would you be a RN for $11.00/hr?

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Just for fun lets just pretend the starting wage for an RN (regardless of education just RN) started at $11.00 hr. Would you still be a nurse? Also, what would be an acceptable starting pay for you to consider the field?. Ill start it off by saying no I would not at $11 hr (to much risk, slave wage for the type of job it is etc) and even though our starting pay around here is $27 hr for new grads I would work for about $20 hr. Be honest with you answers :)

Yeah, it is disturbing to be responsible for lives for LESS than $11/hr. but I have been doing it for 17 years (as I mentioned before) as a Paramedic. with more danger and responsibility than most Nurses. When will Nurses stop compliaining? Probably never, I realize its human nature to want More More More..Gimme Gimme Gimme... we all do it..... But the next time you do, think about the Medic working 24 hour shifts out in the weather for peanuts and you'll likely become VERY thankful for what you have!

This isn't a paramedic vs nurse wage war thread. I'm willing to take a wild guess and say that AT LEAST 90% of the nurses on this board think that medics are underpaid. This doesn't mean that nurses should be drastically underpaid as well. :trout: 11 dollars/hour is ridiculous. I am going to school for 3 years (full-time) for an ADN. Why on earth would I expend the time, energy and money to complete a degree that pays 11 bucks/hour when i could get a job as a bank teller or receptionist, cashier, CNA, housecleaner etc.... and make that or more on just a High school education?

P.S. I am shocked to learn that a paramedic (not an EMTB or I) is making less than 21k per year. Particularly one with 17 years of experience. This is extremely low even for that profession. Where on earth do you live? :uhoh21:

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Yeah, it is disturbing to be responsible for lives for LESS than $11/hr. but I have been doing it for 17 years (as I mentioned before) as a Paramedic. with more danger and responsibility than most Nurses. When will Nurses stop compliaining? Probably never, I realize its human nature to want More More More..Gimme Gimme Gimme... we all do it..... But the next time you do, think about the Medic working 24 hour shifts out in the weather for peanuts and you'll likely become VERY thankful for what you have!

While, I like everyone else, appreciates the work and sacrifies that paramedics make to ensure the safety of us all, tell me, exactly how much did you pay for your Bachelors OF SCIENCE FOUR -YEAR COLLEGE DEGREE? And, exactly how much are you legally accountable for in you work? Have paramedics been accuses of murder in some high profile cases? Like nurses have because of the higher level of accountablity. How much of what you do is based on "canned algorithms", (not critical thinking skills), because you do not have education and the legal scope of practice that an RN has? None? I see.

Then you are really should not be complaining, and making disparging remarks about nurses complaining about the low wages that we as a group are paid. I am sorry that you are underpaid, but when you have invested in the education that RNs have, and are held to 100% of the accountability, with none of the control to change things, I assure you, nurses are woefully underpaid. JMHO.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

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I would work for $10 if I could find some place where the RN is treated with respect. As for now I have been out of school for 2 years and still have not found a place I would like to work. If anyone knows of one around Terre Haute Indiana let me know.

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Specializes in PICU.

My mom is also a nurse and I remember her telling me that the new grad pay here in AZ when she graduated in 1979 was 3.75/hr!!!! Then she went to another hospital that had the highest pay in the valley at....drumroll.....$5.25!!!! I can't imagine living on that with any job much less a licensed healthcare job as challenging as nursing. Geez louise. I am glad she did though becuase she is an amazing nurse and mom...and she gets paid WAY more now.

I only made $9.15 with my CNA, in the hospital. Make two and a half times that as an LPN. 8 weeks until I graduate with my RN!!!

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Yes! I would be an RN for $11.00/hr if it were based in the Philippines! No hospital pays that much in the Philippines, that's why.

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I started at almost $20.00. I also was still in a preceptorship program. salary up now and am content for now

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Believe it or not, that 's about what Student Health RN's make at the local community college district. That was a few years ago. Maybe it's somewhat higher now.

The job, of course, is days, M-F and there is probably tuition free but it is still awfully, awfully low.

Believe it or not, this is about what new grads made about 30 years ago. And it was considered decent pay then.

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Specializes in ICU-Stepdown.

looking back on this thread, I'm still confused as to where the figure '11 dollars/hr' came from. I know of NOWHERE that is actually honestly trying to pay this as a nursing wage.

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Specializes in ICU-Stepdown.
Believe it or not, that 's about what Student Health RN's make at the local community college district. That was a few years ago. Maybe it's somewhat higher now.

The job, of course, is days, M-F and there is probably tuition free but it is still awfully, awfully low.

Believe it or not, this is about what new grads made about 30 years ago. And it was considered decent pay then.

back in the '70s that WOULD have been decent pay.

Gasoline was about 50 cents a gallon, and bread didn't cost nearly two dollars either.

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:eek: NO!!!!!!!!!
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Specializes in ICU/ER/TRANSPORT.

Hell No!!

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no Way!!!!

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