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My wife's been a nurse for about 30 years. I've known a lot of nurses and not a one who went into it for the money.
Thank God there are people who are willing to become nurses, teachers and lots of other jobs that might pay well but certainly not what the time, effort and love these wonderful people give to us is worth!
Tony Stark, just a comment. I am noticing that you are fixated on the salary aspect and not looking at the what the actual learning path and job actually entail (people) to see if it appears to be a fit for you.
As I said before, I have a relative who is a nurse and she is actually the one encouraging me to do this. I need to sit and talk with her at length about every little detail, but from what she has told me it is a good paying stable job with a lot of potential for growth. Each of us has a different opinion of what good paying means, but to me anything above $50k at my age is a good start. I wouldn't do this job for $8 an hour. I'm sorry but that's just the honest truth. I'd love to help people but if that means not being able to afford to live and put food on the table no job is worth that. I'm not going to spend money and time to go back to college if I'm not going to make more money than I am now, it makes no sense. Money is not everything, but having a drive to be successful usually means more money comes along the way whether you want it or not. I'm a very frugal person by nature, so a lot of the money would just be going towards retirement anyways.
All I have heard so far is that being a nurse is extremely hard, and not worth it by the sound of some peoples cases. My relative has the exact opposite opinion. While she doesn't think its easy, her opinion is that you could be doing a lot worse jobs and making a lot less money for your time. I can't imagine anything worse than doing construction 100 hours a week with no days off. If I can do that I feel like I can do anything. She said once you get the hang of things it's pretty smooth sailing. Also, maybe it is just because there aren't as many male nurses as females, but every male nurse I've talked to absolutely loves their job, and doesn't think it is as bad as some of the things I'm reading here.
It is also possible to work 2 16 hour days on the weekend (usually 7a-11pm) and then be off the entire week and be considered full time.
That sounds good on paper, but if so many nurses are exhausted after 12 hours, I can't imagine how they feel after 16 hours. Making a mistake can mean they'll lose their license or worse.
Money is a very important part of our daily lives. Who doesn't care about money? Trust fund babies or people who have no responsibilities or a care in the world. I have a few nurses in my family, and I still made sure to shadow them to ensure this was the route I wanted to take.
For all the blood, sweat and tears nurses shed- they should be paid accordingly. Hopefully in the future they/we can figure out how to increase it a bit, so it can match their knowledge and job responsibilities.
I can't say for sure, but if I am lucky enough to get my RN license, after I gain some experience- I may high tail it out west to the land of milk and honey. Not just for the pay (if that was the case I would have went to my hometown NYC), but for the nursing ratios. I hope some other states will follow suit behind California to make being and working in a hospital safer for everyone.
Here's another question. How are male nurses treated in the workforce? In the past I know male nurses were considered gay or made fun of for their profession. Anyone ever see Meet the Parents? Honestly, when I heard "nurse" I always think of women. What if men were called "patient assistants" or something like that? Might break the stigma but I doubt that would ever happen. Last I checked male nurses made up about 10% of the population. I don't mean to offend any of you with what I'm about to say. Do you think male nurses generally have an easier time dealing with this job, because we as a whole are not as emotional and hormonal as women. We are also generally bigger and stronger, and can better handle unruly patients or having to move people around. Also is there reverse discrimination because men are so outnumbered? Do men get better opportunities to be promoted because of that? I posed this same question at a fitness forum I visit, where 99% of the posters were male. I found about 10 male nurses and they all said they liked their job, and that there was nothing too physically or emotionally demanding about the job. Some even went so far as to say its easy.
Here are just a few of the examples..
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PROs:
good job.
consistent demand.
room for specialization and good money to be made especially if you get in at an ER.
career growth opportunity in management or by becoming a nurse practitioner
shift work means flexible scheduling in a lot of cases
usually overtime is available
what's not to like? There is a nurse at our local ER who is referred to as the bodybuilder nurse. He's a beast and is so anomalous that everyone who has been through the ER knows exactly who you are talking about when it comes up.
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Just be prepared to work your ASS off. Since you have a BS already you shouldn't have any problems but a LOT of people I know failed out of the sciences courses that you are required to take. The GPA average of the last cohort at state was 3.6 (natural sciences). Pretty much a C in any class is a huge step back, a B is bad and an A is average. You have to keep an insane GPA while taking an average of 16-17 units a semester. I'm going for my BSN also and I currently have a 3.6. No job is recession proof per se but RN's are one of the best jobs out there for stability and options. I have two aunts who are RN's, one is a head nurse in MD and a regular RN in CA. They make BANK. My aunt in Cali made over 100k last year but she works a lot of overtime. It's definetly a smart career choice.
There are always the ignorant ****s who look down on nurses because they think they are too stupid to become Doctors. We take a lot of the same classes pre-med students take and our schools are just as, if not more competitive. I didn't want to be a Doctor because I wanted a LIFE. I didn't want to be working 60+ hours a week. I don't want to get paid complete **** while working my ass off during my internship and residency. I don't want to be on call while I'm spending time with my family and have to leave at the drop of a dime. Nursing imo is a much better career choice. Less time in school, less responsibility and accountability, being able to work any specialty, etc. Wtf are you going to do if you are in your 30's as an ER doctor and you realize you want to switch specialties? You have to go through so many steps, but as a nurse you can move anywhere you want with little hassle.
