What's to complain about?

12 Another I regret my decision to go into nursing thread. It's grown on me and I am very satisfied by what I do. However, it does not provide enough income for me to take care of my family. Not to even mention the horrible benefits that most places offer now.

I was having a discussion with a co-worker the other day and she was complaining that her husband had to install fire suppression sprinklers all weekend. However, she loved that he was making time and half for the job and shouldn't complain too much about it. Since she opened the door wide open, me, "so, if you don't mind me asking, what's time and half?" Her response, "well, he only clears $84 an hour after they take out for his retirement and benefits." As I stare blankly at her in disbelief, her response, "but he works really hard and it's an important job." Additional details, no formal education beyond high school for the job, but he did go through an apprentice program for two years. He's in a union and averages about $60 - 75 an hour, depending on the job.

The belief that what we do is somehow less important than installing sprinklers is a major reason why nursing is in its present state. Not only does my co-worker, a nurse, believe that it is justified, but society is saying that this skill is more valuable than caring for our sick people. This sentiment is rampant on AN as well and will be defended with snarky comments like, "don't let the door hit you on the way out."

It's too bad and obviously not going to change in the near future. With nursing being overwhelmingly female, a major contributing factor is that women do not know their worth. New studies indicate that most people are happy with earning between $70k and $80k. More than this doesn't necessarily make you any happier and less doesn't allow you to be your happiest.

Yes, I do make slightly more than the "happy" range with minimal overtime. Yes, I am very confident that I can install sprinklers and my co-worker stated that her husband "doesn't have the book smarts to do anything else." Meaning he could not do our job, but I'm confident that the vast majority of nurses could install sprinklers. She mentioned that she was concerned that he's getting older and it's getting more difficult for him to climb around in the ceiling. I'm relatively young and can not imagine being able to do all that's required as a bedside nurse when I'm in my later 40s or older.

I have many immediate and extended family members who are nurses and live all over the U.S. and are in many different specialties and settings. Most of them have been in nursing for over 10 years and they more or less echo my feelings. They also did their best to dissuade me from pursing nursing as a career. Wish I would have paid more attention to them and took their advice. Last edit by Pitt2Philly on May 1
I agree 100%. Yes, you should have taken their "ADVICE."

Quote from mclennanI agree 100%. Yes, you should have taken their "ADVICE."

Nursing is great, I make good money and enjoy my nursing career, in fact it is extremely satisfying. I have great bosses and loyal coworkers. Wanna come work with us? You will need to be positive, hard working, team oriented and customer focused.

I'm reminded of a rather heated thread from a while back where nurses where complaining about UPS drivers making more per hour than RNs. I'm sorry, but it all seems like a bunch of sour grapes to me.If this nurse's husband has found a skilled trade where he makes $84/hr, then more power to him. And installing sprinkler systems is likely not so easy as you seem to think. I doubt very much that it is something that a "vast majority" of nurses could do. It's a very specific task that requires very specific knowledge of engineering, architecture, building codes and government regulations. Possessing a specific area of expertise is why he is paid so much. It has nothing to do with who "society values more".And, personally, I do find fire safety fairly important.Oh, and the word "union" was key here, too.

Brandon, I'm not taking anything away from what he does and don't believe that he should necessarily make less than nurses. It is meant to be an illustration on how much value society and employers place on our skills, education, and knowledge. I'll sound like a broken record, but I believe the primary reason for this is that one occupation is male dominated and the other is female dominated. The irony, women in nursing will resist and defend the status quo the most aggressively. The mere mention of it will instantly offend and I'll be labeled as being misogynistic. I genuinely want to advocate for bettering the field and would love to see positive changes. Not only for selfish reasons, but it's what we are supposed to do for our patients. I've done plenty of construction and trust me it's not that difficult. He doesn't necessarily need to know anymore than how to read a blueprint, measure, solder, cut and form pipes, turn a wrench, and climb a ladder. Most union trade jobs in the Philadelphia area pay more than nursing. Yes, I'm jealous and disappointed.

What is his sustained annual income?

