I just read a thread on here in which a member who claims to be a student says that after she finishes school, she will be making "big money" to pay for loans.
I personally wen to nursing, because I love and respect the career, and to get a job to pay for my expenses (I have a baby)........ and so I would better myself in the world, and not stay a CNA forever!
I get paid $22.53/hr and if I work weekeneds they add $0.50Cents/hr
I tell people to go into nursing because of the love of helping people, not because of money.
I think that in the first semester that is why only 50% make it (well in my school at least), because only half of us had the heart & soul to put up with sadness our instructors made us go thru, and because we knew in our hearts that, THAT is what we wanted to do for a living.
People have no common sense, and think that nursing is so "glamorous"..... when we have to change big people diapers, bathe big people, have butts in our faces, vomit on our arms & not to mention being up on our feet for 12 hours of a day/night, following "orders" ............ and all of this headache for $22 per hour???
I LOVE WHAT I DO........ and I love it not for my $22 per hour, but I love it because I know that I am helping a human being in their time of need, I am part of a team that helps people get better... now that is what I love.
I already have a degree in another field and make about $18 an hour-(social work, another pathetically paid profession) so when I think of making what two dollars more? I'm not that excited. It is not big money-
Now $35 - $40 an hour and I will be happy- actually that is what I thought I would be making- but here starting salaries are like $19-$21. That seriously sucks. Yes it seems like a jump for someone making minimum wage- but I have a mortgage, three kids who need braces and college- let's not forget that we do have to save for retirement and that at some point in my life I do fully expect to get that new cherry kitchen I have been dreaming about for the last 10 years. & My minivan is not going to last forever.
I am going back to school to make more money. Point blank period. I don't think it will be big money at first, but I am hoping I can work my way up to bigger money and I plan on doing it as quickly as possible, I'm not getting any younger and things aren't getting any cheaper.
So you can bet that I will be choosing my first few nursing jobs based on benefits, location, and room for advancement. I will be working on getting an advanced nursing degree and I want to make real money. I want to be making $70 thousand dollars a year before I turn 40. & I'm 36. :) I may not make it but I am going to try. I plan on working hard and I want to get paid for it.
If I had chosen wisely the first time I was in college and gone into education or engineering I would already be making 70 grand Sad isn't it? Nurses are seriously under paid--
[so you can bet that I will be choosing my first few nursing jobs based on benefits, location, and room for advancement. I will be working on getting an advanced nursing degree and I want to make real money. I want to be making $70 thousand dollars a year before I turn 40. & I'm 36. :) I may not make it but I am going to try. I plan on working hard and I want to get paid for it.
You go! $$$ isn't everything but it sure helps, huh? I had one employer completly pay for my continuing education from LPN to RN. Its nice you have a goal. Stick with it.
Nurses are seriously under paid--
You are sooo right. We deserve to be making about $70K anyways with the cost of living nowdays.
i went into nursing for purely selfish reasons. we had 4 kids and were doing ok on one income, but as they children got older so did their expenses. where else could i work part time, nights and weekend and make 20 some bucks an hour??? fyi i am not stripper material!!!:yeah:hey i know where your coming from!!!
i didnt go into nursing lightly, i became a cna before i started nursing school just to make sure this is what i wanted to do before i subjected myself and my family into the commitment of me going back to school.
i love what i do, i love being a nurse. i didn't join the profession because i had an overwhelming calling to save a life--i think i am as good of a nurse as someone who did have a "calling" into the profession.
i also love being able to work just 3 nights a week and basically still be a stay at home mom. i also love getting a decent pay check.
so well said that is just about my story. i became a cna as well, to see if this was something that i could do. school is a huge comitment but when you work full time as well... it monumental.(hope i spelled that right)
i needed job security. nursing is one job that "they" appreciate experince!!!
I became a nurse, because I thought it would be a great career that I could see myself in......
that I could make $21/hr with an associate's degree
that I could have a job anywhere in the country
that I could afford a car that doesn't break down on me
that perhaps I could buy an appartment for my family
The reason I asked the question, was because one time, I mentioned to the secretary that I wanted to finish school and become an RN so I can finally not be so "poor"
and that secretary must of told all the RN's on the floor that I said that I wanted to be an RN only for the money......
and I was so embarrassed when the manager of the unit came up to me and said "oh, patty you shouldn't be an RN if money is your only motivation"
And now that I am an RN, all of them just talk about making more money, they ask me if I am doing extra shifts, some work 2 jobs.
so at the end of the day, rent, car, children expenses, food, insurance..... all these things need to be payed.
so we should be getting more money for what we do!!
