Jogirl

So I know its not all about the money, but just curious. For you nurses in the Bay Area (Oakland, San Fran....) I heard that nurses are starting at $60/hour. Is that true????

There are so many rumors that go around about pay and benefits... I'm just trying to figure out truth from fiction. I have finally finished my pre-req courses. YAY!!! Now I have to figure out what I can afford and where to apply. I have heard that some jobs will pay off your student loans or reimburse you for what you have spent. Something makes me think there is more to it than that. If it is true that means that I can go to the private college that costs $35,000 a year and the hospital is gonna write me a check for $70,000 to reimburse the last two years??? How can this be fair? If any of you know what the normal caps are for tuition reimbursement.... that would be great, I know every hospital is different I'm just lookin to get a rough estimate.

Hello Everyone! I know that this is a complex question, but I was wondering if you guys would tell me the benefits and disadvantages of being an R.N vs. P.A. vs. being a nurse practitioner. I haven't been able to find very good info. on what being a P.A or N.P. entails, other than extra schooling. I was wondering if you think that the extra schooling is worth it?

Hi Everyone, So, I've just spent the last couple of hours reading threads on this site, and I'm very discouraged. It seems that my impression that most nurses enjoy their jobs is wrong. I know that I'm gonna have to clean up poop sometimes, and that sucks, but there are crappy tasks in any job right? Everyone talks about the pay being horrible, I live in central Cali, & believe that I'll be makin' approx. $60,000 starting. Is that wrong? Cause as far as I know makin' $ 60,000 starting is pretty dang good (especially w/ minimal schooling). There are also a lot of comments about not being able to spend time w/ family, once again I thought workking 3 days a week would allow me time to spend w/ my family. The main things that made me interested in nursing was the schedule and the pay, am I missing something???????

I'm just wondering if any of you know about the junior college "Holy Names" apparently if you go there you get to go straight to Samuel Meritt(no waiting list). Anyhoo.. I have a friend that just finished her pre-reqs there and it was an absolute joke!!! She just finished her microbiology and not only did the teacher let her re-take tests that she had failed (multiple times). My friend needed a B on her final to pass the class, she was in tears after she took it b/c she left half of it blank. The teacher passed her with a B anyway! Can you believe that? Is this how all the private schools are? Do you think my friend will be able to make it at Samuel Meritt or is thier program just as easy? WHERE IS THE INTEGRITY??????

I just wanna say thanks for all of the insight. It so hard to choose a career and so important to love what you do. I also want to be financial stable and have the opportunity to raise my children. The were the two main factors that made nursing appealing to me. Flexible schedule and good pay. Have most of you been able to be financial stable and spend plenty of time with your children. I was raised n a home were my parents both worked a lot and we never did w/o but I would trade everything to have had parents that were there and enough rnergy when they got home to play w/ me.

Hi Everyone, I am a pre-nursing student. 90% of the time I am very excited about my future career as a nurse. I do have a lot of doubts when I constantly hear stories of burn-out, the mental abuse, and the lack of respect that nurses receive. I know that some of this has to be taken w/ a grain of salt. There are people in every profession that don't feel appreciated... It just seems to be a lot more prevelant in nurses. I would like your honest opinions if you feel that the nursing is woth it. Many people say that nurses get payed so much because of what they have to go through, but I'm not sure that 50 grand a year is worth being torn down everyday for the next 40 years of my life. I guess I want to know if you had a chose between nursing and a different profession would you still do nursing? and if you would choose something else what would it be? Thank you for your honesty!

Hi Everyone, I have been reading your comments on the nursing schools and feeling a little intmidated. I will be applying in fall to several schools in the central valley: MJC,Delta, Stan. State... Does anyone have a suggestion of which is the best program? Thanks for the input.