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Depends on where the nurse works, but definitely not underpaid. Most nurses I know make six figures, work three 12 hour shifts, and get incredible benefits and a huge amount of paid time off. The job isn't easy but it can often be slow .
Depends on where the nurse works, but definitely not underpaid. Most nurses I know make six figures, work three 12 hour shifts, and get incredible benefits and a huge amount of paid time off. The job isn't easy but it can often be slow .
There are lot of jobs where you will eventually make six figures and you don't have to work 12 hours straight. It's often reported that nurses with seniority bully new nurses.
The three, 12 hour shifts seems to be a standard discussed on these threads and in real life talks. With either the associates, or the BSN, the pay and work hours are kind of hard to beat.
Better than the five, 12's I'm sometimes having to work and at the same time, trying to keep the "road rage" in check with my current job.
There are lot of jobs where you will eventually make six figures and you don't have to work 12 hours straight. It's often reported that nurses with seniority bully new nurses.
Again, what is the issue? If being a nurse seems too hard, don't become a nurse. Other people's choices are theirs to make. They don't need your approval or even your understanding. There will always be people who make choices you wouldn't make. That doesn't make them bad choices.
I agree that being a nurse is not just a ''job'', it is a profession. I will take it one step further and say it is a ''calling''.
Don't go in it for the money. Go in it because you possess compassion and want to make a difference in the lives of people.
I've spent many years in health care and worked alongside many nurses. Few go in it for the money and those who do usually wind up unhappy and frustrated.
Not to mention how their patients feel being the objects of their scorn and unhappiness.
I will always regret that I did not obtain the RN license. Been a CNA and found it very fulfilling when I was younger.
I'm a nurse recruiter; there are tons of options for nurses that aren't just acute (hospital) care-- there's case management (both in hospitals on the provider side and in managed care/insurance companies), long term care/SNFs (skilled nursing facilities), home care, school nursing, hospice, HEDIS, quality, risk, worker's comp, legal nurse consulting, etc-- some roles are office based, some are field based, still others can be done from home. Nursing can be done part time/per diem plus travel opportunities are available (pays $1500-ish/week and includes housing).
Nursing salaries can vary depending on location, but in most larger cities, nurses with 3-4 years of experience can make $85K-$90K and up, even with a two year degree (though it's highly advisable to get a 4 year degree or a BSN)-- I've placed managers and directors (in hospital settings and in managed care settings in the $150-$200K range and up). That said, some areas of the country pay less, but it's rare to see a nurse making less than $55-$60K in even midsized cities (for full time work)-- I don't work in small towns, so I can't speak to the pay scale out of cities. Additionally, most hospitals and insurance companies have extraordinarily generous benefit packages-- 4 weeks of PTO are the norm-- pensions still exist (not as prevalent as they once were, of course)-- I have numerous clients that have medical/dental that has ZERO premiums to the employee-- and a number have highly subsidized on campus child care.
It's challenging to land your first position out of school, but once a nurse has a few years of experience, there's tons of opportunity. NO, it's NOT easy work-- but as other posters have said it's a calling-- but to say it's not well paid would be incorrect, by all objective measures, it's well compensated.
I'm a nurse recruiter; there are tons of options for nurses that aren't just acute (hospital) care-- there's case management (both in hospitals on the provider side and in managed care/insurance companies), long term care/SNFs (skilled nursing facilities), home care, school nursing, hospice, HEDIS, quality, risk, worker's comp, legal nurse consulting, etc-- some roles are office based, some are field based, still others can be done from home. Nursing can be done part time/per diem plus travel opportunities are available (pays $1500-ish/week and includes housing).
Nursing salaries can vary depending on location, but in most larger cities, nurses with 3-4 years of experience can make $85K-$90K and up, even with a two year degree (though it's highly advisable to get a 4 year degree or a BSN)-- I've placed managers and directors (in hospital settings and in managed care settings in the $150-$200K range and up). That said, some areas of the country pay less, but it's rare to see a nurse making less than $55-$60K in even midsized cities (for full time work)-- I don't work in small towns, so I can't speak to the pay scale out of cities. Additionally, most hospitals and insurance companies have extraordinarily generous benefit packages-- 4 weeks of PTO are the norm-- pensions still exist (not as prevalent as they once were, of course)-- I have numerous clients that have medical/dental that has ZERO premiums to the employee-- and a number have highly subsidized on campus child care.
It's challenging to land your first position out of school, but once a nurse has a few years of experience, there's tons of opportunity. NO, it's NOT easy work-- but as other posters have said it's a calling-- but to say it's not well paid would be incorrect, by all objective measures, it's well compensated.
I think a lot of others jobs do pay better. Especially at 4 or more years experience. A lot of jobs offer things like telecommuting, too. I feel like the downsides out number the good sides.
Underpaid they are not. There are many other health care providers earning much less with similar educational requirements in terms of licensing and degrees. And there are people with graduate level degrees in certain fields that earn less too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PDaisy
I think a lot of others jobs do pay better. Especially at 4 or more years experience. A lot of jobs offer things like telecommuting, too. I feel like the downsides out number the good sides.
So then don't do it.
There are a lot of jobs that will not pay better. Period, end of story. Nurses have the ability to move upward and outward---so many different types of jobs in so many different places. If it was so awful, nursing programs wouldn't be flooded the way they are right now.
I am a BSN, RN and yes we are underpaid for sure. Northern California pays well California has good laws for nurses. Areas Like DC do not pay enough for the COL.
I think a lot of others jobs do pay better. Especially at 4 or more years experience. A lot of jobs offer things like telecommuting, too. I feel like the downsides out number the good sides.
A number of nursing roles (mostly case management) do offer telecommuting. I'm curious which jobs you know of that pay $80-$85K within a few years of graduating with an associates degree (or even a bachelors degree), because I can't think of many-- even most staff accountants and finance people aren't usually making over $80K a few years out.
That said, as others have said, if you think you have better options, then definitely do NOT become a nurse-- it's not an easy job and it's not one that you should get into for the money, but because you have a 'calling' for it.
Last edited by ellysbelly; 03-01-2016 at 06:18 PM..
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So then don't do it.
