I know this is an unpopular opinion and everyone wants to be a nurse because they love to help people (well not everyone but a large amount)...
I CANT BELIEVE HOW SMALL MY PAY CHECK IS AFTER TAXES/BENEFITS!
Its in all caps cause I'm shocked! When I was in my orientation I didn't have any benefits and I was still upset on how much taxes cut my paycheck but at least I still had a good amount left. Now take away benefits/union fees, whatever the heck their taking out and making the same amount I made as a waitress! Doing MORE WORK!
My sister works at a call centre makes 21 dollars and only makes a few hundred less than me? What????? How????
I just had to let it out cause it's honestly making me take a second look at this career. We work so hard and were under payed!
Wow. #firstworldproblems much? As a waitress, did you have benefits? Probably not. God forbid you invest in your retirement (401k, Medicare and SS), have health care coverage or disability. Geez, who needs those things. And taxes - well that's one of life's hard truths.
You're right. Nurses get paid exactly what they deserve and shouldn't complain.
If you have similar benefits in any career where your employer reports ALL of your earnings, you will see a similar chunk taken out of your paycheck, regardless of whether you're a nurse, call center employee or any other position. It has nothing to do with working as a nurse. The relevant questions for making a comparison: (1) are all of your earnings are being reported? and (2) do you have similar benefits in both positions? Health insurance, disability insurance, retirement savings and union membership all cost money and while your employer pays a part of it, so do you! If you don't have very good benefits, less of your check disappears to cover benefits. If you weren't always reporting all of your income, as many of the waitstaff friends of my youth did not, you never saw the full cost of taxes come out of your check either. Most employers, including healthcare facilities, aren't able to compensate you in a way that lets you avoid the full cost of taxes.
At my current facility, I have not seen steady pay increases that one of the other posters has described and have heard nurses with more experience complain about the relatively flat pay structure within our health system. Perhaps it's location or even health system dependent on whether or not you can count on fairly regular increases. I have heard that you need to change health care systems on a somewhat regular basis (every few years) if you want to pump up your base salary, so I'm currently considering my options in the area.
When did you guys try to tell me anything lol. I didnt join this site until I was a nursing student and even then I stayed in the sections regarding NCLECX and exams. If people told me its alot of hard work and little pay I wouldnt have done it, trust me!
Weeeelllllll, that's kinda when the research aspect comes in. Since you have had a job before, you understand taxes, benefits, etc., maybe not the union part, but you should have known that a good chunk of your paycheck will go to Uncle Sam and the others.
As to what you make, I would think you had researched and found out what the average hourly wage is in your area was and did a quick calculation, looking at worst-case scenarios to determine what your take home would be. Maybe that's the accountant in me, but I did all of that before jumping into this field. Trust me, I knew how much less I would make as a nurse versus an oil and gas accountant. Still, I choose happiness over money.
Now, I do totally agree that nurses are severely underpaid for all of the responsibility and duties that we have to perform each day. But, its so rewarding and I hope you will eventually find that the reward outweighs the money.
I guess my question would be how many hours did you work? Are you a new grad? Maybe per diem is a better option for you if f/t isn't giving you what you expect. Not that per diem will either because sometimes you may not get a pay check at all. Are you bring home less than $1700 every 2 weeks? Sorry it's such a shock to you but yes nurses are and will always be underpaid if you ask me.
Taxes are high, but we do have good benefits at some locations. My last hospital I had to pay a rather large chunk of 500$ monthly for my crappy health insurance. I jumped at the chance of my current company who provides health insurance to me and my family for free and the copays are amazing. I also no longer pay for parking at this hospital. Everyone thought I was crazy to leave a state job because of the benefits. But other than the retirement, which as broke as the state of California is....who knows what will happen....I bring home 1k more a check. That leaves me a lot more room to save for my own retirement.
I felt disappointed my first few pay checks when I was a new grad. Then if your facility is union you start getting raises and holiday pay. Give it a couple years and despite Uncle Sam it's not too bad. If it still is then move to inland California.
Specializes in progressive care. med surg. tele. LTC. psych..
I know this is an unpopular opinion and everyone wants to be a nurse because they love to help people (well not everyone but a large amount)...
I CANT BELIEVE HOW SMALL MY PAY CHECK IS AFTER TAXES/BENEFITS!
Its in all caps cause I'm shocked! When I was in my orientation I didn't have any benefits and I was still upset on how much taxes cut my paycheck but at least I still had a good amount left. Now take away benefits/union fees, whatever the heck their taking out and making the same amount I made as a waitress! Doing MORE WORK!
My sister works at a call centre makes 21 dollars and only makes a few hundred less than me? What????? How????
I just had to let it out cause it's honestly making me take a second look at this career. We work so hard and were under payed!
This makes me nervous! I made out pretty great as a waitress, but was hoping to do better w/ a degree or two in nursing. :/
Maybe it varies by state?!
Do you have the option to opt out of benefits/Union?
I work PRN and if I work 40 hours a week I get taxed or taken away $8 for every hour I work. It's insane!! Of course, I'm single with no kids, but still. I get sad when my check is $560 less biweekly because of all the taxes!!!!!
THANK YOU!!!!!!! It's so disheartening. I can see why people would rather NOT work and get benefits from the State. I mean, they get to live and eat for free. watching so much being taking out is crazy. I had 600 taken out!!! I've honestly ask myself, why bother? The cost of living is high, the taxes are high. Not because someone is single means more takes should be taken out of their pay.
SubSippi
911 Posts
You're right. Nurses get paid exactly what they deserve and shouldn't complain.