It has been broadcast all over the news in my area that UPS is hiring, and that the average UPS driver makes around $76,000 annually! That just totally makes me feel devalued as a nurse. I am not sure what the national averages for nurse salaries are right now, but I am pretty sure it is not that much. I mean, seriously, these people deliver packages (not to devalue them, I have known a few and they work exceptionally hard), but we nurses deliver babies, we keep people alive, we take care of children and the elderly. We are highly educated, knowledgeable, and the responsibility we hold is immense. If the UPS guy screws up, someone might not get their package delivered on time. If a nurse screws up, someone could die. I just cannot reconcile this in my head!!!!
When I first saw this my initial thought was "screw nursing, I'm going to drive the brown truck!" My next thought was, how sad that we are so seriously devalued. What will it take before people realize our value to society? Am I overreacting to this? What are your thoughts?
Again, I want to add that I do not want to sound like I am putting down UPS drivers or similar careers. They work hard and do a great job. It is just that in comparison to the responsibility that we nurses hold, it does not seem that the pay is in line. Not that they deserve less, it is that we deserve at least as much or more for the work that we do!!!
Your friend is wrong. Ups is a union job and and self contractors.. Some of the fedex drivers are self contracted but not Ups drivers. I've been with Ups for almost 18 years as a driver. I get an hourly wage and time and a half after 8 hours. I work 5 days a week and average 50 hours a week sometimes a bit more. Today is May 5th and I'm already at $41,000 for the year. It takes many years to become a full time driver and being a driver has it's own stress and challenges. My sister is a nurse and my girl friend is one as well. Both of them make $85,000 to $100,000 a year depending on overtime. What I have a problem with is the statement that one should make more then the other. Without the Ups driver, Fed driver, the doctors offices and hospitals wouldn't get the supplies, medicine, saline solution, etc needed to take care of the patients. I'm happy to say I'm not upset with what other people make I'm proud and very pleased with my pay and benefits but most importantly I love my job. There's always going to be jobs that pay more, have better benefits, have more paid vacation, so quit comparing yourself with what your job pays it doesn't pay and just be grateful for the job you have which being a nurse is something to be proud about.
Specializes in Pediatrics, High-Risk L&D, Antepartum, L.
Your friend is wrong. Ups is a union job and and self contractors.. Some of the fedex drivers are self contracted but not Ups drivers. I've been with Ups for almost 18 years as a driver. I get an hourly wage and time and a half after 8 hours. I work 5 days a week and average 50 hours a week sometimes a bit more. Today is May 5th and I'm already at $41,000 for the year. It takes many years to become a full time driver and being a driver has it's own stress and challenges. My sister is a nurse and my girl friend is one as well. Both of them make $85,000 to $100,000 a year depending on overtime. What I have a problem with is the statement that one should make more then the other. Without the Ups driver, Fed driver, the doctors offices and hospitals wouldn't get the supplies, medicine, saline solution, etc needed to take care of the patients. I'm happy to say I'm not upset with what other people make I'm proud and very pleased with my pay and benefits but most importantly I love my job. There's always going to be jobs that pay more, have better benefits, have more paid vacation, so quit comparing yourself with what your job pays it doesn't pay and just be grateful for the job you have which being a nurse is something to be proud about.
Well except proud doesn't pay the student loans back and honestly $23/he after 5 years of working doesn't either.
Sounds like you should have done a bit more homework when choosing your career. It's said to see so many college educated nurses so upset with what the uneducated Ups guy makes. I have a great deal of respect for your profession and admire the ones who do it because what the job entails. For those who feel being a nurse demands more pay and respect then an uneducated UPS Driver all I can say is pull out few of those tissues from the tissue box that most likely we delivered to you and wipe your tears. Quit crying and pay more attention to your job then what others make.
Specializes in Pediatrics, High-Risk L&D, Antepartum, L.
Sounds like you should have done a bit more homework when choosing your career. It's said to see so many college educated nurses so upset with what the uneducated Ups guy makes. I have a great deal of respect for your profession and admire the ones who do it because what the job entails. For those who feel being a nurse demands more pay and respect then an uneducated UPS Driver all I can say is pull out few of those tissues from the tissue box that most likely we delivered to you and wipe your tears. Quit crying and pay more attention to your job then what others make.
The fact that you delivered something doesn't make you top of the ladder. Good lord. It's great you have a nice salary but it is just proof of how little society values nurses. You aren't saving lives buddy...keep dreaming.
Oh boy! Nurses get paid very well and have pretty secure jobs for the most part. The problem is with you and only you for feeling unhappy with your job and what you feel you should be making. The last time I checked nurses hourly wage is well above what most make so I would say "Society's opinion" made the financial adjustment to your hourly wage when it comes to showing the value of being a nurse. I find it strange that my sister being a nurse for 20 plus years and my girlfriend a nurse as well for 10 plus years have never complained or said anything about how little " Society Values" nurses. Buddy.... I'm sorry your a nurse not a Doctor so either quit your job and find a job your content with but you will sooner or later be unhappy with that because you found out what the trash man makes.
I know I'm not saving lives but I'm not the one so unhappy with my job. I love my job and could care less what other make. And the last time I checked nurses for the most part don't either.
When I left my last job (after nearly five years) I was making under $20 so it sort of burns my toast a little when people say nurses make over $85000 as though that is the norm. I assure you it isn't.
The reason UPS drivers are paid so well has to do with having a strong union! Without a union to advocate for workers pay and benefits private companies will pay as little as possible to save the profits for the CEO and top management! Most hospitals aren't unionized and nurses are viewed as an expense, not the vital lifeline we are! Many hospitals are under price constraints due to the uninsured, medicaid and medicare and even private insurance companies paying as little as possible. I don't know how to fix that, but the best way a nurse has to receive fair pay and benefits is to work for a strong unionized hospital system such as one that is under the National Nurses United of CA. We would all be better off if we belonged to the CA union that was able to get mandated patient ratios! I wish I was so lucky!
That just totally makes me feel devalued as a nurse. I am not sure what the national averages for nurse salaries are right now, but I am pretty sure it is not that much. I mean, seriously, these people deliver packages (not to devalue them, I have known a few and they work exceptionally hard), but we nurses deliver babies, we keep people alive, we take care of children and the elderly. We are highly educated, knowledgeable, and the responsibility we hold is immense. If the UPS guy screws up, someone might not get their package delivered on time. If a nurse screws up, someone could die. I just cannot reconcile this in my head!!!!
RNsRWe, ASN, RN
3 Articles; 10,428 Posts
And another one bites.