If all the nursing school suddenly open the door and let more people in, there will be a overflowed. Think about all those software programmers back in the days, lawyers, MBAs. We used to think lawyers and MBAs can make a pretty good living but now there are too many out on the streets.
I'm sure you guys don't want to see the same thing happen in nursing, don't you? DO NOT increase enrollments of nursing schools please. Otherwise, we will all suffer. Graduate 10,000 new nurses each year across the nation would be enough.
If you are in nursing education, tell the dean DO NOT increase the enrollments therwise, we will all be screwed.
I understand that money is an important aspect of life but the paycheck shouldnt be the main motivation factor for enrolling into nursing school because one will never be completely satisfied in his/her career.
I was once a young idealist. Now I'm a jaded 40-something person who's seen the dark under belly of corporate America up close and personal in companies with as few as 4 people to multinationals with several hundreds of thousands of employees.
The size and predictability of my paycheck are my primary motivation for any career choice. Interest and 'calling' are secondary.
Nursing happens to fit my personality, philosophy, interests, and life experience but it is something that I considered only because of decent compensation in this area and the relative stability of the job.
I will give my patients the best care that I can because that's what they deserve and what I'll be being paid for. First and foremost, however, health care is a business and I'll be just a small cog in the great machinery of the organization. In addition to advocating for my patients I will also be advocating for those things that are best for my profession, my organization, my coworkers, and myself.
What part? In San Francisco, CNA can make between $22 to $27 per hour. Sac and stockton is only 2 hours away from the SF bay area. The pay for RNs is not much differ from the bay area. (maybe $3 differ)
As I said earlier, its not worthy to stay in the bay area where all the high tech firms are. Why all the high tech firms are in the bay area? Because the boss of the firms and the GOV want it that way. "When employees compete, the employers and GOV win". The media also keep on projecting a good image on high techs, lawyers and MBAs to inspire more and more young people to get into those areas of studies. Therefore, as you can see today we got too many engineers, lawyers and MBAs. Most of them come to the bay area and compete. I love to see more and more people going into those fields and I'll watch them compete from the outside and laugh about it. Tell all your friends DO NOT come into nursing please. Competion is good for the country but not good for the individuals. This competion will drive the business around the area and drive the high tech industry and pay less to the employees. I DO NOT WANT TO SEE THAT HAPPEN IN NURSING FIELD.
I'm sorry to inform you getinfall but If someone wants to become a nurse they should be able to do so. Most nurses say they are understaffed and often work long hours. Also we are going to need nurses for all the baby boomers who are are getting older and having health problems. UC Davis is going to open up a school of nursing in the near future:yeah:I'm sure you are unhappy to hear that but the fact of the matter is we do need more nursing schools to accomodate new students so by the time baby boomers retire they can be fully qualified to take their places. I just feel like your statement "tell your friends DO NOT come into nursing please" is a little dishearting and borderline mean. And by the way Stockton Ca also has the highest foreclosure rate in the country:twocents:.
I don't know the stats, but how many nurses stick with nursing or get fed up and move on? There are a lot of licensed individuals out there who choose not to work in nursing because so many of the jobs are crazy, especially in the hospital setting. If places worked more on retaining the nurses that they have, and improving working conditions and salaries, then there may not be a shortage. Graduating more nurses isn't going to be a long term solution as many nurses leave the hospital as soon as possible to go into other more relaxed areas of nursing. I know I did, and I probably will not go back. I'm still in nursing, but not in a hospital. If hospitals would attempt to fix the problems, then maybe there wouldn't be a shortage.
I am glad to hear that "Song/Music in my heart" states that they are willing to put patients first and do an excellent job even though their main goal is money.
Unfortunately, many people who come into nursing thinking it is going to make them good money end up falling by the wayside. Their work ethic is poor and they begin to do the bare minimum to get by because they don't think they are paid enough to do a stellar job. This is why I generally prefer nurses to be nurses because they enjoy the work, not because they are looking for a bigger buck than another job. People with more altruistic leanings generally end up putting the patients first their entire career instead of getting tired part way through and giving the good nurses a bad name.
