Reality check: Are my expectations high?

StudentOfHealing · Mar 15, 2014

No. Drop any hopes of making anything above what the average new grad makes in your area.

You are not Gods gift to nursing. In fact you don't know anything until you begin practicing actual nursing, what makes you more valuable than any other new graduate? No, I've NEVER heard of hospitals paying new grads from certain universities more than others.

I would tell you to go ahead and reconsider your aspirations but in reality ALL fields will expect you to pay your dues before you can expect a pay differential in relation to the new graduate.

Even as residents, MDs must work awful hours for YEARS making as much as a lab tech before they make good money.

If you want more money faster you may want to consider graduate school. Even then, to be a competent CRNA and NP some nurses believe that you need experience!

I think I've made my point here ... experience is key.

Good Luck.

Note: Sucky hospital job? If you're going to be a nurse with that attitude I do NOT want you as my nurse. Again, you are NOT Gods gift to nursing or medicine.

Plenty ... plenty of EXPERIENCED nurses with BSNs and MSNs that are unemployed up in the north... you would be lucky to even land that "sucky hospital job".

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 15, 2014

Pay is heavily dependent upon the geographic area in which you reside, as well as the cost of living, specialty, etc.

I am in a major metro area in Texas. New grad RNs (ASNs and BSNs) can expect to be offered between $23 and $26 by the major hospital systems in this area, but the pay goes up significantly if one is willing to work outside the acute care hospital setting.

Hospice, nursing homes, home health, private duty, psychiatric nursing, jails, prisons, group homes, and physical rehab all pay new grad RNs more than the local hospitals, if money is your main concern.

Also, I assume you are in NC since you mentioned Chapel Hill. In general, the Southeastern states have some of the lowest paying nursing job markets in the country due to cost of living and other issues.

lewisac6 · Mar 15, 2014

"sucky hospital job" as explained to me by the very lovely and enthusiastic nurse that I shadowed, who spent most of the job-shadowing period complaining about how picky her shift leader was and how I was going to hate the job as much as she does. It is my dream to be a ER nurse in a hospital, preferably working nights. I realize that I'm not the best thing since sliced bread, but I read countless posts on this board about people with 2.0 GPA's who put in any effort in the degree-mill programs that they are in expecting 100,000 a year. I can get into petroleum engineering, etc. and make 100k+ starting out, but that's not where my passion is. I aplogize if I offended you, but I only meant to explain why I consider myself to be an above-average student; i.e. I don't just have a 3.0 doing 'advanced' high school.

I'm just curious as to whether or not a big name school, such as UNC or UPenn, etc. will give me an advantage over someone who graduates from a community college. I'm the first person to ever grad high school in my family, and I really want to work towards being the best that I can be, and the only way I know to do that is by getting a big-name education. If being intelligent, or getting good grades, etc. won't help me get a job in a hospital, what will? I'm absolutely lost when it comes to this and I have no one to guide me. Essentially, I have tremendous respect for nurses, which is why I want to be one over anything else. But I have 'I grew up poor' syndrome and am also conscious about being able to raise my family in circumstances better than the circumstances I was raised in. I just want to maximize my chances at success, and have no clue how.

loriangel14, RN · Mar 15, 2014

So you will be a new grad with a BSN. How is that going to make you more special than the thousands of other new grads looking for a job? What makes you think you will just get that dream job right out of school? The school you go to will not guarantee you a job.

lewisac6 · Mar 15, 2014

Not necessarily dream job, but a nice hosital, etc. I want to believe that the harder you work for something, the better you do in life. Can I get an internship? Other posters have said that if you don't land that critical care/ER/name a department job within your first two jobs you'll be doomed to undesirable jobs at home health, etc. for the rest of your career, which is something I'm not as interested in. As I've said, my intention isn't to sound like a pompous ass or anything; I've just worked hard to get to the position to go where I want for school, and I want to continue to try to maximize my success. Community college grads don't land Fortune 500 jobs as often as Yale grads do; In other words, I'm not expecting to make 10k more than another applicant, but get into a more desirable hospital/my preferred department.

loriangel14, RN · Mar 15, 2014

You will be no different than any other new grad with a BSN. Yes you will have worked hard but so have the rest. A fancy school will not matter.

