You really think nurses make alot of money? Let me give you something to think about

[diosa78]

So, I am tired of the student nurses that come through our unit saying "Well, nurses make alot of money." I like to gently explain to them that we don't in the following way:

I make $27 an hour. I have 4 or 5 patients with varying acuities (I work in an ER). So, if I have 4 patients, I am making $6.75/hr per patient (with 5 it's $5.40 an hour). I am responsible for assessing, verifying orders, medicating, etc etc. The last time I was in the hospital I asked for an invoice, and if I remember correctly, they charged me around $200/hr for nursing care. (Now this was on a floor, but I am just using it for general comparison).

I have to also take into consideration that hospitals have overhead (housekeeping, techs, etc.), but still that mark-up is huge. In my previous career, I was making considerably more money for less responsibility and less stress and the mark-up on the products was around 13%. I know I am comparing apples to oranges, but it's just something else to think about.

Most students gasp at this when looking at our wages like this, but it's just something I think we should consider. I sometimes think our wages would be better if they were based on acuity and ratios (for hospital nursing). What do you guys think? Am I looking at this all wrong?

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

I hear ya OP, and totally agree.

I think those that post saying that they "don't care about money" are just too FOS for me.

Y'all be sure to turn down, or even quit if you get a raise now won't ya? Otherwise I'll have no choice but to assume you are not realy true blue nursing martyrs - and, that would be such a bummer for me. Such a huge loss of innocence and all...

Money isn't everything. I would rather make fifty thousand working at nicu where my heart is than to work at a life sucking gray cubicle making seventy thou per year....and if I wanted an extra 20k, all I would have to do is pick up ot and extra shifts.

[Gently.me]

I hear ya OP, and totally agree.

I think those that post saying that they "don't care about money" are just too FOS for me.

Y'all be sure to turn down, or even quit if you get a raise now won't ya? Otherwise I'll have no choice but to assume you are not realy true blue nursing martyrs - and, that would be such a bummer for me. Such a huge loss of innocence and all...

Spoken like someone who didnt pay attention to anything anyone said.....

[klone, MSN, RN]

I have a BSN and my husband has a high school education, and he makes significantly more than me. Is that fair? No, but life isn't fair. I am just bringing it up so we have something to think about when we look at nursing wages.

Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerburg don't have college degrees either. Eh.

I think, generally speaking, nurses are paid pretty well. My husband, an ADN-prepared nurse, makes about $75K. I "only" make about $60K (also ADN-prepared).

[klone, MSN, RN]

at the end of the day you should be proud of the work you've done, and if i make less in order to hold my head higher, i'll take it.

I won't. I'm not in nursing to be a martyr or a saint.

[Aurora77]

It's simple. If you feel like you're not making enough money, find another nursing position. If nursing doesn't pay well enough for you--get another career. Change is difficult, but it can be done. No one ever thinks they make enough money. If you're not happy, do something to fix it!

[luvazsun, RN]

To a new grad who is maybe all of 23 years old, $40,000 a year is a lot of money, "to them". But, when you start to add up all living expenses, loan repayments, and god forbid add a husband and kids into the mix, yep, we make less than plumbers.

[netglow, ASN, RN]

But, uh, ThePrincessBride, you are 20 years old?

[Jingles39]

Not really sure what age has to do with it. I just turned 40 and the most I ever made was $14.00/hr.

I'll gladly take those $40,000+/yr. jobs off your hands :)

[fromtheseaRN, BSN, RN]

I won't. I'm not in nursing to be a martyr or a saint.

my goodness. you sure did edit down my comment to suit you.

what i said was, in my former career i made a lot more but i was in advertising, and it was soul sucking. i prefer to make less money in a career where i can be proud of my work, rather than feeling dirty at the end of the day.

in no way did i imply i was a martyr or a saint in doing so, just that i preferred to make less in order to do something that is not in the field of screwing people over.

[Gently.me]

To a new grad who is maybe all of 23 years old, $40,000 a year is a lot of money, "to them". But, when you start to add up all living expenses, loan repayments, and god forbid add a husband and kids into the mix, yep, we make less than plumbers.

If you are spending more then you are making, you are living beyond your means. Period. My mother raised 3 kids by herself on a $20/hour job.

[carolmaccas66, BSN, RN]

$27 an hour?? I wouldn't get out of bed for this! And u have all that responsibility for that low pay - is $27 an hour considered good over there?

Seems like u get really low wages over there.

Here we RNs can make good money, but we get taxed higher. That's why if I work a weekend, I don't have to work the rest of the week - cos most of it goes in tax. If ur full time you get less than agency, as they get sick pay & holiday pay, but it's still about $40 for dayshift alone (other shifts u get paid more for overtime etc).

[Aurora77]

To a new grad who is maybe all of 23 years old, $40,000 a year is a lot of money, "to them". But, when you start to add up all living expenses, loan repayments, and god forbid add a husband and kids into the mix, yep, we make less than plumbers.

So plumbers don't have living expenses, wives/husbands, kids?

I'm 34 and to me making $40,000 a year (not including my husband) IS a lot of money. It's part of why I changed careers and went into nursing. 1 year of part time school, 2 years full time, and I doubled my pay. From where I sit, that's a pretty sweet deal.