How the hell does anyone make money? (especially in NJ)

[Slyder190]

Lots to say in response to everyone. Trinity, I have heard the same as far too many patients to care for. I have heard that from LPNs though, not so much RNs. My brother is an LPN and was looking to leave his job because the LPNs got stacked with so many patients he was actually afraid of losing his license if anything went wrong with all the patients they had to care for. My xgf was an LPN as well and would say the same thing, and everyone feared getting fired if they tried to report anything to the state. She loved it but after twice being laid off and the patient load, she finally had enough and is going to cosmotolgy school now. never ever hard of a signing bonus for nurses. NJ is flooded with nursing students on waiting list because of what I understand to be a lack of teachers.

Heavydeads...Trinatas or RWJ I am guessing? those are the two names I have heard as far as good hospitals. Trinitas school of nursing is much harder than other schools I hear. They require a 75 as compared to a 70 for passing but also hear they have a 97% graduate or hiring rate. can't remember which. Nursed in NJ seem to do ok. Start out with good money to jump up too much over time is my understanding. Also they want BSNs now and not ASNs unless you sign a contract saying you will continue to get your BSN.

I am hoping being a male will give me an advantage at hiring. I hear mixed feedback about this.

I really wish I could go back for finance, but going part time it would take forever and I would have to start from scratch. I wish now me could go back and slap young me like you have no idea. Wasted time, wasted talent. I lacked desire when I was young. I liked the easy route for things. Not to say I didn't work hard fro the grades I got and pay my own way while working full time but should have sucked it up and chosen a harder field of study and researched more.

Great discussion here fellas. Hopefully we can keep it going and get more input.

 

[Ruger72]

Engineering Manager
Trade school degree-aviation maintenance 100k+per yr
2 rental properties, 20k per yr
1 wife, 40k per yr

It's not too late to climb in a company, especially manufacturing foods and such.
I know, it's easy for some 6 figure fuck to type out tough statements while he has a full gut and yours is growling.

Live cheap, never buy retail if you don't have to. Most 100k+ guys don't save shit every month, barbed wire tats and Botox for the wife cost money.
Daily coffee from the gas station adds up, make it at home. Chrome doesn't get you home, you don't need a 400 a month car payment.
If you don't have a live in woman, (optional) get one that carries her weight cash wise. Marriage is awesome at this age, unless there are bigger underlying issues. Also, get the hell out of there if you can, find a state that will work your ass off with decent overtime. I saw a food manufacturing company hire a nurse for the HR safety team, that nurse ended up being the HR manager at 130k/yr.
Texas has the jobs, cheap houses, low cost of living and demand keeps going up. The recession hardly hit us.
If you find a damn good recruiter s/he will shop your resume around, but they always ask if you will travel for a job. Would you move to a job rich environment if it got you an extra 20-40k/yr in a few years?

Your health... I fucked up on that one and am still repairing the damage. Things are looking up. I currently cycle Trest, DesOxyT,and TRT 1/2 yr, run some noopept, potent vitamins, and eat on a carb backload diet. It makes me sharp, I actually owe this protocol for @ 20k of my salary. You don't sound depressed, but I am hearing anxiety.

FYI...I screwed the pooch on every one of these as a younger man, and still turned it around.

 

[heavydeadlifts]

Lots to say in response to everyone. Trinity, I have heard the same as far too many patients to care for. I have heard that from LPNs though, not so much RNs. My brother is an LPN and was looking to leave his job because the LPNs got stacked with so many patients he was actually afraid of losing his license if anything went wrong with all the patients they had to care for. My xgf was an LPN as well and would say the same thing, and everyone feared getting fired if they tried to report anything to the state. She loved it but after twice being laid off and the patient load, she finally had enough and is going to cosmotolgy school now. never ever hard of a signing bonus for nurses. NJ is flooded with nursing students on waiting list because of what I understand to be a lack of teachers.



Heavydeads...Trinatas or RWJ I am guessing? those are the two names I have heard as far as good hospitals. Trinitas school of nursing is much harder than other schools I hear. They require a 75 as compared to a 70 for passing but also hear they have a 97% graduate or hiring rate. can't remember which. Nursed in NJ seem to do ok. Start out with good money to jump up too much over time is my understanding. Also they want BSNs now and not ASNs unless you sign a contract saying you will continue to get your BSN.



