Why do you want to be a nurse?

jacads · Jan 19, 2005

Strictly for attending CRNA school (starting May 2005). Nursing is the most underpreciated profession there is and it ain't gonna get any better.

Laurlaur · Jan 20, 2005

gotta agree with you there.....

CAguy22 · Jan 20, 2005

I've been in school since fall of 2000 studying to be an elementary school teacher. I have one more class to take to get my BA! Whoohoo! I have been wanting to be a nurse since I was in higschool, but I wanted to also be a teacher, so I chose the teacher. It wasn't until my aunt was diagnosed with stage 3-B lung cancer and my grandma recieving poor care in the nursing home she was in that made me really really want to get into healthcare some how. So this semester I decided to take advantage of my financial aid while I still can and start working on my nursing degree. Since I really wanna do both (and so I haven't wasted 5 years of my life for the teaching degree) I am going to teach and work as a per diem nurse. In addition, I know that as a single guy in southern California, there is no way I could get a house on a teacher's beginning salary of $32,000, so the per diem nursing will help me out. Both of these careers are very rewarding for me because I get to affect people's lives (hopefully in a possitive way). I know it will be a lot of hard work, but it's worth it.

JJRN · Jan 20, 2005

My friend who is a Education Ph.D went to the nursing school a few years ago because of the attractive salary as a R.N. I have some hard feeling when I heard that. I know it is the truth but it is still disappointing.
what about you guys?

What attractive salary as RNs? Are we not aware of what other individuals make? Many labor's without a college education who do not deal with human lives on a daily basis pull in thousands more a year. There are so many other professions that are more well off. I guess it is all one's perspective of what constitutes a good salary, but in comparison to other professions nursing is at the bottom of the salary totem pole. Look it up.

JJRN · Jan 20, 2005

Right on ICU sleep

leslie :-D · Jan 20, 2005

i agree that if you're going into for the $, then you're going to put in alot more work than you get in return $ wise.

but to some (? many) $20/hr isn't anything to sneeze at.

but i personally went into nsg because of the personal contribution i had to give. it's very fulfilling to me.

as for the image of the profession itself, it's pitiful and unmerited.

leslie

SmilingBluEyes · Jan 20, 2005

I am not sure WHAT a "fair" salary for people who if they screw up in their daily duties, could kill someone (or in my case in OB, TWO people), should be....

hmm if my executive sister messes up, she may lose an account, but never, ever a LIFE. Seems to me I should be worth more like middle to upper 6 figures, when you put it in THAT perspective.

Seems to me, you need to consider salary in anything you choose, but also DRIVE, PASSION and DESIRE to make a difference, as well,---or nursing will sorely disappoint you. JMO.

leslie :-D · Jan 20, 2005

..
hmm if my executive sister messes up, she may lose an account, but never, ever a LIFE. Seems to me I should be worth more like middle to upper 6 figures, when you put it in THAT perspective.
superb point deb.

JJRN · Jan 20, 2005

SmilingBluEyes · Jan 20, 2005

What I mean is, if you mess up in any area of nursing, you can kill someone. In OB, when women are pregnant , you are talking TWO lives. Does that make more sense?

and I think in a way we are FAR more responsible for MUCH more than "big wing" execs. Really,I do. How much is a life worth? the courts have yet to put a cap on THAT one! :rolleyes:

*PICURN* · Jan 21, 2005

originally i wanted to be a doctor........then i decided to be an NP b/c I started going to an NP who is SO much more than a doctor....she has the nurse's touch.

I was also attracted by the salary $30/hr isn't bad!!! I honestly don't know why so many people are whining about their salary. I live in a place where the cost of living is outrageous, but STILL I don't think that for 2 years of college that a salary like that is bad.

I also of course was drawn by the job stability and work week (3 x a week = full time).

When I got into nursing school, however, it was a totally different story. I actually LOVE being an RN, which I thought I wouldn't like since I had a twisted idea of what an RN was before actually going to clinicals....

Anyway, in the end it doesn't matter what you went into nursing originally FOR, it matters what kind of nurse you come out as in the end.

duncanRN · Jan 21, 2005

New ADN nurses do not make 30/hr. more like 18/hr.

originally i wanted to be a doctor........then i decided to be an NP b/c I started going to an NP who is SO much more than a doctor....she has the nurse's touch.
I was also attracted by the salary $30/hr isn't bad!!! I honestly don't know why so many people are whining about their salary. I live in a place where the cost of living is outrageous, but STILL I don't think that for 2 years of college that a salary like that is bad.
I also of course was drawn by the job stability and work week (3 x a week = full time).
When I got into nursing school, however, it was a totally different story. I actually LOVE being an RN, which I thought I wouldn't like since I had a twisted idea of what an RN was before actually going to clinicals....
Anyway, in the end it doesn't matter what you went into nursing originally FOR, it matters what kind of nurse you come out as in the end.