The nursing shortage is a complex , dynamic and ever changing thing. When I graduated in 1989, we could pretty much get the job that we wanted wherever we wanted. Now, jobs are a bit harder to find that meet your exact specs. You might have to drive a bit or move or work a shift that you don't want or an area that you aren't interested in.
That said, I've been teaching for 15 years, and have definitely seen an increase in the number of students pursuing nursing because they want a guaranteed job, but a definite decrease in someone pursuing nursing because they really like what nurses do and think they could make a difference as a nurse. That poses a lot of challenges for both educational instutitutions, as well as hospitals.
We need to make nursing positions attractive, so that those who get the degree will wanat to STAY in that position at that institution, and not leave for a better sign on bonus, or 50 cents an hour more in pay. The nursing shortage is a function of less students entering nursing, less nurses wanting to pursue higher education and then use that credential to teach nursing, as well as institutions not being great places to work (there are enough threads on poor working conditions on this forum that I thought I wouldn't beat that issue again).
So, increasing nursing enrollments will not directly contribute to a glut of nurses. I'd be shocked to ever see that happen, unfortunately. We need to be ambassadors to encourage people to pursue nursing as a career.
"Stockton Ca also has the highest foreclosure rate in the country."
That's exactly what I want. The real estates are going down is good for me to buy a house. It's not near the bottom yet. High hoursing price were created by the inersia of dot com and the stupid mortage loan companies. The price has to fall and I loving it.
The recent replies one from a student "no good nurses"...how can you judge? What is your ruler? That is a very LARGE statement from someone to make who does not face the pressures and responsibilities of that nurse. If your nurse seems "mean", it may be she is focused on the job at hand AND HAS YOU! If you learn anything from working as a nurse, precepting even a student is emotionally draining. IF you think that you will do everything LIKE NURSING SCHOOL ....You are going to be surprised!
Oh, Thank you for saying this.
I love hearing from students what their impression of a 'bad nurse' is when they actually have zero idea of what nursing is like.
That thread is true about nurses eating their young. You all were students once, I guess you seem to forget that. If every nurse stayed as enthusiastic as she was when she was in nursing school, patient care would remain excellent. You don't like your job? Your burnt out? Move on. Don't be mean, nasty and hateful to people around you. I'm not even under the nurses I am talking about. I am tired of hearing them all ***** and moan in the break room. Get another job if you hate your so much. Nobody is making you stay.
Oh, Thank you for saying this.
I love hearing from students what their impression of a 'bad nurse' is when they actually have zero idea of what nursing is like.
It is a job....it is rewarding to me as a person, but it is a means to making a living in the world, as well. My job is NOT as important as my family and my sanity.
We really don't need more nurses. Hospitals need to work on improving morale, respect, pay, and retention of nurses already there instead of spending money on 'job fairs' and recruiting.
I don't believe you read the bulk of her post. I agree that it is a job and I wouldn't do it if the compensation was not at very least fair but that doesn't mean that I will sacrifice that safety of my patients in order to secure my job. I will keep my job because I am a good nurse and worth having on staff.
Retention is low due to many factors with one of the biggest being that nurses are working under unsafe staffing conditions. Unit nurses are sometimes taking 3-4 patients, NICU is understaffed and often exceeds safe ratios and the floors in most hospitals are deplorable. There are lazy, good for little nurses who should lose their jobs but they are a body and thats all that managment is concerned about.
Just look at the want adds, those positions are not advertised just because the hospital wants to unload expendable cash. I believe that hard, legislated ratios need to be made law and this will go a long way to helping with retention. It will force hospitals to focus on the shortage and retention. Pay will increase with competion and we as a profession will be better for it. Most importantly our patients will get the safe and effective care that the deserve and are paying for.
And by the way Stockton Ca also has the highest foreclosure rate in the country:twocents:.
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RN1989
1,348 Posts
I made $12/hr when I graduated from nursing school - as an RN. And that was good pay.