Employer Type: Hospital (United States)

I am not happy living just average and I am sure we were not put on this earth to just to the basic. We are suppose to push our minds, our bodies and spirts to reach the highest level we can reach.

I am 45 years old and still in pursuit of finishing my education. I will not give up. I have invisioned myself graduating from college and working in the field I desire. My advice to all is keep the dream alive and make it happen. Even if you take one class at a time. You can never have the salary you want if you do not finish your education. Keep shooting for higher and dont settle.

Our jobs as a CNA are very important to the pateints/residents also to all nurses who appreciate us. I have many certificates through out my life and I am only 28. You would think I would have gone further. My plans for the future, RN. I am stuck working at the lowest paying hospital in this area, literly speaking, I have many years experience and get paid less than $9 an hour CRAZY. That is life! No one to blame but your self. There are schools out there and anyone can do it. I have 6 kids and a loving husband we support each other. Our goal to finish school with in the next 5 years, so we don't feel like a nobody in life when really we are the most important person in nursing. GOOD LUCK to all.

I have graduated from an ASHP accredited Pharmacy Technology program. I work in the hospital setting and am SC State Certified. If I had not gone to school I would not be SC Certified. These certifications (SC and PTCB) have improved my salary a lot. Just by moving from GA where my education wasn't valued to SC where is qualifies me for SC Cert I saw an 18% raise in my salary. Please do your research though because techs are underpaid but I love my job in the hospital. Retail jobs do not pay well, there is no over time or shift differentials. You have more expensive benefits in retail payroll deductions also. I believe for a career you need to get into a good hospital position. I get higher pay, cheaper benefits, shift differentials, lots of overtime, and guaranteed raises each year. Plus in the hospital there is no cash register, drive thru, or customers to deal with. I worked retail part time from 2003 to 2006 and full time from 2008 to 2010. I worked hospital part time from Sept 09 to Jan 2010 then went full time in Jan 2010. I am much happier now.

I have been a Certified Pharmacy Tech for a number of years and have finally realized that a pharmacy tech is not truly recognized for all that we do. We are not really appreciated by pharmacists, directors, managers or the hospital administrators. We are basically considered machines, a money making tool for our employer. First of all, being a good technician requires lots of skills. I have had many jobs in my lifetime, jobs that I thought were very important. However, being a technican is far more important than any other job I've had. The pay and importance of this job is so under rated yet it is a very rewarding and extemely important job. In order to be a great technichan you must first be a willing servant to those that are need. You must take pride in what you do. You must be very honest, loyal, detail oriented, quick learner, display great customer service skills, able to calculate and mix all drugs properly using the proper aseptic technique. This also includes chemotheraphy, heart drugs, baby syringes, etc. We must make sure all drugs are prepared and dispersed properly whether it be in solid or liquid form. We must order and put away supplies, answer questions, listen to complaints, multitask, and a host of other duties. It takes a lot of time, patience, attention to detail, and most of being a team player to be a great certified tech. We must able to adapt to change at a moments notice. An example of such would be training new techs and assisting a pharmacist with the training of new pharmacist. Thus, the job of technician is very underrated and underpaid. Although we may love our job as a technicians, we are unable to advance. Yes, one might say that being certified is an advancement but is it really. It is not reflected in our pay. A CPht should start out with nothing less than 19.50 - 25.00 an hour. We should be rated with the nurses because where would the pharmacist, doctors, nurses, etc., be without a good tech. Remember, behind every good man is is a good woman. Being a tech is great. It's wonderful to know that I am doing something that I truly love on a daily basis. I am making a difference. Although I am behind the scenes and receive little to no praise for what I do, I am very instrumental in making life better for those in need and that is my purpose. I am truly here to serve.

Never underestimate your value and worth and what you can contribute to an organization and community.

If you ever want to relocate, RT jobs can be few and far between. There's never a shortage of RN jobs. Don't waste your time and school $ on RT if you ultimately want to be a RN, as schools don't care about your credits, degree, and work experience. They'll make you start all over again.

NO job is secure. Nurses are very loyal to much of our own expense. OR Nursing is very physical and labor intensive. If you can not keep up you will be replaced by less experienced people who will take less pay. The bottom line for employers is time and money saved. I recomend that a new OR nurse stay in hospital training for 2 years then do Travel Nursing jobs. Save your money and plan for retirement debt free. I also recomend that a new Nurse consider the military (Air Force) do 20 years and retire. Never forget to enjoy life, so many of us work so hard that when we "wake up" we find that our bodies will not allow us to do some of the things we want to do or go to some of the places we want to go to...... Bottom line the job will be there when you are dead and gone and after you leave your employer you will probably be forgotton in 1-2 years......

I don't know if this will get posted or not but don't pay thousands of dollars to become a pharmacy technician!!!! It is so on the job. I wanted to go to school and the pharmacist told me he'd teach me all I needed to know. He did and I'm now certified (I got study guides and studied on my own), working for the federal gov't. I started in retail. It's cool, but not much money in it. More money in radiation therapy or being a sonographer. God bless.

I have been in nursing for 16yrs and my daughter

has been in for 3yrs. She went right through college and graduated with BSN, no experience and I went from CNA, LPN to RN, paying my own way one class at a time gathering experience on the job, as well as time in class. However, she obtained a

job in a highly skilled, critical care area with no experience earning what my base salary was at same hospital. Where as my base wages stayed the same. I don't want put my daughter in a bad light, however youth and a degree are paid well, yet she is not satisfied and is looking always for a position paying more. She has watched me struggle with patient load, called in to work during times of hurricanes and disasters working to extremes and no bonus, thanks or whatever....

In Florida there is no union to represent the worker (nurses), no real benefits to say, we pay for everything we get, so to say they allow us to purchase our healthcare plan, insurance etc. as for tuition repayment, you must sign a contract to work exclusivly for the employer for less than acceptable wages paid elsewhere for however many years they think is neccessary. I believe that with my experience I should be making 35.00 hr with paid benefits as I find most of my shifts are

difficult due to the new inexperienced nurses not sure of what to do next syndrome. I lead most of the shift, iv starts and proper drugs, most nurses know that their patients are having problems, its making interventions that are crucial to patients positive outcomes that is important, these new nurses are nieve of how bad

and how fast a bad outcome will occur if they sit and ignore their patients. I love to care for patients and I always will, that is why I chose this career, however I never thought I would be battling and struggling my employer for a decent wage. A safe patient load, and a healthier environment to work in. Its a battle everyday, we as nurses should unite and have a national union to represent us so that patients are guaranteed safe care. How many patients could you handle safely? After all, this patients life is in your hands for 12 hours, not so bad when one starts going bad, how about 4-5? Charge nurse is off the floor having a smoke, doctor isn't returning your call, house supervisor is in a code...not an easy 12hrs, how much do you think your worth at this point?

Research what the Charge Nurse for your specialty is. Research what RN Nursing Managers are paid. The RN Nursing Manager should be paid more than the Charge Nurse.