GRUMPY CAT NEEDS HELP ON "DIPLOMACY" PAPER

[Tia Maria]

I already know I have to do what I'm doing. After being fired and having to look for another job, I found how difficult it was to find a hospital I could even apply at - most only want nurses that have a 4 yr degree or you have to get it by a certain time.

Debt-wise it will cost about $10,000. I did all my prerequisites at a community college, but now the bridge program I have to be admitted to is at a university and will be costing more. I don't see it as an investment since I won't get paid anymore than I am now. That's why I've been putting it off for so long as it is because I had weekend option at my other job. I was just telling my Ma about this nurse I worked with this last weekend - she got her master's degree and took this education job. She ended up coming back to the hospital and doing floor nurse work as weekend option because she made tons more money working the weekend option position and said the master's degree only put her into debt. The only reason I'd get a master's would be to be a nurse practitioner in a doctors office and get away from the hospital work entirely. A doctors office would be easier when I got older, but a floor nurse can actually make more than a nurse practitioner too.

Just an FYI that classifying formal education as an investment does not mean you (or anyone) will necessarily be 'paid more' immediately. For instance you are reporting that you will not receive a raise, but it will serve to increase your marketability. It's an investment because it costs time & money & should equate to some payoff. For someone with unlimited amounts of time & money they can devote unlimited amounts of their time & money towards a formal education. Otherwise, a cost benefit analysis should be considered.

EDIT: In your specific case, it makes sense. The course work is just causing you a lot of stress. And the requirement is unfortunate because as you pointed out, it does not add true value (or any value!) to what you're doing. Nursing is stressful & you're dealing with saving lives & providing care to people who are suffering & often scared. I agree, agree, agree that all these superfluous classes not only do NOT help you to be a better nurse, they are a wasteful burden in a very practical & real life sense.

 

[Grumpy Cat]

Just an FYI that classifying formal education as an investment does not mean you (or anyone) will necessarily be 'paid more' immediately. For instance you are reporting that you will not receive a raise, but it will serve to increase your marketability. It's an investment because it costs time & money & should equate to some payoff. For someone with unlimited amounts of time & money they can devote unlimited amounts of their time & money towards a formal education. Otherwise, a cost benefit analysis should be considered.

I wouldn't even get paid more later. Nursing is a career where floor nursing pays a lot more than being a nurse educator. I guess it's because floor nursing has a high turnover from being so stressful. Not all floor nursing pays that much though - just the weekend option and that's because it pays you 3 days for working 2 days and any extra days you work are time and a half. You have all the same benefits too, as a full time nurse. The nurse practitioner would be great for an "office type" job. Getting a masters would be about another 15,000 because it is a doctorate now and I would be taking a pay decrease, as well.

 

[Tia Maria]

I wouldn't even get paid more later. Nursing is a career where floor nursing pays a lot more than being a nurse educator. I guess it's because floor nursing has a high turnover from being so stressful. Not all floor nursing pays that much though - just the weekend option and that's because it pays you 3 days for working 2 days and any extra days you work are time and a half. You have all the same benefits too, as a full time nurse. The nurse practitioner would be great for an "office type" job. Getting a masters would be about another 15,000 because it is a doctorate now and I would be taking a pay decrease, as well.

GC/Angie, I don't know if you saw my add on (Edit, above) so re-posting it here. I understand that this degree is for retaining or increasing your marketability, not your actual pay scale. And you will also need it continue on to become a NP.

EDIT: In your specific case, it makes sense. The course work is just causing you a lot of stress. And the requirement is unfortunate because as you pointed out, it does not add true value (or any value!) to what you're doing. Nursing is stressful & you're dealing with saving lives & providing care to people who are suffering & often scared. I agree, agree, agree that all these superfluous classes not only do NOT help you to be a better nurse, they are a wasteful burden in a very practical & real life sense.