Thinking about nursing

Nursing Students General Students

Published

I've read thru some of the comments here and I consistently see "low pay" and "hard work", well the hard work is something I can deal with but I don't see where the "low pay" is coming from since the AD's I see for RN's start at around 20$'s an hour and go up to 40+$'s an hour with experience and further training,

When you people say low pay what do you mean? That you make 25$'s an hour but you've over extended yourself or that you make far less than this and decent paying jobs in nursing are not the norm.

Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

LeesieBug

I agree. I will also have a BSN degree and knowing I will only be making $15.50 an hour to start kind makes me sick...I cant afford even a decent house and a car making that :( But still I want to be a nurse!

Marilyn

Specializes in ER.

That really stinks, marilynmom, that they have the nerve to pay people such low wages! How long does a nurse generally have to work in that area before they can move on to something that pays a bit better?

Maybe once you are close to graduating you will get lucky and get a job offer that pays a bit more than the standard.

Marilyn, Hi Again... That is really bad that where you are in OK, that your pay is that much lower. I know pay is not everything but it helps if you can pay your bills. And, in a previous post of mine, I was referring to some people making around $ 70,000 or so, and how they were still having a hard time covering their bills, with their habits of frequent designer clothes shopping, keeping expensive cars with mortgages on them, and overspending at xmas really complicates things and will always keep them in debt. I did not mean that the average nurse has these behaviors. Anyway, I know how hard it is to hold on to your money when everything and everybody has their hand held out to take it from you, and when rationalization can become your best friend while talking yourself into why we need this newfangled purchase, etc., etc... And, credit card companies know the absolute best times to keep sending out those easy offers to obtain more credit so you can get yourself and keep yourself snowed under a mountain of debt. I try my best to always use credit cards for only absolute emergencies, and not the type emergencies that it would be much wiser to take money from savings to deal with.

Again, I think some of the increase in nurses salaries, is because of the recent 8 % pay increase, but I might be wrong. Does anybody know anything about this? I hope all of you are having a nice holiday weekend! I have enjoyed reading these boards, etc., .. It really helps you see what you are getting into by talking with people who are already in the field as well as those like me who are going back to school to get into it. By having a connection like we all have here, we have a place to vent, exchange ideas, and none of us should feel alone with the similar problems that we all face. Take Care....April

It depends on where you live. I have been a nurse for ten years and make $21./hr, no benefits. However, the working conditions are so poor, and many facilities treat nurses so badly, that it is simply not worth it.

When you become a nurse yourself, you will understand where nurses are coming from.

BTW, I do not have any credit cards, designer clothes, etc. My little Honda civic is paid for. My credit is perfect.

I owe only my mortgage on a nice, but modest house. My goal is early retirement, not keeping up with The Joneses and having everything.

I believe that what you earn is mainly based on where you live. Nurses that are making $15-16/hr are probably living in areas where the cost of living is less than nurses living in places paying over $20 to start. I live in NJ and the hospital I plan on working at pays $22 for the 1st year and $28/hr 2nd-5th year. You also receive benefits, etc. etc. Agency nurses here make anywhere from $45-70/hr depending on experience and specialty and they get no benefits. Now to rent a basic two bedroom/two bath apartment in the suburbs, you are looking at a minimum of $1200/month. If you want to rent in the city you may get one for $800/month. To buy a 2000 sq. ft. home, you are looking well over $200,000. At the same time there are plenty of people in my area in other professions that are making under $20/hr and have to manage like everyone else. So the salaries are pretty decent here. I think if you look closely at the cost of living where people live, you will see that the pay rates are not that far off.

All in all I look at the fact that I will have spent a total of 3 years going to school and will be earning $50-65 within my 1st two years of employment. It is still alot better than some professions.

Nicky

Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

Well here in Oklahoma an average 2 bedroom *nice* apartment will run you about $500-$550 a month, I pay $385 a month for my 2 bedroom (1000sq ft) apartment. A really nice 2000 sq ft home will cost about $90-$100K (and in some areas that is a brand new home). Gas right now is about $1.30 a gallon, milk is a bit over $2 a gallon.

I wonder those who are making $20 an hour and over what the average cost of living is. Maybe it does all even out with cost of living?

Helllo Nurse how do you make it with no benifits? I know I will need health insurance or I guess my husband could cover me through his job. Now here you can make really good money if you float between hospitals or work for an agency but I wonder if you do that do you never really settle in or get to know the place and feel comfortable working there? To me its very important that I feel comfortable and know my working environment, etc I just dont knwo enough about it.

