nurses of today

I am a nurse, an RN with a BSN degree. Nurses do not make as much money as a school teacher, and you are always hearing that teachers are underpaid, well think about your nurses too. Nurses have a very stressful job, alot of the patients demand alot from the nurses as well as the docs, I worked in the operating room and worked 12+ hours per day and still could not make all my bills! In all honesty when I started nursing school it was because I thought nurses made good money but trust me they do not. I love being a nurse, but the constraints, demands, stress, and high levels of burnout from long hours and demands is draining. So my answer is they are probably entering nursing school to become nurses on the premise that nurses are paid well, until they graduate and land the first job, then they will see that nurses are very much underpaid. Especially in Tennessee, even when I was at Duke University they offered me a lower salary than what I started at as a new graduate, and at that time I had been a nurse for 10 years, so they were offering less than what I started out at 10 yrs prior. I commented on this, and their response was that everyone wants to work at Duke so they can pay less because of the demand by nurses to work for them. What a load of crap!

Well, i think its primarily because of the money and the demand worldwide. However- i don't think these people will actually take up nursing if they don't have that innert drive to serve and help others. It's like they do want both- to help and serve others and earn on the process of doing so. Everyone has got to make a living and what could be better in earning while helping others?

I for one believe that nursing students today are in it for the money. If not, usually they are taking up nursing because of the fact that their friends are taking it as well. Some students even take up nursing because their parents forced them to. I am one of those people forced into nursing and is now experiencing depression because of this. For more, please read my blog post titled reluctant nurses at http://allicanhandle.blogspot.com/2006/12/reluctant-nurses.html

I am a nurse, I went into it for both the money and ability to help people. I found the work satisfying and the money was okay, not great but okay. My daughter has gone into nursing for the same reasons. Again, she says she is finding the work satisfying and the money okay gut not great. She and I have often discussed this, and we both came to the conclusion that working for okay money at something you really like to do is better for the emotional balance than working for great money at a job that gives no personal satifaction..

I'm not a nurse and would never wish to be. Nursing is not a profession where you get paid lots of money. Ask any of the nurses you've ever met! I know several people who are studying to be nurses and a couple who already are, I earn practically twice as much as they do and they put in far more hours and have a way more stressful job than I do. Even people think doctors get paid a fortune - many of them do, but they don't walk into a job and earn lots of money - they have to work hard for years often putting in 60-70 hours a week, some even more than that. As far as I'm aware people who go into nursing study and stick at it because they have the right sort of personality to do it - a kind caring heart and lots of patience. I, for one, believe nurses deserve far more respect than they get and far better salaries :)

Speaking as a nurse for 14 years and a nurse practitioner for 7, you'd have to be a fool to go into nursing for the money. If you work enough overtime to have the money, you don't have time to spend it. Job security - sure. There will alway be an need for nurses, and you can work anywhere, but you will never be rich.

To be honest, its both. My husband went into nuirsing because of the money and the lack of lay-offs he had found in so many other occupations he had to endure. I, on the other hand, had a mother who was a nurse and I went into the field because I wanted to care for people like her. Money was good, too.

i could say that since our batch (2006) or earlier (2005), most of those nurses entered this profession because of the demand... and we cant blame them (or us) coz nowadays its really hard to get a job so they'd go to something that will give them a sure job... but take note that only those who are willing and has loved the profession would be able to finish the course, pass the board exam and actually become a nurse....

They wanted to earn more of course, taking the nursing course alone is motivated by the future of being to earn more and being able to go abroad and earn dolalrs.

I went into nursing for the job security after a divorce. I quickly found out it was all in the world I wanted to do. I personally think you cannot stay in it for any length of time without a desire to help people. It would drive you nuts. So I think there is a two fold answer to this, you get into it with the security and money thought but you stay because you love it. And as an LVN (LPN) I did triple my income potential in about a year. Not that I am balling or anything. Not that we are paid anywhere near what we are worth in most cases. But I know I will have a job to support my kids and one that will keep us fed and the bills paid.

I am astudent and my major is nurse.I like nursing not only for the money but also it can make me feel I am a worthy human.I can help others and many people need me,that let me be happy.of course,I like money too.But I don't think they are inconsistent.