Was anyone poor before becoming a nurse?

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Maybe that wasn't the right way to word it. I know everyone complains that rn's don't make enough money, but were any of you here poor before becoming a nurse? I have been married for almost 9 years, stopped working full time 5 years ago when my oldest was born. My dh owns a construction company which has been on a downward slide for about the last two years. I am working parttime, going to school at night, staying home with my 3 year old twins (my 5 year old is in kindergarten), and babysitting my friend's 1 year old full time. We are so broke right now though. I mean not being able to grocery shop, shut-off notices, the whole nine yards. My dh has hardly had any work and it just sucks. I have wanted to go back to school for so long. I just can't get finished with school quick enough. I feel like it is really going to change our lives so much when I am done. Has anyone else here been in my situation? How did things change for you when you finally did become a nurse? Just looking for some inspiration.

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

I was a single Mom raising 2 teenage girls when I went to school. No child support (X felt I didn't need it). Getting my LPN more than doubled my income. It does make a big difference. Best advice I got was from my supervisor on my first job. She told me not to go crazy when I got my first paycheck, start a savings account and don't go out and buy a new car, house or any other big item for at least the 1st year. Best advice I ever got, followed it and was very happy with the results!

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Specializes in MICU.

I can not comment on after becoming a RN....b/c I am due to graduate in May 2009.....I know how you feel....Fortunately my husband is able to pay the household bills, but he can not afford to help with my personal bills. I have creditors calling my house daily and the only thing that keeps me sane is knowing that soon I will graduate and find a good job.....I also have some money due from my student loans so hopefully that will help me catch up...and keep me afloat until I graduate.....One thing don't forget it's tax season and maybe you can get a nice tax return to help with some of the bills.....Keep your head up....sometimes there's a struggle involved in order to get something wonderful and that is exactly what nursing is.....something wonderful......Good luck to you and remember stay focused....and this too shall pass!!!

Much Love

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I'm not poor but nursing wages will be a significant pay raise for me. I guess it all depends on where you are coming from. Nurses can make in the low six figures without too much hassle. For people who come into the field from jobs where they made multiple sixes or are from households where their joint was multiple sixes or higher then maybe nursing is a step down. (OTOH if I made that kind of money I probably might not consider nursing school to begin with ....). But for those who make 60K and under then nursing is a significant bump up.

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Specializes in MICU, SICU, CRRT,.

Poor before and will probably be poor after, becuase now i have student loans to take care of. Which is another bill in the stack for me..although i know nursing will add a little "room" in my already tight budget, i also know that i did not go into this for money..had i only needed money, i could have chosen something else.

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Specializes in Cardiac, ER.

Maybe I live in the wrong part of the country (midwest), but my RN wages are not near the same wages as many of my fellow 4yr degree friends. I have many friends that graduated from college about the same time I graduated from nursing school and they all make more than I do.

Six figures as an RN?? New nurses are stating out at about 35K and are lucky if they double that during their career. I've been an RN just over 10yrs,.it doesn't happen where I am, not even close. Now, my employment is steady,.I've never had trouble finding a job or working full time hours. Yes it does beat the salary I made as a medical assistant before I graduated, but it is not a high paying job! I too was a single Mom while in school. Our life revolved around "when Mom gets out of school.....". Yes I can feed my kids, pay the mortgage, and buy Christmas presents, but no big fancy houses or shiny sports cars here!

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Specializes in LPN.

I moved to a homeless shelter when leaving my husband, and started from scratch when it came to providing for my kids. We lived with my parents for a while and I eventually supported myself working as a Medical Assistant. Because of my kids, even that income wasn't enough to get us over the poverty level and we had food stamps and medicaid for 4 years. I got through nursing school on financial aid and child support, and now have doubled my income as an LPN.

