would you be a RN for $11.00/hr?

[PHLEBOTOMIST_TO_RN]

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 :)

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

You mentioned carpenters and truckers, well I am a Paramedic (and student RN) ABOUT 99% OF PARAMEDICS make less than $11 an hour in the midwest!! and slightly more elsewhere..And what do they do for this pay?? Well, for example, Paramedics have to go out in all kinds of weather, drive high speed on ice and in heavy traffic, face dangerous people in dangerous parts of town with very little backup. Paramedics have to maintain skills that many RNs are not allowed to do, they have the responsibility to make decisions that MDs make in the hospital. They often work alone, handling a code blue or trauma patient alone without a TEAM of helpers, and often work in cramped/low light, very hot or very cold environments. A Paramedics should make at least what an RN makes, and for the items I mentioned, they could even make more! Everyone will always want to make more, so I understand why RNs complain. I was forced to go back to school to support my family. (no raises and no benefits after 17 years) I can't wait to graduate nursing school and make more than $10 an hour!!!

Yes - and look up what the people defending the US make in the military.

When I was in the military (I got out in 2000), an E4 with a spouse and one child QUALIFIED FOR WELFARE ASSISTANCE - I had a friend who got WIC!! She was active duty military - how disgusting is that? (And to cut it off before it starts, please, could no one go on and on about free health care and free housing? Because having spent a majority of my life as a "ward of the feds", if you will, I can tell you that free housing isn't always available, it's usually dependent on your rank and time in service; COLA is usually painfully inadequate - look up the cost of housing in someplace like Hawaii and you'll see what I mean - and free health care isn't always what it's cracked up to be. People still have to eat.)

And look at what military members do.....someone is always worse off than you.

[weirdRN, RN]

Oh yea, far be it for me to complain about back breaking patient loads when our guys and gals are over in Iraq for way less. (That is sarcasm btw) I was in the Army for 8 years and a little more. I got out in Jan 2000. It is my opinion that everyone who is serving is doing what he or she signed up to do. They were adults who signed on the dotted line, the same way I did. The free healthcare isn't free and the housing isn't free either. And no amount of compensation can make up for the time I was forced to endure away from my son eight weeks after he was born.

As an RN, I did not spend 30,000 to go to school so that I could be someone's scapgoat or punching bag and make less than 20 an hour.

[Gromit]

WhimsieRN -I agree, they do a dirty, hard job for less pay than private sector jobs. They knew this before they signed, they signed anyway -and for their own reasons. My doctors' son signed on last year, is an Army Ranger in Baghdad now. I've known that kid since he was no more than waist-high to me. He grew up into a fine young man, and is happy as punch to be doing what he is doing. He came by it honestly -his father was in the Army as well, and is now a reservist. He is very smart, one of those kids who was always 'top of his class' etc. Just sent him a big box (well, two small boxes once the post office got done) of goodies -plenty for him and his friends over there- most of it was microwave popcorn and a whole bunch of DVD movies. I know when I was overseas one of the things that meant the most to US was getting a 'care package' from home -hell we even read the newspaper that made up the packing (for fragile items)! Anything from home was a 'good' thing :)

I know his father sends him a package about every other week -and I've often given him things to send with that package, but wanted this to be a surprise :)

--

Feel sorry for them?? Not at all. That would be a dishonor. I'm proud to know the ones I know, and would rather be THANKFUL for their efforts.

[Grammie1]

I work as a paramedic in a semi-rural area for $8.00 an hour, and pay my own insurance. Other benefits? None. This is a step up, since I started as a volunteer, but by the time I finished all the classes I had the equivalent of an associates degree but didn't get credit. All that liability and responsibility for about what I could get working at McDonalds. However, I love my job. Would I work as an RN for $11.00? Absolutely not. I am currently in nursing school, living on student loans and will end up with quite a load of debt. I think $11.00 would be a slap in the face to any RN, and like I always say, "if I am crazy enough to work for that little then I don't think I'm sane enough for anyone to trust tme with the care of their loved ones!"

[Cristina_NS_RUM]

"if I am crazy enough to work for that little then I don't think I'm sane enough for anyone to trust tme with the care of their loved ones!"

you should get T-Shirts with that message! I liked it