None of you will like what I have to say. But let me kick the hard truth to you. Honestly about 50% of people I talk to are in nursing school or are taking pre-reqs for nursing school. This is a major red flag for several reasons. If you have not noticed, nursing wages/benefits have been on the down trend.
Pension?? goodbye.
Crud 401k 403b plans hello. Raise? LOL "sorry hospital is working out financial issues, maybe next year".
Nevermind if you work for a community/SNF agency. Yet insurance companies, medicare derived/gov agencies, and anyone else from the top 1% will continue to blast the RN as "shortage" in order to drive drones of students into nursing schools pulling each others hair out on the way to land a seat. Proof of this is, let's see (ABSN ***** ADN, BSN, diploma, LPN/LVN bridge to RN programs, RN to BSN) Why do these different routes exist? To flood the RN market as fast as possible to drive the wage, need, and profession into the ground.
Let's look at our oh so loyal CNA's. If you can find one that isn't in nursing school to be a nurse, ask them how much they make?
Look at LPN's 20-30 years ago and look at them today??
Surely the ANA and other organizations treated them with respect. The RN is next, so make sure to support your local nursing agency so they can do nothing for you. So they can be paid off by organizations so powerful that no one can say no and "not have the power to stop a bill". So they can continue to cry nursing shortage when this is not true.
RNs today are treated like children and are required to demonstrate fundamental task and other skills in inservices which were designed for nothing else but cut throat. To place blame of UTI's and poor patient satisfaction on the nurse.
If you are an RN today, your only safety net is to become an APRN if you want to live comfortably but in several decades the APRN will be under attack just like the LPN had been an RNs currently are. "OH the aging population is going to need nurses" You really think so?
Nursing homes are shutting down and now elderly people live at home with "24 hour care takers" that get paid **** wages and do things only an RN should be doing. You don't think so? Wake up.
None of this is to say that I hate nursing. I love helping people who are mentally ill, suffering from dementia, sick, or on their death beds. It is when we do great things for them that my love for nursing shines. There aren't other people standing around to reward you for your great deeds.
When the family comes in the next day complaining about everything, they never had a chance to see how well their dying loved one was cared for. Your good deeds will never be rewarded, but in a safe place in your heart.
I am just here to open the eyes of people who are intelligent and looking for a new career. I think you may find better job security else where. Invest your time in classes and money else where. Nursing is honestly under great attack right now and the future is black.
Although I plan to go to the cheapest, crappiest nursing home around if the need arises in plans of hastening my death from neglect I absolutely will not be one of the oldies but goodies still working the floor into my twilight years.
Very early in my career I saw the 60s and early 70s hobbling along with knee, hip, back, you name it pain and I started socking my money away so I can retire at 60-62. Of course there are no absolutes but just noticing my own decline in speed, dexterity and stamina in my early 50s I can't imagine even attempting to keep up the facade that I'm still on the top of my game into my mid-late 60s. I'm not going to be one of those who has to get asked to retire because I'm not longer competent.
Just imagine that all of your hard-won, socked-away $$ dwindling to sometimes less than half their value, as so many of us experienced in the latest recession. You too might end up fighting to stay relevant and on top of your game in order to keep working. Granted some nurses have the "I'm working til I die in my shoes" mentality, but I firmly believe that most of those who currently work to such ages are doing so due to financial downturns. All the while enduring the not-so-subtle hints in places such as AN.com that they "should" retire and get out of the way for the tide of new grads.
And did I mention "ability to communicate in accurate English"? That inability scares me a lot. A better-educated professional is a more effective one.
Thanks. I appreciate that you caught my mistake. Being super detailed makes a great nurse. :)
I'm *just* 50 and I'm fortunate not to be in the early stages worn out yet, I didn't work on the floor and along with genetics, I hit the gym and make an effort to stay strong and fit. I'm not athletic so to speak but I would appear healthier than a not insignificant number of women decades younger than me. The younger generations just aren't taking care of themselves (I'm grateful that me kids get it), 2/3rds won't be bumping me off, barring a catastrophic illness.
Annndd when I lose my sharpness to provide competent hands on care with any sort of speed, I would love to teach new hires and those needing ongoing training the stuff that I can do with my eyes closed.
