Becoming a registered nurse?

I'm in grade 12 right now and I decided to go into nursing program for my post-secondary education.
I've heard some things, mostly bad things about being a nurse.
They're tired, don't get holidays off, they're underpaid, etc.
So I've went around and searched how much my salary would be and I got different answers. How much do nurses get paid on average?

And do you think it's worth it?
Ah..

In the US, new graduate nurses have a starting salary around $40-50k per year if you're working 32-40 hours per week.

Whether you work holidays depends on your job - if you work in a clinic, you're more likely to have a M-F, 8-5 job with weekends and holidays off. If you work in a hospital, you will work some holidays, but not all. They will rotate you. And don't forget - holidays = higher pay, I get paid TRIPLE time when I work on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

It can be tiring, but honestly, LOTS of jobs are tiring and can be stressful. But it isn't always that way.

I absolutely think it's worth it. The personal rewards I get from my job far outweigh whatever stress it brings me. I work 12 hour shifts, and am 3/4 full time, which means I only work 5 shifts in a two week period. I spend a lot of time at home with my children, which is what I always wanted. I get great benefits and time off, etc. I love my job.

The great thing about being a nurse is the opportunities are endless. If you find yourself in a job setting or specialty you don't like, there are hundreds of other jobs that are totally unique that you could choose from. And with the ever-increasing nursing shortage, you'll always have awesome job security.

My father always told me, it's not about the money, it's about doing something you enjoy and you'll never have to work a day in your life. I have learned that from experience. Don't go into a career just because of the money, do it because you enjoy it. Why spend a lifetime doing something you hate? I worked doing the most stressful job working 12 hours (which nursing work 12 hour shifts) a day on my feet all day, making very little money, I came home every night wore out and sore but I loved every minute of it. It was the most rewarding job. Then I had an opportunity to make more money at a easy office job. I was very well off, never had to worry about money and I hated every day of my life for 6 years. I recently left that job to go to school. I will probably never make that much money again, but I'd rather enjoy my job since I will spend the majority of my life working. You have plenty of time to research the field, just make sure you are doing it because you want to, not for the money. We don't need angry nurses treating us.

I am applying to the Nursing program next spring. Aisde the money, u have to look at what being a nurse means to you.

That they hardly get time off is not altogether true. they take vacations. becaue of the shortage of RNs, much more is expected of them. On the average ere in FL, rookie RNs (without any expereince whatsoever are paid at $22.00/hr.) the much more expereinced ones make anywhere from $25 - 30 buck an hour. This is not counting other benefits (some even get uniform allowance of about a thousand every month, I have also heard that some get sign on bonus).

All in all, it's not really a shabby pay, especially if u enjoy doing it.

I'll exit with this saying "Do what you love doing and you'll never work a day in your life!"

Hope this helps.

if your in the Uk, NURSES are highly respected in hospitals as well as carer home etc
obviously they role can be a bit tiring with the overtime they may have to do, but the salary is good , they do get time off each year for holiday etc