Nursing is probably the best job out there when you factor in the time in school/benefits/wage/options(you can even get into management positions with a BSN).
The only bad part is that only 3-5% of RN's are guys so you WILL be out numbered BUT I hear they are far more likely to promote men in nursing over women because they believe that it's easier for a guy to take control of certain situations(came straight from my aunt's mouth). Throughout school mostly 80-90% of my classmates are women. It's great when it's great but it sucks when it sucks. You get used to the smell of estrogen in the air and you tend to get sick of all the airy superficial talk after a while.
If you're 100% serious about getting a BSN then sign up at allnurses.com and figure out what you have to do. It will save you a LOT of time.
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Ive been a nurse for 2 years and I have never wiped anyones ass. You got CNAs for that. I am at about $55k a year right now with no over time.
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Go for it, bro. You should look into a Nurse Anesthetist too. Obviously, it's a better paying job than an RN, but it takes more work. I'd love to have done that.
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i don't see anything wrong with it, my cousin (male) got his RN certification. His sister/mom are both nurses too (x-ray tech). They all make very good money. What kind of certification you gonna get? My cousin that got the x-ray tech certification started at like $30/hr at a small town hospital....pretty damn good IMO
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My moms a nurse. I went to her job a few times. There were about 4 other guy nurses. Only 1 was gay. But who cares what people think. If thats what you want to do, then go for it. Also theres alot of hot girls that are nurses.
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I had considered nursing when I was working as a medic before I got hired as a firefighter. Besides the social stigma of male nurses being gay, there are a lot of advantages. Good salary and benefits, you are surrounded by women (medical professions attract a lot of hot chicks), and there is a reverse discrimination against male nurses; managers like to hire male nurses and often have an easier time moving into different areas like research, management, or emergency nursing depending on your interests.
If you are serious, it would be a great move.
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nursing is extremely stressful if you choose to go into a hospital setting. what about becoming a physicians assistant instead? they get paid ~70k starting and make 80k on average, plus i think you only need to go to school for 2 yrs.
It would be a great idea to start out in the ER to gain expirence.
This may help some, its just a basic outline.
CNA is a Certified Nursing Assistant. You do the grunt work and you are not a nurse.
LPN (aka LVN in Ca and Tx.) is a Licensed Practical Nurse. Education for this takes lesstime, but you're not paid as well, and your scope of practice is very limited compared to that of an RN.
ASN or ADN: This is an RN (Registered nurse) with an associate's degree. It takes 2-3 years to complete. You make good money when you are finished and you have direct patient care in hospital and doctor's office settings.
BSN: This is an RN with a bachelor's degree. With this degree, you can get into more advanced nursing and go into management.
If i were you i wouldnt settle for less then becoming a RN. It takes longer, but there is a much higher need for RN's as well as flexibility in what field you would like to work in. Also RN pay is much higher than that of CNA's and LVN's
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I am in my third year of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. So far, I'm enjoying it a lot. Male nurses are in high demand for physical strength and for communication with male clients who may be uncomfortable discussing sensitive issues with female nurses.
Yes, the money is great, and job availiability is astronomical.
Being in a classroom with 40 coeds isn't so bad, either http://forum.bodybuilding.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif (broken link)
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ive honestly entertained the idea of becoming a male nurse. i make pretty good money right now but the job security isnt there in any manufacturing enviroment anymore.
2 years of school and then you have secure income for the rest of your life, ability to make your own shifts, ability to pick up over time or another job if you want more money. cant beat that at all.
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My sister is a nurse and she works every holiday she can because she makes DOUBLE time and a half.
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go for it, man! even though the job can be stressful, the sense of being able to help others in a personal way makes for powerful motivation, and it's a job where good results can be life-changing, for you and for the people you're working with. I've got many male friends who are nurses, and they love their jobs.....
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Nothing wrong with being a male nurse at all (murse). I think it's just as equal whether it be a male or female. Good money, good security, lot of hot nurses you can hit up on break, great benefits, knowledge, practical for family, etc. If you're going to be a nurse, go all the way for RN status. good luck, bud.
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You will have a job no matter where you want to move, it will pay pretty good, and there's room for advancement. It's a really good deal if you could deal with the hospital politics.
I've worked as a tech on a psych ward for the past 4 years to make cash for college, the nurses literally don't do anything the entire time and make like $20-30 bucks an hour while we harass the patients. I don't know about you guys, but I think that's good money for a 2 year degree and no experience.
I wouldn't do it because I think it's a little on the boring side, but that's just me.
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If you work 12 hour shifts that is only 1/2 a years worth of work and less if you take vacation time. http://forum.bodybuilding.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif (broken link)
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That is true for MOST careers and what you said is not entirely true. You can go for further education let's say CRNA (Certified Nurse Anesthesiologist) and make ~$150K. Nursing FTW!!