There are times when I sort of almost think it might be a little sad to win a big lottery jackpot and have to give up all of this. Mostly, though, adjusting to newfound wealth is a challenge I would be willing to undertake.
Well, if it ever happens, I'm there for you buddy.
I think nursing is good money. I worked in the communications field and it was tough for me as a mom who had to move with my military husband, to ever break the 30K mark in a full-time job. Now, the job was a piece of cake compared to nursing, but it didn't even pay to work.
With nursing, you get paid well for the 3 days of the week you have to work. It's pretty good money for a shorter amount of time at work, and days off during the week. I kind of like that.
But it's not "big" money - if you want that, you need to work in sales, or work your butt off in corporate career where you work 80 hours a week and never see your family.
Money doesn't make you happy, but it comes in handy when you have kids in college, debts to pay, teenagers that are eating you out of house and home, etc.
I never, in any other profession, heard people talking so much about how they did not go to school because of the money, than in nursing. What's up with that?
For me nursing is a vocation, felt a real drive to do it. However money is what pays the bills and puts food on the table, clothes on your back and even holidays.
I am not a personal charity for the NHS and had to think long and hard if we could afford my loss of wages while I went back to school for 3 years. Set up a spreadsheet and it looked like I would break even in 3 years post registration. However since then we have had some pay rises and I earn a reasonable wage for this part of the UK.
Unfortunately since I qualified my husband has been injured, and is now disabled. He still works a little but my wages now pay for just about everything.
We are not really any better off financially because of his loss of wages but I am doing a job I love, with people I care about.
BTW, one of the best nurses I know was ordered (!) to go to nursing school by her father to stop her being a layabout. She didn't have a vocation etc but is the most caring, considerate person, all the patients love her.
Specializes in Trauma ICU, Surgical ICU, Medical ICU.
I never, in any other profession, heard people talking so much about how they did not go to school because of the money, than in nursing. What's up with that?
I notice you are a pre-nursing student. You will understand in due time lol. You may START for the money, but you will FINISH because of so much more.
Well, if it ever happens, I'm there for you buddy.
Your support is very much appreciated. Just lately, though, I seem to be on a bit of a losing streak, as far as the lottery goes. I'll bet I've played over a hundred times, and still haven't won a big jackpot. Maybe that means my luck is due to change...
Going from making $8.90 an hour to maybe making double that or more is a BIG jump for me, especially as a younger single female. I wanted a career where I could make enough money to live on my own, have a reliable vehicle, maybe get married and have a family, and take a vacation every couple years or so. I choose nursing because I wanted to make that money doing what I know I am good at - taking care of people. I researched many health care field options before making my choice and yes, the money was one of the main reasons I made the choice that I did.
While I wanted to get into nursing because I have a strong caring and compassion side to me and feel more fulfilled taking care of people than anything else, I was also looking forward to the doubled pay. I was making $10-11/hr in my previous job and while I'm still looking for a job since passing my boards in Feb, I am looking forward to that first paycheck.
Also, nursing will be the career that will allow me to work AND homeschool my kids all while being a single mom since my husband and I are getting a divorce.
Before getting my degree, there's no way I could live on my own let alone support 2 kids! It won't be easy even on a nursing salary, but I plan to get my ARNP eventually and that will be a wonderful, wonderful day....:nuke:
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I already have a degree in another field and make about $18 an hour-(social work, another pathetically paid profession) so when I think of making what two dollars more? I'm not that excited. It is not big money-
Now $35 - $40 an hour and I will be happy- actually that is what I thought I would be making- but here starting salaries are like $19-$21. That seriously sucks. Yes it seems like a jump for someone making minimum wage- but I have a mortgage, three kids who need braces and college- let's not forget that we do have to save for retirement and that at some point in my life I do fully expect to get that new cherry kitchen I have been dreaming about for the last 10 years. & My minivan is not going to last forever.
I am going back to school to make more money. Point blank period. I don't think it will be big money at first, but I am hoping I can work my way up to bigger money and I plan on doing it as quickly as possible, I'm not getting any younger and things aren't getting any cheaper.
So you can bet that I will be choosing my first few nursing jobs based on benefits, location, and room for advancement. I will be working on getting an advanced nursing degree and I want to make real money. I want to be making $70 thousand dollars a year before I turn 40. & I'm 36. :) I may not make it but I am going to try. I plan on working hard and I want to get paid for it.
If I had chosen wisely the first time I was in college and gone into education or engineering I would already be making 70 grand Sad isn't it? Nurses are seriously under paid--