okay, now maybe i'm just young and naive, but could someone please fill me in on why it seems that nurses are being singled out from all the other healthcare professions of being overwork and underpaid? I recently got accpeted into nursing school for the fall and thats when i found this site. after reading numerous posts, im starting to get worried.
it seems that the pay is really low (low $20s) and the hours is hectic. Now, i really love to help people and wanted to become a nurse because i would love to make a difference and its rewarding in that way. however, i would love to buy a house one day and start a family, and i certainly don't want to have a college degree and be struggling. how is it that pharmacists can make about $50 an hour and rad techs start off at about $30 an hour and their job seems to me to be less hectic (i am def. not saying that their jobs aren't important). it seems to be that nurses pay is equivalent to someone who doesn't even go to college (post office worker, truck driver) i just think that nurses work hard, they are in stressful environments, and hey to get a bsn you need about 5 years of school.
i looked up diff sites such as salary.com, and it reports that nurses make about $60 g+ a year. You ask around and everyone (who isn't a nurse) says nurses make good money, nurses are always needed. Yet, I read here, from real people, from real nurses saying that they work long hours, are short staffed, and arent being compensated fairly. i know doctors make the money because they are the one that bring income to the hospitals or whatever, but i highly doubt doctors can work alone without a good nurse helping him.
i'm just really bummed out about my career choice right now
Yea, a new patient I admitted was boasting his 20 yr. old son had just signed on with UPS and would be making $24/hour. I'm making $22.50/hr.
This stinks.
I know two UPS drivers. Yes, they do make a nice income. That said very very few people are hired directly as drivers at UPS. The vast majority have to put in YEARS working in the warehouse PART-TIME for about $8-10 per hour. They do hard and heavy lifting in that warehouse, and frequently it's night shift in order to have the trucks loaded for the drivers in the AM. The average UPS driver worked part-time for a few years before getting that coveted driver job.
In my nursing program, someone from the last graduating class (spring 06) will be starting out with $37/hr as a new grad. I was talking to one of my instructors about this thinking wow, I want to work where she works haha! My instructor then told me there are some hospitals out there that are starting new grads out with $40/hr. That sounds just fine to me. I know it obviously differs in different areas and states, but I'm just putting in what I heard.
There are many people WITHOUT college degrees that make MORE than us. It is a sad truth. And anyone who downgrades that in hopes of not discouraging new nurses is wrong. They should know the truth in order to stand up and make a difference in their profession. Yes I can make a living, but it is a damned hard living (physically & emotionally). It is troubling to know what I deal with on a daily basis and to know that a UPS driver makes the same as me.
And there are people with Bachelor's, Masters, and PhDs making less than nurses. Or who have much fewer job prospects.
There are many people WITHOUT college degrees that make MORE than us. It is a sad truth. And anyone who downgrades that in hopes of not discouraging new nurses is wrong. They should know the truth in order to stand up and make a difference in their profession. Yes I can make a living, but it is a damned hard living (physically & emotionally). It is troubling to know what I deal with on a daily basis and to know that a UPS driver makes the same as me.
Is that lovely salary with, or without, a little help from the Teamsters?
First...I didn't become a nurse because of the pay. Nursing has always been my dream...ever since I was a very small child. I took a backdoor in because I couldn't afford to go to nursing school right out of high school...back in the days before student loans and grants. I started out as a CNA...get this, making $1.95/hr!!!! I worked my way through Respiratory Therapy school and got a big raise when I graduated...starting wage was $6.75/hr!! It took me 20 years before I was finally able to graduate....and I took a PAY CUT when I started as a new grad!! I left the midwest and came to the eastcoast after awhile...and the pay here is much better.
I LOVE my job and the satisfaction that I feel from doing my job well. Yes, other professions make more money. Maybe we as nurses need to work together to improve our salary, work environment, etc...?? Don't give up your dream.....I certainly didn't!
And there are people with Bachelor's, Masters, and PhDs making less than nurses. Or who have much fewer job prospects.
True.
Salary isn't always commeserate with degree, or even how hardworking, stressful or "importance" to society (i.e. saving lives) is.
The CDC lists the following jobs as the most stressful (according to Health Magazine). Nursing isn't even in the top ten. Many of those jobs makes less than nurses do.
Ditto to RNINME, I became a nurse not for the pay, but for what nursing gives back to me. If you're just doing it for the $, you're going to be sadly misled and miserable with your choice.
That said, I'm 31, married with kids and make over $66,000/year working 3-12s a week. Not rich by any means, but we did just build a 3000 sq foot house 2 years ago and it's mint. We have land in 3 different places, a lake cabin and lots of "toys". Lots of hard work and long hours has paid for all of that. My husband's income also helps push us over that edge of being able to pay our bills and ability to be comfortable.
Be wary of those hospitals that are offering unusually high wages or massive sign on bonuses. There's bound to be problems in-house with employee retention and no amount of $ is worth that b.s.
Pumpkin...you have the best screen name I've ever seen. I used to call my son that when he was a baby. :) I saw your name and almost spit coffee over my monitor I was laughing so hard! :)
To the OP, I agree with previous posters about the moolah. I make $18/hr right now working in computers. When I'm an RN I won't make all that much more. Factoring in raises until I graduate I'll probably be making closer to $19-20 by then and new grads in my area start between $21-23. I'm doing it because it's something I want to do. I see the posts here and question my decision and then I remember how I come home every day from work and b**ch about my job. :) Any job is going to have a negative side, and as another poster said, this forum is going to be skewed to the negative because essentially this is where everyone comes to b**ch after work. Or before.
Anyways, don't get discouraged by negative posts. Every job makes you come home wanting to scream at one point or another. And really, for the amount of education required to be an entry-level nurse, it is pretty good pay (and I'm not knocking any route..I'm an ADN student myself). I'm pretty sure all the people that work for peanuts would happily take the jobs in a second if they could. :)
- Nursing is service, as symbolized by the cap, and the "reward" one gets from serving people and taking care of the sick feels so great. I think no other profession can feel that happiness.
- On the salary thing, I think an increase would be better since nurses are the medical field's "frontline members". We risk our own health (some have risked the career they've worked for in years, some even risked their lives) everyday when we render care to our patients.
I have been researching this site for months now and I understand how you can get the impression that nursing is not worth it. I suggest that you look at some of the other posts like "Success Stories in Nursing" or the "Ghost Stories."
Every profession has its crappy parts, at least nursing has so many routes you can take if you get tired of one type of nursing there will always be something different. You can stay at the ADN or continue to advanced practice. I finally got tired of seeing my wife having so much opportunity with her ADN that I am leaving my current job and starting my CNA this fall.
I have had something like 22 different jobs and served 2 enlistments in 2 different military branches (including a part time season at UPS unloading trailers). Believe me you can do allot worse than nursing.
Pumpkin...you have the best screen name I've ever seen. I used to call my son that when he was a baby. :) I saw your name and almost spit coffee over my monitor I was laughing so hard! :)
Multicollinearity, BSN, RN
3,119 Posts
I know two UPS drivers. Yes, they do make a nice income. That said very very few people are hired directly as drivers at UPS. The vast majority have to put in YEARS working in the warehouse PART-TIME for about $8-10 per hour. They do hard and heavy lifting in that warehouse, and frequently it's night shift in order to have the trucks loaded for the drivers in the AM. The average UPS driver worked part-time for a few years before getting that coveted driver job.