I still feel poor sometimes though, but no longer because of hourly rate. Lately the issue was unemployment. I worked full time in a facility for over a year as a temp, filling in whatever shifts were needed. Then the company got its act together and actually hired people, getting rid of all of us from agency. At the same time my ex lost his job due to his company downsizing, so I lost child support for 3 months. I can no longer apply for government aid since my hourly rate indicates I can support my family if I maintain full time work. Thankfully I found a job quickly and have started recieving child support again, but it will take months to get back on my feet. It can be hard to explain since so many people have this idea that there is a nursing shortage, and believe nurses always have high paying work.

If I go back to school for RN, I have to admit that earning potential would be a motivating factor. I know an RN with only 3 years experience who makes almost double what I do.

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That's a great question! I have asked myself that several times after reading some of the posts on this site. I really think, as others have said, it depends on the circumstances you come from. I grew up dirt poor. The kind of poor that made a trip to a convenience store and sharing a coke with my brother a BIG deal. Of course I did everything I could to avoid that as an adult but its tough without an education.

Its crazy to read posts about people complaining they only make 45,000 - 50,000 dollars a year working as a nurse. Thats more money than 75% of the duel earner families I know! It makes me wonder if those complaining about the money are young and new to the work force and spoiled by the money their parents earned. I've even read someone who thought going to welding school would have provided them with more money and a better job and more secure job than nursing Could. Apparently they have never done that type of work before. I guess some people are never happy with what they have - the grass is always greener on the other side. Sometimes I want to scream - No matter how much you make there is always someone making more.

Like you I am in nursing school, married and I have three kids to raise. I can tell you that a job as an RN will be a considerable step up the ladder for me.

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I'm single with no kids, so a RN/LPN's income would be awhole lot of money for me.

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I'm not a nurse (yet). I'm single with no kids also, and also make enough money just to be able to live (hungrily). It's been this way for awhile though, so I'm used to it. I like where I live and I deal with it and it's not so bad.

Sunray - making in the 6 figures, as a nurse, from what I understand, isn't as easy as you seem to make it sound, but to RN Cardiac, I also don't know how much I believe new nurses only starting at 35k from the ads I've seen. But, I only look in big cities where the cost of living is high, and maybe the ads are exaggerating a bit, who knows. At any rate I was under the impression of a new nurse starting around 50k, and in order to reach something around 100k would take a lot of working and experience in the field. I could be way off, though.

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Yeah I was dead broke before I got my LPN.

I'm glad I have a steady paycheck and can meet my monthly expenses w/o being in constant danger of having one thing or the other shut off.

I never expected to be able to buy a Benz or anything crazy like that. :smokin:

Right now my rent is paid, I have a decent car (nothing fancy but it's relatively new), and I am preparing to buy my first home sometime in 2010.

I guess it's all about perspective. I'm satisfied because I choose to be satisfied with what I have. If I was expecting a Lexus and a Mc Mansion upon graduation then I would have been seriously disappointed.

I expect to do better as an RN but then again my student loans will come due so I will likely be in the same financial situation that I am in now.

I'm not complaining though because with this nasty economy I'm grateful have a decent paycheck. I'm also in no danger of being laid off because I'm work in a facility and an area that is not highly desirable.

Trust me no one is beating down the door to take the keys to my medcart! :up:

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Specializes in ER/Ortho.

I know in the area I live in new RN's are starting out at about 25- $30 an hour. Now during clincals I asked some the nurses about the finanical aspect of nursing. Some of them had only a couple of years under their belt, but said they made 6 figures. They did this by working extra shifts each week, getting differentials for night shift, holidays, and call in. Think abou it if you make $30 an hour working three 12 hours shifts a week, plus in pull in 2 or 3 extra shifts with the extra pay from holidays, call ins, etc you could reasonably do it.

I am currently living at home with my parents so I can go to school full time. I am raising my kids with sporadic child support, grants, and loans. We have to budget everything, and be very frugal. I cannot wait to graduate I will be RICH!!!! Of course it would take much for me to feel rich these days. I am afraid I can't wait a year to by a car like advised. I will be lucky if my car lasts till the end of school.

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