Quote from Pitt2PhillyAnother I regret my decision to go into nursing thread. It's grown on me and I am very satisfied by what I do. However, it does not provide enough income for me to take care of my family. Not to even mention the horrible benefits that most places offer now. I was having a discussion with a co-worker the other day and she was complaining that her husband had to install fire suppression sprinklers all weekend. However, she loved that he was making time and half for the job and shouldn't complain too much about it. Since she opened the door wide open, me, "so, if you don't mind me asking, what's time and half?" Her response, "well, he only clears $84 an hour after they take out for his retirement and benefits." As I stare blankly at her in disbelief, her response, "but he works really hard and it's an important job." Additional details, no formal education beyond high school for the job, but he did go through an apprentice program for two years. He's in a union and averages about $60 - 75 an hour, depending on the job. The belief that what we do is somehow less important than installing sprinklers is a major reason why nursing is in its present state. Not only does my co-worker, a nurse, believe that it is justified, but society is saying that this skill is more valuable than caring for our sick people. This sentiment is rampant on AN as well and will be defended with snarky comments like, "don't let the door hit you on the way out." It's too bad and obviously not going to change in the near future. With nursing being overwhelmingly female, a major contributing factor is that women do not know their worth. New studies indicate that most people are happy with earning between $70k and $80k. More than this doesn't necessarily make you any happier and less doesn't allow you to be your happiest. Yes, I do make slightly more than the "happy" range with minimal overtime. Yes, I am very confident that I can install sprinklers and my co-worker stated that her husband "doesn't have the book smarts to do anything else." Meaning he could not do our job, but I'm confident that the vast majority of nurses could install sprinklers. She mentioned that she was concerned that he's getting older and it's getting more difficult for him to climb around in the ceiling. I'm relatively young and can not imagine being able to do all that's required as a bedside nurse when I'm in my later 40s or older. I have many immediate and extended family members who are nurses and live all over the U.S. and are in many different specialties and settings. Most of them have been in nursing for over 10 years and they more or less echo my feelings. They also did their best to dissuade me from pursing nursing as a career. Wish I would have paid more attention to them and took their advice.

Quote from Libby1987What is his sustained annual income?

Safety Coach RN, BSN, RNIt's not that I necessarily value money over job satisfaction and it's not the primary motivator in my life. I am disappointed that we are not valued more for what we do. For better or worse, the best indication of our value to society is how much we our paid. It's very difficult to provide for my family as the single income earner. I believe part of nursing salaries being relatively low to what we do is due to the stereotypical assumptions made by administration that most women are the second income earners in the household.

I'm relatively young and can not imagine being able to do all that's required as a bedside nurse when I'm in my later 40s or older.

I don't get why some Nurses are always comparing pay to other industries, if you like that job, please go for it, I came from a male dominated industry that placed my life and limbs in harm's way everyday and yet most of my co workers earn less than than RNs working 50 -60 hours a week . Maybe they should complain . If you want to be a fire sprinkle installer go for it, why go online and whine ? waiting for CNAs to demand $80 an hour just because they have a bachelor's degree

I think you're making a blanket statement about college education and/or people's medical care being a bigger accomplishment and more valuable than a non college degree skill. Why take on the guys in the trades, surely there are much bigger earners to be resentful about. At least the sprinkler installer is getting his butt OOB and working hard for a living. He could be a talking head, entertainer or athlete earning obscene amounts of money instead of $84/hr. I know you said that you have all kinds of construction and it's easy for you but I just don't buy it, I have been married into construction, it takes a certain type of intelligence, knowledge, skill, experience and hard work to be competent and successful. It's earned money. Now why you cannot support your family boggles me. Did you put in some years and then have kids, or have kids before graduating? That can make a difference. You can make 100K and find a newer 3 BD in a safe neighborhood for $1,200-1,500/month in my area, who couldn't raise a family on that? Marry another nurse, make 200K with full benefits and get along just fine.None of which has anything to do with nursing work conditions, that's a separate issue than wages, there is no commensurate compensation for unsafe working conditions.