Social Class and Nursing

[AllOfMyWat]

This is not a question about ECONOMIC class/how much you make. I've noticed a fair number of nurses who make the same amount of money are varied in their social class. This isn't a value judgment, but it is visible in the food nurses eat, clothing choices, recreation, and behavior. (My prepatory school educated, Latin and Greek speaking, fair trade, organic eating husband readily points out my lower socioeconomic habits, which I enjoy and am unlikely to change.)

Does social class impact where you work? I've heard nurses complain you won't survive at the major hospital here if you're not a Stepford wife. I've also looked at facilities and thought I wouldn't fit into the predominant culture.

[Spiker, ASN, RN, EMT-P]

I was born to parents with only HS degrees; my dad was a WWII combat veteran, who worked his way up the ladder of a major electric company (Con Edison, for you fellow New Yorkers out there). We lived in the Bronx, but moved "up" to Westchester County when I was 5. By the time I was in HS, my Dad was a division supervisor, & my Mom worked in a small local insurance office. I had everything I needed, they paid cash for my college (to be a teacher). I was definitely used to being upper middle class. Fast-forward a lot of years. I married, had 2 kids. By 30 I had returned to college to get my Nursing degree. In the 70's the pay wasn't so great, so I took lots of extra call & shifts in the Operating Room. Then on to Paramedic school, & I had a full-time weekend (48 hrs) job at the local Fire Dept. Our kids went to college: one a teacher, one with a Psych BS with a DSS job. We was able to pay cash for them. Over the years I divorced, & have remarried, he's a Neurophysiologist, but was born to blue-collar factory workers; he equates with blue-collar despite his position. It's interesting how ingrained it is, being raised in a factory town. He's very humble, & doesn't like to tell people what he does for a living. I'm totally opposite: I was born middle-class to working parents who pulled themselves up to upper middle class in the 50's & 60's. I have been able to remain in that category, especially now, with the kids gone & on their own. My husband has an excellent career, I've been able to cut back to 2 days a week, & we live very comfortably.

[historylovinglpn]

I'm an LPN...so I am already sitting by myself in the cafeteria. lol. I remember when the attending invited his residents and the triage nurses (who were all RN's.) to a party he was having. None of us LPn's were invited. What did we know about wine and bacon wrapped dates anyways. The L must stand for Low class. Not a chance I'd be able to actually have real conversations with college educated doctors....Actually I was doing more than having conversations with one of the doctors...

Well.. Two of us Lpns showed up to this party and one of the triage nurses said," Only people with invitations are supposed to be here."

I then replied that I was dating one of the residents as was my other coworker and because they were told they could bring a guest, we were therefore "invited".

I was dating (and now engaged) to one of the residents as was the other nurse who was also dating one of the residents as well. We kept it all hush hush. Because what would the medical residents want with us lowly LPN's anyways?

Oh wait. We were drop dead gorgeous.

And my date saw me ask for my coffee black, "pour over please" while he stood behind me at the coffee shop. Who knew an LPN knew so much about the intricacies of coffee? He later told me that he knew "I was the one" when I ordered my coffee.

He asked me then and there if I would like to go out on a coffeedate later at another cafe.

I had to laugh about the OP's post on how her hubby loves fair trade coffee. I didn't know that was a class thing! But it definately helped play a part in my love life!

Me and the other LPN were at the party and were very uncomfortable and I think it shocked the other people. I know docs have been dating nurses since the beginning of time. but I am guessing LPNS aren't exactly included in that because people must have thought my then boyfriend/ now fiancee was slumming it with me. I now get to sit at "his table" but I still feel uncomfortable, like I don't belong.

My fiancee was raised with a father who worked construction off and on and a mother who didn't get her teaching degree until he was in highschool. Both my parents were dirt poor. I grew up in the rust belt and remembered my father getting laid off and struggling to get work. We both have common ground with our early family life being very unstable. His path took him onto a different course and perhaps had he been raised with a silver spoon in his mouth he would have never looked my way. I would like to think his background made him more open to seeing me as a person instead of past me the way alot of other people in the health professions do. Last time I was in a club in "civilian clothes" and ran into people from work.. these two docs hit on me. They didn't even "SEE" me in green scrubs that signified I was an Lpn. They didn't even realize they KNEW me from work. HILARIOUS. But wow, did I make them buy me free drinks. (this is before I met my fiancee! So no, I was not cheating!) My fiancee...saw me. And saw me in my scrubs and wanted to know me.

[Knytstar]

I envy you! That is an awesome accomplishment.

[Alex_RN, BSN]

I was "lower" as a child but we all pulled ourselves into a sold "middle." I married an "upper middle/upper" and it is a different world. Most of my non-management coworker are also "lower" who became "middle."

Upward mobility is one of the beauties of the nursing profession. If you were a lawyer, your career will be largely based upon where you got your education. As an RN, once you have your license and certs, your career is the result of what you can create with your brain, your own two hands, and on your feet.

[RegularNurse]

I think in a NE city, staff nursing is a solidly middle class job.

I don't really have an emotional attachment to this stuff though; I became a nurse for a good income and a flexible lifestyle. Regarding salary, there is plenty of money to be made in nursing if you are willing to get the training and move for a job. Most people I know are not willing to do both. It is what it is.

[sassyrn333]

Are you still a bedside nurse? Just out of curiosity...

[sassyrn333]

Not my experience, fortunately.

Are you still a bedside nurse?

[sassyrn333]

I have never gotten that idea from anyone. Odd. I usually get the "admiration for nurses" dialogue -OR- the "I've had a bad experience with nurses" kind of thing, to a lesser degree....but never a reference to nurses not being bright!

Might depend on who you're rubbing elbows with. I can tell you from experience, tech and finance industry people think RN's are educable retards and that our job is disgusting.