Survey: Would there be a nursing shortage if...

Going80INA55 · Mar 3, 2003

I also think it is more about the money than most are willing to admit. I say this because the majority of us went into nursing with our eyes open as to the burden of responsibilities of the job.

We knew we were going to care for patients, have stress, possibly have to work nights, weekends some holidays etc. However what most of us didnt expect (speaking for myself and many nurses that I have spoken to) is that after years of experience we would only be making a small amount more than we did as a new grads.

(A new grad gets 20.00 in my area, an experienced nurse gets 24-25.00 an hour.) I know two these nurses, the NEW GRAD GOT $20.00 and the nurse with 20 YEARS experience got $25.00. So EACH year of experience was worth a whopping 0.25 CENTS!!!.

Most other professions reward longevity by better pay and benefits while ours does not. We all know that when we leave bedside nursing that most of us take a CUT in pay. That is our reward for years of experience.

I expected my job to be demanding, frankly that is one reason I chose nursing....for the challenge. I expected to work hard, take care of my patients, get respect and be taken care of by my hospital. By taken care of I mean...a good salary with good benefits. It has been very disappointing how nursing is treated.

As for the working conditions, of course they contribute to the problem. Some of the conditions that drive nurses away can be changed by the nurses themselves.

Whoever is the leader on their floor has the responsibility to set the positive example...to work together,

not eat our young,

not eat our fellow workers,

help each other out,

STOP competing with one another and

STOP gossiping about one another.

P_RN, ADN, RN · Mar 3, 2003

Brian, I never actually "cared" how much I made. That may sound altruistic, but it is the truth. It was nice having the money, but NO amount of money can buy me when put into such situations as nurses are in today. It is the CONDITIONS linked to that money. Throwing money at this situation is a joke.

Brian, ASN, RN · Mar 3, 2003

I am not saying that throwing money at the situation is the answer. Actually, I was thinking more of some of the causes of how the industry got itself in this situation. I agree that money is only a peice of the pie, I'm not even saying that it is one of the biggest pieces. IMO, I just think that the average nurse cares more about the money than most are willing to admit. Again, this is just my opinion :)

I agree that working conditions and pt ratios are far more important than simply money.

spineCNOR · Mar 3, 2003

I am satisfied with my hourly wage, though the benefits could be better.

The reason I am back in school to get away from the bedside is not about money or benefits- I am tired of the disrespect from managers, administrators and surgeons, and the lack of the support and resources that I need to do my job. The poor work environment is why many of the nurses in my department are looking for other options.

roxannekkb · Mar 3, 2003

>>dunno.... I definately think that $$ plays a bigger role than most nurses say. It seems that there is a stigma that if you ask for more money, your a bad nurse, because nurses should be doing what they do for a warm fuzzy feeling, not for a fair wage??? Just my $0.02

I think you're right, Brian. Many nurses are also afraid to speak up for themselves on issues other than money, because there's still that stigma that nursing is supposed to be "selfless" and that if you think about your own needs, your a bad nurse. You should have that warm, fuzzy, save the world attitude instead of trying to be treated as a professional--entitled to the same respect, salary, benefits and safe working conditions as any other.

researchrabbit · Mar 3, 2003

I know, as a nurse, that I will never get rich (nor did I expect to do so).

Some thoughts:

Teachers are paid similarly to nurses but there is a definite difference in pay for experienced vs inexperienced, vs degree type, vs specialty areas. Nursing is all over the map as far as who gets paid what.

As a new grad in 2000, I was offered $12 an hour for working oncology...HELLO! I made more than that when I was editing morificecripts in 1989.

Folks who do computer programming have far less responsibility than I do and may make twice as much with less education. No, I won't be doing computers any time soon...but other nurses are. :)

Yes, we are underpaid. No, I won't be leaving nursing. But the inequities are annoying. And I think it leads other professionals to assume we are not worth much because we're not paid much -- which leads to not treating us well.

sbic56, BSN, RN · Mar 3, 2003

Raising nurses wages would most definitely increase recruitment. I am as altruistic as the next nurse... but, at the same time, I know nurses are grossly underpaid for what they do! We are responsible for people's lives. We are highly intelligent/educated members of the workforce and an integral part of making the entire health system work. We have paid $1000's for our educations. The physical work in and of itself is grueling. Better benefits would be a plus, too. Seems everytime I get a raise my health insurance premiums go up and the coverage goes down. I don't think money should be the first consideration when deciding on going into nursing, but to say raising the pay/benefits wouldn't make a difference in recruitment is foolhardy to say the least. Alas, this is a purely hypothetical quesion, because exactly who is going to pay us all this money we are worth in today's economy in the first place!

Norbert Holz · Mar 3, 2003

THERE IS NO NURSING SHORTAGE!

MUST I KEEP REPEATING THIS FACT!

IRISHBREAD · Mar 3, 2003

i didn't go into nursing for the money however i think if the pay was better and there were better benefits more young people would go into nursing. however what would really help is if we recieved more respect from administration and physicians. i see nurses as the scapegoat for anything that goes wrong with a patient. and if a physician is disrespectful to a nurse and you complain administration takes the side of the physician without listening to the nurse. so even if you got more people to think about nursing i don't think any amount of money will keep them there!

KP RN · Mar 3, 2003

I left hospital nursing to work in home health about 7 years ago. I love home health, but sometimes, I miss the acuity and excitement of working in the big city!

I admit I would need a lot of money to go back to bedside nursing. How much?? I would guess between $50.00and $60.00 per hour, and I would go back and put up with all the bullcrap.

I just think if I was compensated better, I could tolerate more...

RN-PA, RN · Mar 3, 2003

Although it verges on the blasphemous for some, I would take (a little) less money for better working conditions.

angelbear · Mar 3, 2003

I know I didnt expect to get rich as a nurse. Then again I didnt expect the extremely high stress levels, at leaste where I am, and the huge decline in health most likely DT the stress. Also didnt expect the change in myself. I have become more cynical, distrusting and antisocial than I ever would have immagined. I dont think my work(where I am anyway) is terribly physically grueling at leaste not any worse than most other jobs but the stress is killing me. Also cant really complain about the money I make but if you factor in the fact that I have no bene's then it sucks. I love the pts but spend way more time dueing all the paperwork in triplicut than I do with my pts. Also love the knowledge that I have and am always looking to gain more but am fearful of what I dont know and what that could cost me or someone else. So I guess I do think that money and benes are way important but like others have said the money wont matter when I am beaten down to bad to continue in this feild.