I am on of those 80%. I went into nursing with no intent of staying at the bedside as I knew my interest was in education and management.
Glad to hear it, always good to have a goal.
But how do you propose to have any credibility as a nursing manager or a nursing educator whatsoever without any experience as a novice or experienced staff nurse needing education or working in a nursing team under a manager?
Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.
Unless I have a dead rich relative I've never heard of before, or I win some kind of BIG bucks, yes, I will be working until I absolutely can not anymore.
Lost most of our retirements (yea, both of us, through no fault of our own) and had to do the bankruptcy route, mortgage modification (which I dubbed 'mortification'), savings tanked trying to keep up.......NEVER thought I'd be HERE!
But, my ugly old car still runs, I do have a job (even though they cut our pay by 2.3% and took away accrued time and shift differentials) and I am looking forward to getting my first social security check very soon, which will at least assure the mortgage will get paid each month. Meanwhile, "Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to work I go....."
Hasn't always been this way, but it sure is now! You just never know what's going to happen; I once thought we had everything "all set" for the older years. The economy's problems have affected many of us. When I was single I could live on a shoestring, good practice for now that we're living on a piece of dental floss.
The entire reason I became a CNA in the first place was to make sure nursing was the field for me. It is, and I love it.
I'm going into nursing because I genuinely have an interest in it. I can't see myself doing anything else, ever. I am a sponge for anything to do with the medical field, I enjoy learning about it and I enjoy passing that knowledge on.
Not everyone chooses nursing as a career for paycheck or the benefits, in my opinion it's the people who do put in the time as a CNA and still want to do it that should be at the front of the line.
Not to mention that half the people who say their in nursing school will choose a different path or decide it's not for them when they realize what its really like.
Something else that would help in my opinion, is considering more than just a high GPA when admitting people into programs.
Yes, you need to be capable of doing well in school, but there is SO much more to the actual job than nursing school even touches upon.
The school I go to only accepts those with the highest GPA or TEAS test score. The don't care if you have letters of recommendation from 15 nurses and doctors you have worked with, or if you can USE the knowledge you have. They don't care if we've worked in healthcare before, either. It drives me nuts.
I am on of those 80%. I went into nursing with no intent of staying at the bedside as I knew my interest was in education and management.
No problem with that as long as you have actually worked as a nurse long enough to have a handle on the nuts and bolts of patient care. Nothing worse than a manager who has no clue how things actually work. I've had both types and the ones who are willing to get their hands dirty on the floor if needed are an asset, the rest not so much.
No problem with that as long as you have actually worked as a nurse long enough to have a handle on the nuts and bolts of patient care. Nothing worse than a manager who has no clue how things actually work. I've had both types and the ones who are willing to get their hands dirty on the floor if needed are an asset, the rest not so much.
Yea, I remember them. They used to be called Head Nurses or Charge Nurses.
Just imagine that all of your hard-won, socked-away $$ dwindling to sometimes less than half their value, as so many of us experienced in the latest recession. You too might end up fighting to stay relevant and on top of your game in order to keep working. Granted some nurses have the "I'm working til I die in my shoes" mentality, but I firmly believe that most of those who currently work to such ages are doing so due to financial downturns. All the while enduring the not-so-subtle hints in places such as AN.com that they "should" retire and get out of the way for the tide of new grads.
Yeah and subtly isn't my strong suite either but the mental acuity really takes a hit. I have seen it with what where brilliant prescribers and skilled nurses. There is a point where the experience definitely makes up for lack of stamina but that doesn't last forever, imo.
Few worries about my financial future. For any of you young-ins listening: live within your means and diversify!! Real Estate although it requires babysitting and is not liquid if purchased sensibly can be a nice addition to your stock portfolio. I have enough of both that if either hit the crapper I'd still be ok.
For any of you young-ins listening: live within your means and diversify!! Real Estate although it requires babysitting and is not liquid if purchased sensibly can be a nice addition to your stock portfolio. I have enough of both that if either hit the crapper I'd still be ok.
PacoUSA, BSN, RN
3,450 Posts
I'm glad I never listened to someone like the OP. Going into nursing as a 2nd career is the best decision I've ever made.
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