Ant Register Nurse out there?

Ok I am thinking to be a nurse.
And I was wondering to be a registered nurse how many years do I have to go???
how much do you get for this job?
do you like your job?

I have been in nursing for over 30 years. Unlike Jen, I have never gotten burned out, but I have also not just thought of nursing as a job.

Generally, you will find people in nursing who get the basic entry level education, and get a job. They are looking for an income, and not an opportunity to work, advance their knowledge, and grow as an individual.

Studies of nurses show that as nurses remain in the field for extended periods, without changing their level of education or area of specialization, they decrease their job satisfaction, and have decreasing levels of autonomy and professionalism. Essentially, they take what could be a profession, and place a "blue-collar" mentality on it. This is one reason why nursing is not considered a profession by social scientist.

Don't ask how many years you have to go to school. Ask instead; how many years do I get to go to school? Entry level RNs go to school between 3 and 5 years depending on the type of program they attend.

I have worked in every area of the hospital at one time or another, and have worked as an advanced practice nurse and taught nursing and allied health students. I have also taught medical and dental students.

I now have developed my own position in a private practice situation, working basically on more than one contract, and consulting on occasion. While my income is not as easy to describe as most RNs who can tell you the hourly wage. I have recently calculated my salary at approximately $115 per hour, but I only work about 25 hours a week.

You will never burn out in nursing if you keep advancing your education, and working in new areas. As you can see I have not been hurt from a salary standpoint by my choices.

Good luck with your future.

Depending on where you live and the requirements of the educational institute you attend it would likely be a 3-4 year program. Your salary again will probably depend on where you live and what area of nursing you decide to work in. A nurse who works in a doctor's office may make a lot less than a nurse who works in a hospital. Nurses generally though make a good wage but it is because it is a very stressful job which if we knew what we were doing when we decided on it as a career would have run screaming the other way. I've been a nurse for 9 years and I'm burned out. There is a huge nursing shortage everywhere. We are always working short just because there are not enough nurses to go around. If I had known then what I know now I would not have become a nurse. If you really want to know what it is like try volunteering at your local hospital or nursing home and keep a close eye on what is going on around you. Count on doing a lot of dirty work that the average person wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole. Count on working shifts, weekends and holidays. Count on feeling alienated because it'll seem like the rest of the world works Monday to Friday 9-5 and you are at work whenever there is something going on that you want to do. If you do decide to go on to nursing as a career I advise you to complete your Nurse Practioner degree and work in a clinic. Hospital nursing is the worst but it pays the best.