Salary question??

Bumashes, MSN, APRN, NP · Mar 4, 2006

Hi,

I live in Ocean Springs, MS. That's right on the Gulf Coast. Here, you must complete the prerequisites Psychology, English Comp I, and Anatomy and Physiology I before you can apply to be in the ADN program. You also have to take the NET, which is a test that shows your reading comprehension and basic math skills, before you're admitted. Then, you're on the waiting list, which, thanks to Hurricane Katrina, isn't long at all. Everyone moved! Anyway, the next two years you will take nursing courses and a few other academic courses, like Sociology and Microbiology. So, it is a "real" 2-year program. It can be a 2 1/2 year program if you don't already have the prereqs or take the prereqs in the summer before you start. This is kind of idealistic, though, because, before Katrina, there was at least a one year wait on the list. Sometimes a two year wait.

Ah, and starting pay around here for someone fresh out of school with an ADN and no prior experience ranges from $17-$20 per hour. That's just working at hospitals. I don't know what other types of facilities pay. The cost of living down here is pretty low, too. Without considering the stress and responsibilities nurses are subjected to, $20 an hour is pretty good money here in poorfolksville. An average 3 bedroom, 2 bath house with a decent yard can run anywhere from $70,000 to $130,000. A two bedroom apartment is around $500-$900 per month. My electricity at its highest (summertime) is about $140 per month, and at its lowest (winter) is about $90. Down here, a lot of people are ecstatic when they break past the $15 per hour mark! That's just because cost of living is pretty cheap, though. Hope this helped out some.

91CRN · Mar 4, 2006

I am not a nurse yet, that is why I read these posts so that I can try to ascertain what I am getting myself into! I have seen it mentioned several times how easy it is to be fired. While that does concern me, my question is how hard is it to find another job? It seems to me that the health care system is set up to be that facilities are not loyal to the RN's, so the RN's are not loyal to them. I guess what I am asking is, it seems that in this field your job is never secure, but should you lose the one you have, there is always another one around the corner, because they always need nurses. Is it something like that? Sorry, I know it is a weird question, but I am just trying to find out what is going on out there!

In my HUMBLE opinion nursing pretty much IS a guaranteed job. What my points were earlier in the thread was that nursing is not without it's pitfalls, especially physical ones. I also think security may be regionally dependent. I work in the San Francisco Bay Area. For the last 20 years or so nursing has been booming. Just prior to that there were NO jobs--new grads were having to leave the state to get experience. I think those days are long gone; but it does illustrate some pitfalls. I might add that the way the nurses were laid-off at that time was particularly harsh; right before Christmas and with no warning at all (during a downsizing at that same time)--that was at a very well respected hosptial in San Francisco--NOT UNIONIZED. Also, nursing is a career in which one really needs to take care of one-self. Burn-out is almost a given--especially for those people who cite conditions like mandatory OT--understaffing etc.. A girlfriend of mine just moved from here to Wake Forest, NC. She is working at 20$/hr and working MUCH harder at DUKE than she did here at our local hospital where she was making 42$/hr before (day shift, with benefits)---and she told me that the benefits for her family of 4 cost 500$/month; here better-more comprehensive benefits are free to employees of the medical center. So even though I complain about housing costs--I believe there are a variety of other factors to look at. She is considering moving her family back here--and she just bought the house of her dreams for 267K--here the same house would cost about 1.5 million or more. But, back to the point---Yes, i THINK NURSING IS A SECURE JOB.

CatLVNRN · Mar 6, 2006

Wow.. that's an awesome offer! Not only for a new grad, but I have found that working in a magnet hospital offers a nurse more voice in the care of one's patients. IMHO, I'd say go for it!

I work for a magnet hospital here in Austin, and am not a new grad, but only make about 40k. I love where I work and the people I work with, and wouldn't trade if for the world, but I wouldn't mind making 55k...

I am contemplating taking a position which pays 27.50 to start (base) with 25 days paid/sick vacation and full benefits.(55K) Is this good for entry-level BSN for PA? I have one week to make up my mind or give up the position. This is a magnet hospital who just acheived status and another option would be a Community Health Services For Profit Hospital about 20 minutes away vs. 25min. to this one. I really don't have much time to investigate the CHS one and I can't find anything on the web about their starting salary. Just an overview on salaries in which they pay 2k less according to that statistic.
My husband says I should take into consideration the monthly payment of my 70K in student loans I have. He pretty much pays the mortagage on our 4br house and has floated me through school. We have no dependants yet. But we only wish we could put our lab puppy as a dependant on our taxes cuz her vet bills are up there. Ha Ha....
So I think while it is good to get an offer for 55K it is also wise to take some time to think of how your life is going to change. This is a nightshift position with weekends free. I have not worked 40 hours per week for a long time since I have been in school so it will be quite different...but this is why we went to school right? I'd like to work this way for a couple of years until the kids come and then drop it dramatically provided we can do that financially so I can be a mother.... We'll see if that happens..Gotta keep encouraging dh to get along with the boss.....so far so good.....HB