I am hoping being a male will give me an advantage at hiring. I hear mixed feedback about this.



I really wish I could go back for finance, but going part time it would take forever and I would have to start from scratch. I wish now me could go back and slap young me like you have no idea. Wasted time, wasted talent. I lacked desire when I was young. I liked the easy route for things. Not to say I didn't work hard fro the grades I got and pay my own way while working full time but should have sucked it up and chosen a harder field of study and researched more.



Great discussion here fellas. Hopefully we can keep it going and get more input.

Nope I'm not in NJ but another state on east coast. Get a BSN! Associates degrees are beginning to be phased out, and LPN will some be a useless license because no respectable hospital will hire one. If you get a job at a magnet hospital they will require you to get your BSN to stay employed. My hospital will make a simple RN sign a contract that they will get their BSN in 3 years or they will be terminated.

Also, go straight into an ICU out of school if you can. Once you have solid ICU experience you will be able to work anywhere and get into a NP or Anesthetist program quickly (but only if your undergrad GPA is high enough). ER experience doesn't count.

 

[richiec]

Slyder, I have noticed something in my short time on this earth: people constantly complain about their workload! My mother-in-law is a teacher, gets paid for 12 months of work and actually works 7-8 months with all if the vacation days, 1/2 days, "teacher work days" etc.
Despite being paid for a full years work and not working anywhere close to that, she constantly complains about how much she works lol. Same with every other teacher I talk to. My dad's fiancé is an RN and loves her job. She does home health too. Worked in the hospitals but prefera home health care. She in contracted by the hospital though, got a $15k signing bonus!
I'm in Florida, we have one of the oldest populations in the country, next to Arizona. I have never heard a nurse complain about their workload here, ever. I have been in the hospital numerous times and talked to nurses about their jobs, all have enjoyed it. The people that you've said complained about their workload, did they work or the VA? Are they the type of people who want to do half the work for twice the pay (like the people at McDonalds who want $15/hr)?
Those are the only types of people I can think of who would complain about their workload:
VA worker as they're notoriously understaffed (gvt employees in general complain about how much work they do lol)
Lazy/entitled worker - want to work very little and get paid a lot

 

[CaliRobK]

I am a fitness manager for a chain of rapidly growing gyms in southern California. I started with this paticular company as a trainer because they didn't make the trainers sell. However, like you, I found that training does not pay the bills. I was given the opportunity to move into the sales/management side of the business and reluctantly accepted. I didn't think sales would be my thing. By the time I saw my first paycheck my mind had drastically changed. I now love what I do and make a decent living doing it.

You can't be afraid to take a risk. Keep a positive attitude, work hard, don't screw people over and things work out. At least they always have in my experience.

 

[Slyder190]

Slyder, I have noticed something in my short time on this earth: people constantly complain about their workload! My mother-in-law is a teacher, gets paid for 12 months of work and actually works 7-8 months with all if the vacation days, 1/2 days, "teacher work days" etc.
Despite being paid for a full years work and not working anywhere close to that, she constantly complains about how much she works lol. Same with every other teacher I talk to. My dad's fiancé is an RN and loves her job. She does home health too. Worked in the hospitals but prefera home health care. She in contracted by the hospital though, got a $15k signing bonus!
I'm in Florida, we have one of the oldest populations in the country, next to Arizona. I have never heard a nurse complain about their workload here, ever. I have been in the hospital numerous times and talked to nurses about their jobs, all have enjoyed it. The people that you've said complained about their workload, did they work or the VA? Are they the type of people who want to do half the work for twice the pay (like the people at McDonalds who want $15/hr)?
Those are the only types of people I can think of who would complain about their workload:
VA worker as they're notoriously understaffed (gvt employees in general complain about how much work they do lol)
Lazy/entitled worker - want to work very little and get paid a lot

Long term care facilities have bad reps in NJ from those that I know. That is where the workload complaints come from.

