There are a lot of “hard jobs” out there. Some are difficult because of the stress and responsibility, like a CEO. Some are tough because of the physical demand, like a warehouse packer or construction worker. Some are challenging because of the constant, unforgiving grind, like a teacher. Nursing combines all of that.
Now, I’ve never been a nurse myself, but I’ve dated one for long enough to see how demanding the career can be. Nadia only works three days a week, but those three days are absolutely unforgiving. She wakes up at 5:45 AM and gets home at 7:30 pm, with all kinds of struggles, beeping, and bodily fluids in between. Then she gets to go to bed and do it again the next day! Even though she’ gets to do it at one of the best hospitals in the world, Boston Children’s, it’s still hard as hell.
We often talk about her shift after it’s done. Some days are pretty uneventful, and Nadia gets to help her colleagues and friends and come home feeling satisfied. Other days, things get emotional or scary. A patient might have had an emergency, or a family was really difficult, or she just got a busy assignment with a lot of responsibilities. Those days can sap someone’s energy. And then they might have to go do it again!
As of 2022, the average RN in Massachusetts made ~$68,000.1 When combined with the flexible work hours and good benefits, along with the opportunity to care for others and do genuinely good work, it’s easy to see the appeal.
Still, for all of their troubles, that compensation is far from ideal. There are thousands of young adults in Boston making much more money by programming apps, making slideshows, improving SEO, or underwriting real estate deals.
This isn’t to say that people with cushy jobs should inherently make less, or even that nurses should make more; what matters is that they deserve our appreciation. We’re all fortunate that, every year, tens of thousands of Americans continue make the decision to leave some money on the table and make a living through moments that might be sad, gross, or even heart-breaking.
Don’t get me wrong - nursing might be unforgiving, but it has its own rewards. I asked three nurses I know to tell me a bit about why they cared about their jobs, and I got two great responses:2
Stephanie, PACU nurse in Durham, NC: “I love feeling like I can make a difference and be there to support someone who is likely having the worst and scariest day of their life.”
Nadia, PIMCU nurse in Boston, MA: “I have a special role where I’m with my patient for most of the day and get to talk to them, hear the funny stuff they say, listen to their parents’ concerns, and see some funny mom and dad moments, all while thinking critically and acting fast on my feet.”
People like Nadia and Steph are nurses because, amidst all the obstacles, they enjoy it and they’re good at it. In some ways, that makes me respect them even more: I’m not sure if I could find the same joy in a hospital.
Remember COVID, when there used to be the “Hero Celebrations” for the health care providers heading into the hospital? It was a nice moment of community in a pretty dark time, but a common take by medical professionals was that they would prefer to have additional resources rather than “thoughts and prayers.” Now that we’re out of a crisis, even the accolades are an afterthought, which is too bad. I know that Nadia would keep doing her job for the love of it, whether she’s recognized or not, but her and her peers deserve a lot more than we’ve given them.
That’s why Nurses’ Week is a great idea, and an under-marketed celebration.3 It’s nice that hospitals give out little snacks and tokens to the nurses. It’s lovely that they all take the time to lift each other up through TikToks and Facebook posts and the like. But all of us should be taking a minute to thank the nurses we know, whether or not we’re dating them!
To be clear, I have no idea what Nadia or anyone else makes exactly. The range for nursing compensation is large, depending on whether someone works days or nights, what kind of hospital they’re at, and what their exact role is.
I think that Noah was asleep. Comment your thoughts if you read this, dude!
Same as Teachers’ Week! They should still talk about that once we all leave school.
Thank you for this. I think about nurses a lot, despite my ignorance on what they exactly do — seems like a grueling and thankless role that could be comped better. Or staffed better, resourced better, funded better, appreciated more…
To me, it appears that the majority of nurses do their job out of the goodness of their heart and passion for improving health outcomes. In many cases, literally saving lives.
To Nadia and all other nurses reading this, keep doing you. We’re proud, we’re inspired, and we’re grateful!