StudentOfHealing · Mar 15, 2014

Not necessarily dream job but a nice hosital, etc. I want to believe that the harder you work for something, the better you do in life. Can I get an internship? Other posters have said that if you don't land that critical care/ER/name a department job within your first two jobs you'll be doomed to undesirable jobs at home health, etc. for the rest of your career, which is something I'm not as interested in. As I've said, my intention isn't to sound like a pompous ass or anything; I've just worked hard to get to the position to go where I want for school, and I want to continue to try to maximize my success. Community college grads don't land Fortune 500 jobs as often as Yale grads do; In other words, I'm not expecting to make 10k more than another applicant, but get into a more desirable hospital/my preferred department.[/quote']
You're going have to work hard. That's the bottom line here.
You may not get that glamorous ER or ICU job right out of school. Working in Long term acute care or a SNF will enable you to then apply to medical surgical acute care and THAT can very well enable you to apply to ICU. You may start out in medical surgical and not have to even work long term acute care. You may even be able to land an ICU position as a new grad.
The only specialty that's really a pigeon hole is psych (from what I've heard and read).
Go into nursing school. Get the best grades possible. Take office in the student nurses association. Be an active officer. Run blood drives and flu shot events. Be active in the community. Volunteer at the hospital!
When you graduate ... make a stellar resume and get letters of recommendation.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 15, 2014

Community college grads don't land Fortune 500 jobs as often as Yale grads do; In other words, I'm not expecting to make 10k more than another applicant, but get into a more desirable hospital/my preferred department.

Nursing is unlike business or law. A business or law school graduate must have a top 50 university name on his/her resume to see doors open in those professions.

On the other hand, a nurse can graduate from a no-name community college, podunk state university or obscure hospital-based diploma program and still carve out a prestigious career in the profession.

I've seen nursing grads from schools such as Villanova, Yale and Penn State flounder. I've seen grads from less prestigious schools flourish. Great interviewing skills, networking, forming professional connections, and possession of a BSN degree will get you in the door of a good hospital job faster than things such as a prestigious school's name on your resume, a perfect GPA, and high test scores.

In nursing, remember this: it's not about what you know. It's about who you know. Start making connections now! If hiring managers and currently-employed nurses know and like you before your graduate, you'll have a good chance of getting your career off to the start that you desire. People in this day and age need others to put in a good word for them. These inside connections open doors like nothing else.

Good luck to you!

RunBabyRN · Mar 15, 2014

Pay grades are based on geography more than anything else. They don't care if you went to Georgetown or if you went to a state university or a community college. If you know your stuff and passed your boards, you're on the same level as everyone else. Your pedigree has no bearing on your job prospects. Your experience is what will count. Consider working as a CNA when you can to gain some real world health care experience. Don't waste your money on $50,000 a year tuition. It won't help you in any way.

New grads don't start out near the average, wage-wise. You start at the bottom with every other new grad. Why would some fancy college name make a difference? There has to be room for improvement in pay with time, anyway. I know the hospital where I have an offer (I'm about to graduate from a state university, and I'm the first in my class with an offer) has a set starting wage. There will be differentials for things like night shift and per diem. It's not some "sucky hospital job," it's on my dream hospital unit, at one of my top choice hospitals, because I have some humility about where I am and what I know, even though I am coming in with extensive prior experience. I am not god's gift to nursing or the unit or my school. I am another new grad that will start at the bottom, will likely be called off of shifts because I'm the newest hire, and will probably be working nights (not my first choice). I'll start out at the bottom of the pay scale. I'll take it.

Also be aware that ERs rarely hire new grads. You'll likely start out in med surg to nail down your basic skills before you perform them on someone in the ER in a more acute setting. If you don't want to work in home health, don't apply for home health. Just be aware it may take you longer to find a job. I'm applying to additional jobs for the sake of having the income, but I'm also not applying for LTCs or home health. I'll take almost anything, but almost. There is also one hospital in the area with a horrible reputation among staff for how they're treated, and I'm not applying there. I'd rather go back to working at Starbucks for awhile than work there.

I agree about networking- that's how I landed this offer. Be your own best advertising, talk to nurses, introduce yourself to nurse managers, get the word out! If you can work as a CNA in a hospital you like, all the better, because you'll not only have the insider advantage, but you'll get to know people if you're outgoing.

sadiemae1123 · Mar 15, 2014

A prestigious school won't do much for you in terms of finding your first job or increasing your pay. It may, however, offer you opportunities to network and possibly gain other opportunities such as internships and involvement in professional organizations. If you are truly interested in nursing as a career and not just getting a job to pay the bills then there may be some benefit when you apply for graduate school, try to get into research or policy making, join committees, or climb the managerial career ladder at work.

In the short term, you probably won't see much benefit. It may even be a drawback in terms of finances at first. If you're interested in taking your career beyond the bedside, however, it will probably help to have the name of a well respected school on your resume, along with the contacts you established while there.

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Mar 15, 2014

I will say this, they don't necessarily care that you went to a top ten school, but they do care if you went to an unaccredited, for profit school. Just choose your school wisely, I would not spend tons of money on a prestigious school for your degree. I would go to an affordable, nonprofit school and do well. That may get you the internship or externship you are looking for. Do well at clinicals and make connections. I know my school partners with one of the local hospitals offering a summer externship. The hospital hires new grads from that pool and I was encouraged to apply for it next summer. Talk with your guidance counselor or an admissions officer at schools you are looking at and ask lots of questions.