I make 25.50/hour in Colorado. I have a Bachelors in the science of nursing AA/AS/ADN also numerous certs.
$25.50/hr. for you... vs. $9.30/hr. min. wage in Colorado. So you're telling me you do more work than approx. 3 min. wage earners who could be each trained to do parts of your job?
I doubt it.
And for people out there, at 40 hr./wk, you're making $53k annually. At 25% tax rate, you're bringing home approx. $3,315 a month (doesn't include/factor in your pre-tax health. ins. cov.). At 20 working days per mo., you're bringing home $165 a day!
NOT TOO SHABBY!
"I have to know everything the doctor knows not at the same level, but the body is the body, drugs have mechanism of action, and pathophysiology works the same for me as the doctor."
So, you're saying a few RNs could equal a doctor, just like a few min. wage earners could easily do your job?
See the problem here?
"The job can not be done by lower level care providers by law."
You didn't say it couldn't be done, technically. You said legally it isn't allowed. Manufactured scarcity of "talent" to keep costs high.
"but the majority of money isnt going to your overworked RN or CNA."
Perhaps not, but most private sector workers with Bachelor degrees don't make $50k+ each year. They make between $30-40k nowadays in non-healthcare, private sector jobs. You're overpaid.
"It is possible I am wrong, but my point is I feel very underpaid as of now and if I were to get a paycut or not have incentives to get pay raises in the future as I gain experience I would change career fields."
Well, join the club. Most private sector workers have to change careers multiple times in their lifetime due to dead-end career paths.
" Sometimes patients lay in bed and require little more than IV anti-biotics, but the person in the next room as vital signs all over the place."
I get that. And there should be one or two people on staff for those small percentage of people. For everyone else, min. wage or close to it. Maybe a doctor could pitch in and see their patients for more than 5 minutes vs. shoving the entire workload to nurses and hospital staff.
"The less you see of the hospital staff the better off you or you are a jerk and we dont want to be around you."
I >>>KNEW<<< IT. I just knew it. I KNEW the nurses and staff became jerky/less attentive after day two, when they knew I would be leaving the next day. Suddenly me asking someone to take my urine (I was completely bedridden with a broken pelvis) or adjust something nearby so I could reach it became a massive hassle. I purposely restricted how often I'd ask for help in the last two days I was there (at the largest hospital -- a "teaching hospital no less!" -- in the state) because the attitudes of nurses went downhill so much once they had an exit time for me.
Also, if I'm getting crappy service, why not reduce my bill? Why should I pay $2k/night for crappy service for day 3 if day 1 and 2 were not crappy and still cost $2k? Are you just saying patients should be happy with whatever they get?
And YOU feel underpaid?
Ha.
The healthcare system is beyond repair. No wonder everyone hates anything medical-related.