 

[richiec]

Long term care facilities have bad reps in NJ from those that I know. That is where the workload complaints come from.

Ok gotcha, hospitals down in Florida aren't like that and neither are ALF's or nursing homes

 

[Slyder190]

Heavydeads, I plan on getting my BSN, if I'm lucky hopefully I can find a job to cover part if not all of it Supposedly I am a good gamble because I have one BA already, and therefore a lot of credits already banged out.

 

[Slyder190]

Ruger, I may check out that field for shits and giggles, thank you.

 

[Ruger72]

Good luck. Manufacturing often only cares that you have a degree, even if it has nothing to do with manufacturing. That is if you are not married to the idea of being a nurse. An HR or IT certificate on top of it could help. Some guy mentioned sales, I hate the idea of that, but he's right, sales people can make bank.

 

[TrinityD]

What you have heard is a ridiculous rumor, I am a RN on the east coast in a Cardiac surgery ICU at a level 1 trauma center teaching hospital that has been awarded magnet status and has the most beacon award winning units in the country

I usually have a 1:1 ratio and rarely have 2 patients, as all of them are very critical. Our step down units and general floor units will never assign more than 4-5 patients that require the "simplest" care to one RN

I have also worked in a smaller community hospital in an ICU and have never heard of, and have never seen what you described

In a little under a year I will finish my FNP program and will have it "made" practicing at my hospital and telling residents and fellows what to do all day

Wow if this is true, I am relieved to say the least.
I have had a lot of professors and RN I met here that moved from the east coast. They all complained about the same thing! I'm not pulling this out of my ass LOL. They all said they sometimes had to take care of anywhere from 8-16+ patients in the ICU!!!

It makes sense that your particular job would only have a 1:1,1:2 ratio.

I guess times have changed? Or they all just had terrible luck? Lol I'm really glad to hear this though. A lot of us here are under the impression that you'll get an MI while working in the MI unit down there lmao

 

[heavydeadlifts]

Wow if this is true, I am relieved to say the least.

I have had a lot of professors and RN I met here that moved from the east coast. They all complained about the same thing! I'm not pulling this out of my ass LOL. They all said they sometimes had to take care of anywhere from 8-16+ patients in the ICU!!!



It makes sense that your particular job would only have a 1:1,1:2 ratio.



I guess times have changed? Or they all just had terrible luck? Lol I'm really glad to hear this though. A lot of us here are under the impression that you'll get an MI while working in the MI unit down there lmao

I would seriously doubt the legitimacy of any professor or professional who would state anything near what you have described..,,it makes you sound very uneducated as well by regurgitating such information

 

[TrinityD]

Um, I wouldn't say the nursing director of one of the top nursing schools in California (who happened to be my pathopharm instructor at the time) is making stuff up. She worked in the ICU for many years. How long have you been working as an RN in the east coast. Maybe things were different 5,10,15,20 years ago.

I don't care if I sound uneducated. I literally couldn't give a damn. All I care about is saving people's lives in my clinic and getting my paycheck to support my family. Reputation doesn't mean jack to me unless it affects either of those things

 

[lumpy12]

Lifes short man. I worked in the bar industry as well in my early 20s. You can make a bunch of money in those places but the jobs are short lived. No one wants a 40 year old guy working the bar in a hip 20s night club.

In my opinion success is based on networking and who you are influenced with.

I am now a construction manager in a rare industry that many dont even think about or knows exists. I got where I am by networking and searching. I have a GED and completed 1 semester of JUCO. Eventually finding myself working in aircraft, then starting a lawn business, and eventually dropping everything and moving my family to take a chance as a construction manager. All of which I owe to knowing the right people and surrounding myself with good friends. Now, my goal is to start building spec homes in the next 5 years and hopefully retire by 50.

Dont give up man. If nursing is what you want to do, you need to surround yourself with people that support it or in some way involved in the field your trying to aquire. This is key to having those door ways open for you for easier access into the profession.

 

[Pharm_Fed]

I'm currently in the process of enrolling to go back to school for nursing to get my BSN and then will pursue a CRNA. I have talked to several nurses and have yet to find one that said they don't like their job. They have all said how fulfilling it is and encouraged me to go for it. Quite a change from my current job as a mechanic because I guarantee if you asked the 25 other guys in my shop, 23/25 would tell you not to enter the automotive field...myself included.