Marilyn

Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.
Originally posted by RN2007

Marilyn, Hi Again... That is really bad that where you are in OK, that your pay is that much lower. I know pay is not everything but it helps if you can pay your bills. And, in a previous post of mine, I was referring to some people making around $ 70,000 or so, and how they were still having a hard time covering their bills, with their habits of frequent designer clothes shopping, keeping expensive cars with mortgages on them, and overspending at xmas really complicates things and will always keep them in debt. I did not mean that the average nurse has these behaviors. Anyway, I know how hard it is to hold on to your money when everything and everybody has their hand held out to take it from you, and when rationalization can become your best friend while talking yourself into why we need this newfangled purchase, etc., etc... And, credit card companies know the absolute best times to keep sending out those easy offers to obtain more credit so you can get yourself and keep yourself snowed under a mountain of debt. I try my best to always use credit cards for only absolute emergencies, and not the type emergencies that it would be much wiser to take money from savings to deal with.

Again, I think some of the increase in nurses salaries, is because of the recent 8 % pay increase, but I might be wrong. Does anybody know anything about this? I hope all of you are having a nice holiday weekend! I have enjoyed reading these boards, etc., .. It really helps you see what you are getting into by talking with people who are already in the field as well as those like me who are going back to school to get into it. By having a connection like we all have here, we have a place to vent, exchange ideas, and none of us should feel alone with the similar problems that we all face. Take Care....April

I know what you are saying and I apologize for my previous posts. And you are right with what you are talking about. I think though that is all evens out with cost of living, here in OKlahoma the cost of living is extremely low...one of the lowest in the nation I do believe. So maybe my $15.50-$16 an hour averages out to your $20+ an hour. I dont know. a 2 bedroom apartment here (a nice one) will run about $500 a month, a nice brand new home will cost about $100K (for about 2000 sq ft) actually you can buy some brand new homes for $70K here (about 1000+ sq ft)

And yes I LOVE these boards!! Before I came here I really didn't know anything about nursing like I do now! I didn't even know what the difference was between a BSN and an ADN....lol I cant belive all I know and have learned for everyone, I am totally addicted!!!

Marilyn

NJ Student Nurse aka Nicky

Come on down to the Jersey shore! We need nurses! I'll even give you my personal tour. (its up to you to decide if thats a good thing or a bad thing!)

Tres

digging life by the bay

Originally posted by Furball

I guess my discontent comes from the HS grad guys in my family who make a lot more than I do with very little responsibility and very little added education requirements.

Saw a piece on 60 minutes last night about males lagging academically behind females even in Math and Science. A point was made that males can still make a decent wage without higher education but not females. I just thought it was interesting and bouyed my point.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Gender Gap: Boys Lagging

May 25, 2003

Why aren't boys' academic problems a bigger issue? "There's a little cultural secret at work here. Boys go out in the work world and earn more money," says Thompson. "Nobody wants to admit what's happening, which is, 'You girls work very hard, but sorry, ladies, when you get out there, we're not going to pay you equally. And you boys, it's OK. You can loaf through school. You'll get good jobs afterwards.'"

© MMII, CBS Worldwide Inc. All Rights Reserved.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* Feedback * Terms of Service * Privacy Statement

I think $15.50 an hour is a slap in the face to those who work in a profession like nursing. The hospital system I am working for is a new system in my town. They brought out health midwest in my town. It is HCA now. Last year a new grad was making $16.00 an hour for days and $19.00 an hour for nights. Well, this year new grads will be making $19.00 an hour for days and $22.00 for nights and I am working nights not just because of pay but because I am a single mom and I have reliable child care for nights. However, with HCA and the new pay it is no telling how the work conditions will be. Hopefully it will be MUCH better than what health midwest was.

Before anyone say that I probably live in an area where the cost of living is probably higher. The cost of living here is actually pretty decent around here. It is not as good as some places but compared to MOST places it is. My city is a nice city not too big but not very small either. We have over 500,000 people but not quite a million yet. IT is fast growing city.

The AVERAGE cost of homes in certain areas is about $120,000 and that can be new homes in certain subdivisions. The average 2 bedroom rent is about $500-800 depending on the area.

The price of gas is about $1.45 on average.

$100,000 for a BRAND NEW home??? :eek: I guess Oregon is much higher. Here a new home in a subdivision of other homes, like two feet from each other, costs OVER $200,000. Gas is about $1.60 right now, some of the highest in the nation usually.

I sure hope I am not making $15 an hour when I go through school and look for a job here. It wouldn't be possible to live on comfortably, it sounds like.

+ Add a Comment