Should nursing pay remain modest?

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Long story short I had a discussion with a veteran nurse, who argued me to the sky that nursing pay needs to remain modest to protect the integrity of the profession. She went on and on about how much better nurses/nursing was when the pay wasn't as high and while at the time I disagreed because lets face it we do a lot, I am beginning to have some ambivalence about the matter. As I see more and more people flock to the field solely for financial gain, and even more nurses who have me whispering what the *what* every day... I begin to ponder, was she correct? What do you guys think?

Keeping wages lower won't lead to a better nursing profession, it leads to two things really:

Burnout in the nurses who would continue to do it solely for the feels. Fewer nurses joining the field. More nurses who aren't as intellectually capable getting into schools. We all know that there are people out there with the right heart for nursing who can't make it, especially with how competitive schools are now. Sure there would be some that made it through that deserve it and can't get in now, but we'd also have to deal with the ones who just won't be up to stuff.

Loss of good nurses. Just because someone chose to be a nurse for the financial security doesn't mean they are a horrible nurse. Everyone has their reasons. Nursing school and reality shock have a way of weeding out those who don't have the ability to be good nurses. I would rather have a capable nurse with me than one who joined the field with starry-eyed dreams of good deeds who can't keep up.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

There are people however who just aren't cut out for it and schools want their money so no one ever tells them truth when it is usually apparent from day one. But since higher education keeps feeding everyone and their cousin the lie that anyone can be a nurse and woohoo look at all the jobs after graduation then there is no end for the nurse overflow we are currently seeing. People are fooled, its HARD work being a floor nurse, which is also why now everyone and their aunt are going to NP school lol.

So very true. One of the worst RNs I ever worked with was a CNL so incompetent they were fired from two RN jobs threw more money at the university and voila a NP now. :(

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It is all market driven, like most professions. I'm glad that nurses can make decent money in most geographical locations (though not all). People who get in to a profession for money can still be good employees. You don't have to have 'a calling' to be competent. Healthcare is one of the biggest growth sectors: Fastest Growing Occupations : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

To me though the biggest problem is that the quality of the work environment for nurses is generally the reason people leave, not the money.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
It is all market driven, like most professions. I'm glad that nurses can make decent money in most geographical locations (though not all). People who get in to a profession for money can still be good employees. You don't have to have 'a calling' to be competent. Healthcare is one of the biggest growth sectors: Fastest Growing Occupations : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

To me though the biggest problem is that the quality of the work environment for nurses is generally the reason people leave, not the money.

While HEALTHCARE is one of the biggest growth (even though it did not make the top 20 when you look at the link) nursing isn't one of the hurting areas in reality.

I think years ago we as nurses were more of a team when we were paid so poorly. I deserve every bit of pay I have earned. You cannot expect to pay nurses peanuts and expect them to obtain higher education standards.

But I deserved every bit of money I earned at the bedside. I came out of nursing making $3.10/hr and got a $0.40/hr raise when I passed my boards. When I left bedside nursing I was making > $60.00/hr....I live in the northeast/Boston.

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I think I should be paid what I am worth. I work extremely hard for not very much money.

For all the people flocking to nursing school right now because they think that's where the money is, most get weeded out in school, more through NCLEX, and even more when they get on the job and realize how hard it is.

They also then realize, you don't get paid nearly enough and many quit. I do feel we should be paid more for what we do. And it really has nothing to do with the yucky side of patient care. It has to do with being good at time management, being able to recognize what is going on with our patients, dealing with the wacky families, dealing with crappy doctors who think we are idiots. When in fact we are the ones that put it all together for them. And I don't think I'm smarter than a doctor, just that I look at the whole picture of our patient and I often find they only look at the particular system they specialize in.

I want to not just put food on my table and keep a roof over my head, I want to save for retirement as well. That's hard unless I work a bunch of OT. Why should I have to work 50 hours a week just to be able to save a little money?

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Long story short I had a discussion with a veteran nurse, who argued me to the sky that nursing pay needs to remain modest to protect the integrity of the profession. She went on and on about how much better nurses/nursing was when the pay wasn't as high and while at the time I disagreed because lets face it we do a lot, I am beginning to have some ambivalence about the matter. As I see more and more people flock to the field solely for financial gain, and even more nurses who have me whispering what the *what* every day... I begin to ponder, was she correct? What do you guys think?

Come on now. We are not volunteers. Nurses should get paid good money. Nurses have never had more education, training, and responsibility.

Again, this culture of submission is exactly why every young nurse, myself included, flocks to grad school and leaves the bedside.

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Specializes in Float Pool - A Little Bit of Everything.

I am paid 5% of what I deserve for the endless amount of BS I deal with every time my badge hits the clock.

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Oh my. I fully disagree with what that nurse said to you! Aside from the fact that nurses should not be considered professional martyrs (as others have so rightfully stated), the minimum education required to practice as a nurse is increasing in many organizations. In my area, most of the major hospitals require a BSN. That is two more years of school, which equates to a lot of money (and often a lot of debt!). I believe that when education requirements increase for a particular career, so should salaries. Of course, this is in a perfect world.

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

I have hit the max on the pay scale for my hospital, I will never get a raise again unless the entire wage system is upped. When raises go out, I get a one time check for the difference based on m y (minimum) scheduled hours, usually about 700. It means that if I work extra, I get paid the old wage, not the new. Taxes have gone up, my take home is steadily going down.

No, this veteran nurse does not think nurses worked better when it was "a calling" and not a profession. Motivation, however altruistic, does not equal competency; unless it is the motivation to be your best, do good work and be satisfied with your own efforts. None of which has anything to do with pay.

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Specializes in GENERAL.

I think therefore I am UNDERPAID!!!

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Specializes in Med Surg.

Two different questions:

1. "Were things better in the "good old days?""

I don't care.

2. "Should nurse pay be decreased?"

NO.

Jeez.

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.

Northern California rates would horrify her. Tell her to stay away. ;)

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