What RNs REALLY earn $$

hogan4736, BSN, RN · Jun 3, 2003

bargainhound: LTC

Nice job dplear...

Most RNs that I know that make 6 figures, have less than NO life, don't see their kids, and work 6-7 days/week...

Dplear · Jun 3, 2003

I agree with you hogan about being with the kids. I work fri-sat-sun and I am off Mon-thurs. I get my kids off to school get them home from school cook dinner and take them to karate classes movies or over to their friends houses.(and do homework) my wife works mon-thurs for a Dr office and is home with them fri-sun. I work days so there is still time on the weekends to see them before i go to sleep, whether it ois to go to dinner or watch tv or play video games with them. During the summer months they take a month long vacation either in New York on my sisters farm or in the Philippines with my wifes family there. (they are in the Philippines right now with her). When they are home the rest of the summer we have all week to do things together...take trips go to baseball games or ride my harley together. I do not have the biggest house on the block by far but i have spent time and money updating it and we eat at the chinese buffet more often than not...but EVERYTHING in my home is paid for. I have absolutely no credit card debt...not one penny. Even the summer trip is paid for with cash...I hate paying intrest....(my cars are even paid off)

Dave

ozzierock · Jun 17, 2003

I am gob smacked. I am an RN in Australia. Graduated in !992. My annual income if I worked a 40 hour week, which I don't, would be around $43,000. As the exchange rate between our countries is about 2 of our dollars for one of yours that means I would be earning $21,500 a year in American Dollars. No wonder we don't see many American nurses here, but tons of nurses from Europe and SE Asia. Oh by the way, we have a nursing shortage too, but I guess it wouldn't be so bad if they paid us the way you guys get paid!!!!

cchina_doll · Jun 17, 2003

I wished I new how you nurses make that much. I completed my BSN from an ADN, and even that made no difference in my wages. I made 27,000 last year in nebraska, and according to our board at the hospital in nebraska, that is the average wage here. Ive also checked elsewhere in nebraska. Nobody even comes close to earning what i am readying here. AM I happy about the situation here...??? NO. but there isn't anything I can do about it. They can pass legislation to get teachers for higher wages here. I think its time to do something for nurses. Is there a nursing shortage?? no. Nurses are going (at least in nebraska) to other jobs where they can make more, rather than working as a nurse.

uncRN · Jun 17, 2003

i guess it depends on experience plus what kind of pay plan you're on....made $70k last year....no OT....had a friend who made $80k with OT

Ruby Vee, BSN · Jun 17, 2003

My husband and I are both nurses -- together, we made $120,000 last year. That's with me working OT and him working 3 jobs!

I've been a nurse for 25 years, and I've noticed that while I'm making a lot more money than I was when I started (my raise to $7/hr was a big deal!) I don't have a whole lot more purchasing power. We haven't had a raise in a couple of years, and before that, it was 1993!

rn500 · Jun 17, 2003

It depends drastically on where you live - I worked on the west coast of FL from 1994-2002, at 2 different hospitals, and recieved ONE - that's right, ONE - market adjustment (COLA) in all that time. Our yearly raises ran 2-3%, which barely covers inflation. I don;t call that a raise. And I have been in my specialty for 15 years. When I left FL my base pay was just over 20 bucks an hour.

PennyLane, RN · Jun 17, 2003

Originally posted by rn500
It depends drastically on where you live - I worked on the west coast of FL from 1994-2002, at 2 different hospitals, and recieved ONE - that's right, ONE - market adjustment (COLA) in all that time. Our yearly raises ran 2-3%, which barely covers inflation. I don;t call that a raise. And I have been in my specialty for 15 years. When I left FL my base pay was just over 20 bucks an hour.

I'm not a nurse yet (I work in the IT world for now), and last year my "raise" was 3% too--it's not just nurses.

BSN/OncoNurse · Jun 17, 2003

WOW!! Where do ya all live. Here in Indiana base pay is usually 35,000-45,000 a year depending on where you work. Right now I am getting the best pay I have gotten in 4 years of nursing at 45,000 a year (for a BSN, RN). If anyone out there from Indiana, knows of pay being higher than that let me know. I am going back for my master's just so I can make enough to pay what bills we have and send our three kids through college.

twarlik · Jun 17, 2003

Originally posted by Mel D
I'm not a nurse yet (I work in the IT world for now), and last year my "raise" was 3% too--it's not just nurses.

Tell me about it! I work for the government and the only raise we ever get is a yearly "cost of living" increase. Well this year that raise is barely enough to cover the increase in insurance premiums they've given us! Glad I'm leaving soon...

Momto2Boys · Jun 17, 2003

This is a very interesting post for a student.

MrsK1223 · Jun 17, 2003

I'd love to see what planet you guys live on that make over 100 grand a year as a NURSE. I only make $31 grand and don't know many who make over 50,000 and they have been nurses for ages. Is the cost of living just outrageous where you guys are...I just can't imagine making that much without there being some sort of loss in some area of your life whether it be cost of living, major overtime or something.