Where do they get their information?

[huggietoes]

I have had 4 patients this week tell me that they are going into nursing or a member of their family is, because they heard how great the income potential is! One mother asked me, "I hope this is not too personal but can you tell me what your salary is" some nerve, huh? She went on to say that her daughter is going to nursing school so that she can make alot of money and be financially independent, "is it going to matter that she is squeamish about blood and poop?" I think it is all of those darned Johnson & Johnson ads. She looked at me like I had 10 heads and a tail when I told her that a local factory was starting their employees (without a particular skill/training/education) at about $2 more per hour, and that is no weekends, holidays and better benefits. Why do people think that nurses "make the big bucks" There have been credit collection agencies hounding some nurses at my facility that are single moms that are also trying to be 'financially independent'. Not only that, but what worries me most is these people that are coming to the profession for the money and not the nursing, my luck I will get stuck working with these idiots! Sorry for the rant, but I just can not take these simple minded comments anymore.

[SmilingBluEyes]

well it just MIGHT, babs as they wash out of school. our attrition rate was HORRIBLE....more than 2/3 did wash out.

WE shall SEE.

[shodobe]

Who knows if that factory will be moved to Mexico or the Phillipines next year. Nurses will always have a job, unless you work in some region that only has one hospital for miles. I have no complaint about my salary. I work as much as I want. I made over 100,000 last year. Too many people complain about their salary. Go somewhere where you can make the money. It is a steady job. More and more factory jobs are being shipped overseas so this myth about these people making more than a nurses won't last much longer. If you go into nursing and expect to make a bunch of money the first few years out you will be disappointed. If all your worried about is a liability problem, then maybe nursing isn't your thing. You have to have confidence in your practice. Never once in my 26 years of nursing have I been worried about a lawsuit. I guess I am lucky. Getting rich and nursing do not go hand in hand but I make a very comfortable living and I do not need for my wife to work to have what we want. It is all relative to your wants and needs.

[kermit27]

hey -- from over on this side of the pond, many British nurses think the Americans ARE making big-bucks. And maybe they are in comparison, but I remind them about their 5 weeks paid holiday, and free health care, free uniforms and free nurse education, and they usually back down.

that said, there's a big a long queue to sign up for NCLEX and green cards....

[live4today, RN]

Originally posted by cannoli

Where is this factory? Maybe I can get a job there.

:rotfl:

Actually, all jokes aside, my EX (X being the factor here) worked at General (Generous) Motors for years and the janitors there always made far more than I did as a nurse. GM factory workers have unions, contracts they always negotiate, and the pay to go along with it. They work shifts much like nurses do, but we don't get the pay, and they don't have to worry about killing a patient, doing a patient undue harm, or being sued on their jobs. I've always wondered how those GM workers made more money than nurses. Makes no sense to me.

[shodobe]

cheerfuldoer, the answer is very strong union! The car industry is an queer side of the equation. It is the only real industry where a monotonous job can pay you 20-25 bucks an hour with amazing benefits. Gee, I want to spend all day installing windshields in Ford trucks! Imagine spending 20-30 years doing the same thing day in and day out without much of a intelligent factor. I know I am now going to get lots of replies to why auto workers are so intelligent. At least with nursing you have to use your noggin everyday.