, he still thinks I run around fluffing pillows and giving nice, friendly people their medications. I've given up explaining what my job really entails, because nobody gets it until they are there.

Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN · Aug 23, 2008

i prefer not to make judgement calls about which contributing member of society is more valuable than the other

i agree 100%, jules. what if everyone was a nurse? well, that wouldn't be possible, would it?

if i had chosen to continue in my family tradition, i would be a third-generation auto worker. (thank goodness we got out of the coal mining business!) my grandfather made a handsome sum at general motors, yet he was not educated past the eighth grade. i know that cars are not people, but think about it...don't you want the person making your car to make it safely, to prevent the need to have a life saved? also, auto workers are in danger, exposed to chemicals, equipment, et al., and plumbers like them are in charge of dangerous materials and preventing danger. (as someone who has been given a concussion by an aggravated patient i'm not saying we're not in danger ourselves, i'm just saying we're all needed to make society function!)

jess

GigiRN,MSN · Aug 23, 2008

I could make alot more money working on the floor but I enjoy teaching so I don't whine that I make less than other nurses with less education I just have some crackers and cheese with my whine.

chevyv, BSN, RN · Aug 23, 2008

Hey, my dh is an electrician and they make good $$ (if they own their own business). They can charge upwards of $90 per hr. I don't care how much plumbers, electricians, or other trades make, I have no inclination of doing what they chose to do. Most people in the trades have classes to take as well as state tests to pass for credentialing (sorry sp). I could care less about having to pay my plumber to fix anything. If it takes 5 minutes to fix something and you get a $97 charge, you have been charged a trip charge (which is standard in many trades). I know that the op used plumbers as an example of comparison.

Perhaps we are overworked and underpaid, now, what can we do about it? I just passed my pn boards and want to know what works and what doesn't.