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Im in Nursing school, its not a gay profession at all. I mean, I'll only have 2 years of school and come out making $30/hr as an RN. Not too bad imo, and its not a hard job. Pretty interesting and rewarding at the same time. I like it so far, Ill have my LPN in like 4 months and then 3 quarters of school and I have my RN. Its great, work 3-4 days a week working 10-12 hour shifts. My kind of life having plenty of free time and enjoying my job, plus if I hate where I work or where I am(ie...ER, cardiac, etc) I can move around and find what I like and want to do....Way too many options for me to pass up.
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I really enjoy it. I work ER, ICU and Cardiac Cath. Lab. Depending on were you live will depend on how much quid you bank. Along with how much overtime you want to work. Avg. hourly pay in Houston, Tx. is about $22/hr for new grads and well over $40/hr for experienced rn's. My current salary is $75K without overtime. That is 36hrs one week and 48 hours the next. With agency and overtime pay I will easily clear $100K this year. This is just hosptal pay. If you work for an agency then you can really bring the quid home. The real key to it is finding something you really enjoy doing and doing it. Most people who *****/whine about their jobs are the ones who are not happy with what they do. Here is a list of some benefits to being a RN.
1. Only work half the year. That is if I do not take PTO (Paid time off) and I get 21 days of PTO per year. That is just starting at a new hospital and you can roll your PTO over every year.
2. Never have to go see a doctor. The ones I work for cover all my script needs when ill. Not to mention all of my families too.
3. Can take 1 wk off without having to touch PTO time.
4. I really enjoy working with critical patients.
Only drawback I see is I have to work everyother weekend.
No offense either, but if you read my post, I said my BASE pay was about 24 dollars/hr for 6 years experience. The 30-37 bucks comes because I have no life on the weekend (and that is only because I have to work EVERY weekend) ...And that is for five years of education (which I am still paying for), and continuing education every year. I also pay for my own malpractice insurance, in case, God forbid I make a mistake... I am human too.... and if one thinks that knowledge keeps us from making mistakes, one would be VERY wrong... I don't hate my job, I actually love it, but when people say the pay is "great", I beg to differ. If I had invested five years and all that money in another profession, I would have been paid a lot more in the last 6 years than I have been, and would not have had to work as hard. A nurse is a nurse because they want to be, not because it is 'easy' or because it 'pays well'. For most people, cleaning someone's stinky fecal matter draining off the bed isn't worth any amount of money....
Previous experience as an RN doesn't really count. Most NP programs require a minimum of 3 years of RN experience for admission. There are, however, programs for people with degrees in other fields...these are usually 3 years full time, you get your RN during the program and progress to an MSN. Starting salaries in the Triangle area are in the low 60s (no NP experience) and usually max out at around 100-103K. I was pretty surprised at this because, as mentioned earlier, my husband took a significant pay cut here as an RN but I am actually making more. Both Duke and UNC utilize a lot of mid-level providers.
Just another perspective. My wife got into UNC's program which is ranked up high after just one year as an RN. I don't know any of her friends that started under 70k out of school. One is making 85k right out of school. This is salary. If you bill it could be higher.
Just another perspective. My wife got into UNC's program which is ranked up high after just one year as an RN. I don't know any of her friends that started under 70k out of school. One is making 85k right out of school. This is salary. If you bill it could be higher.
So I guess there is a wide range of salary.
Your wife's friends are NPs? If so, that above 70k sounds like what my friend had mentioned to me. Then again payscale.com says what LJD typed in his/her previous post about starting NP salaries. Mind you, I'm not going into nursing but was curious about what my friend was telling about salaries for NPs.
Your wife's friends are NPs? If so, that above 70k sounds like what my friend had mentioned to me. Then again payscale.com says what LJD typed in his/her previous post about starting NP salaries. Mind you, I'm not going into nursing but was curious about what my friend was telling about salaries for NPs.
Yes, psych NPs. I was referring to my wife and her friends from grad school. I'm sure what the previous poster said isn't wrong either. When you are talking about individual private practices, salaries are probably going to vary a lot. One of her friends was offered 85k and another was offered 65k. The one offered 65k asked for 75k and got it. 20k is a pretty big difference in initial offers.
North Carolinas average family income is even lower than the national average at $44,670
TraumanurseNC, who says her pay sucks, is making almost twice that. You've got to be clearing close to 5 grand a month after taxes working only 3 days a week.
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Honestly, when I heard "nurse" I always think of women. What if men were called "patient assistants" or something like that? Might break the stigma but I doubt that would ever happen. Last I checked male nurses made up about 10% of the population. I don't mean to offend any of you with what I'm about to say. Do you think male nurses generally have an easier time dealing with this job, because we as a whole are not as emotional and hormonal as women. We are also generally bigger and stronger, and can better handle unruly patients or having to move people around. Also is there reverse discrimination because men are so outnumbered? Do men get better opportunities to be promoted because of that? I posed this same question at a fitness forum I visit, where 99% of the posters were male. I found about 10 male nurses and they all said they liked their job, and that there was nothing too physically or emotionally demanding about the job. Some even went so far as to say its easy.