 

[ThinkTank]

I have considered nursing as well, however it is completely foreign to my current field (IT drone).

I have also seriously considered a CCIE track. The amount of effort to attain is great and I am not sure the rewards are worth it. It would be an approximate 30% increase in pay, however I am lucky to have a job where I work from home (even if I loathe both the work and company) and that in itself is worth something to me/

I think I am having a mid-life crisis

 

[TrinityD]

I'm currently in the process of enrolling to go back to school for nursing to get my BSN and then will pursue a CRNA. I have talked to several nurses and have yet to find one that said they don't like their job. They have all said how fulfilling it is and encouraged me to go for it. Quite a change from my current job as a mechanic because I guarantee if you asked the 25 other guys in my shop, 23/25 would tell you not to enter the automotive field...myself included.

One of the best decisions you will ever make.
However, I will be the first nurse to tell you that I don't like my job.
I could never survive being an RN for the rest of my life. I will say that CV-ICU is definetly the "best" RN position for me though. I couldn't work anywhere else without going crazy.I know I will like being a CRNA though which is why I'm going into my master's program. Any particular reason you want to become a CRNA?

PS, I'm only working in the ICU because you're forced to do 1-2 years in the ER or ICU after you gradate as an RN before you can become a CRNA.
I'm sure you will really enjoy being a CRNA. Not sure if you will like being an RN.

You're right though...
Almost every single RN I know loves their job
I guess I'm the odd duck

 

[Pharm_Fed]

One of the best decisions you will ever make.
However, I will be the first nurse to tell you that I don't like my job.
I could never survive being an RN for the rest of my life. I will say that CV-ICU is definetly the "best" RN position for me though. I couldn't work anywhere else without going crazy.I know I will like being a CRNA though which is why I'm going into my master's program. Any particular reason you want to become a CRNA?

PS, I'm only working in the ICU because you're forced to do 1-2 years in the ER or ICU after you gradate as an RN before you can become a CRNA.
I'm sure you will really enjoy being a CRNA. Not sure if you will like being an RN.

You're right though...
Almost every single RN I know loves their job
I guess I'm the odd duck

I am fascinated by the pharmacology and I think it would be awesome to be involved with surgery. There is a CRNA school very close to me and I looked over the curriculum and every class made me think, "Wow, that sounds awesome."

I know they make good money which is great, and I like the fact that I would be dealing with patients in a 1-1 setting.

 

[TrinityD]

I am fascinated by the pharmacology and I think it would be awesome to be involved with surgery. There is a CRNA school very close to me and I looked over the curriculum and every class made me think, "Wow, that sounds awesome."

I know they make good money which is great, and I like the fact that I would be dealing with patients in a 1-1 setting.

Yep, that's what most CRNA's I know are: pharm nerds.
Everybody in my BSN program called me "The Pharm Guy" even though I honestly didn't know much... I just memorized all the pharmacology stuff that they didn't bother to memorize.

You will probably have fun learning about Halotestin and other drugs like that in Pathophysiology and Pharmacology I
I smiled at the two times I have passed out oxandrin in the hospital. It does something to you on the inside

But on a serious note, yeah anesthesia is a kickass profession. Embrace your passions and make a difference in people's lives :headbang:

 

[SemiIntense]

Man you guys are lucky, I'm happy for yall. I'm in my thirties and sleeping on the floor, washing my clothes by hand etc. And I see no way out, I have a useless art degree (i hate art, I was forced into getting a degree so just picked the easy one) and zero skills. Tons of debt, no money to go back and learn anything.

The sad part is, every one around me is in the same situation..... maybe birds of a feather stick together, but most guys/gals I know are in their thirties and can't even come close to leaving their folks house, the ones that do are literally living in some room with no a/c, no hot water nothing.

I've been applying to jobs for ten years and the only places that take me are fast food joints and basic min, wage front desk stuff. Friends are all in the same boat. Oh yeah, and this is Texas.