NursingLink

Hi, I am still a student and was wondering what the highest paid nursing area is. Like my friend says that Dialysis is one of the highest. Anyone have any ideas.....i'm totally lost....anyone got any ideas...?

Not saying this is why you asked the question but one of my instuctors told us if you are going into a specialty or becoming a nurse for the pay, you are going to be very unhappy with your job. To be a nurse (especialy a good nurse) you must like what you are doing and want to help your patients, not just want your paycheck.

I'm still in school and can't say if this is true or not, just passing along the information.

You're right stephcutie, but I got the impression SF was asking to get information because of a discussion he was having with a friend and he was confused, not because he is seeking high pay. 

Most facilities, you start out all the same and advance through raises and seniority.  However, there are areas where you get call time and lots of overtime.  PACU and OR are the two I'm most familiar with as far as overtime and call time.  In California, call time is half your hourly rate and when you clock in it's 1 1/2 times your hourly rate.  Other states pay you under minimum wage to saddle you with call, but you get 1 1/2 times your hourly rate once you clock in. 

You can make quite a bit of money working lots of hours.  But, you burn out so very quickly this way and after working so long and hard to become a nurse, burning out in five years isn't the thing to have happen. 

CRNA's are the top money makers in nursing.  Nurse anesthetists must first complete a four-year baccalaureate degree in nursing or a science related subject. They must be a licensed registered nurse. Then, the AANA requires a minimum of one year of full-time nursing experience in an acute care setting, such as medical intensive care unit or surgical intensive care unit. However, many programs require greater than one year experience. Because most programs have far more qualified applicants than available spaces, successful candidates usually have several years of experience in nursing in addition to specialized education in nursing or other health disciplines. Following appropriate experience, applicants enroll in an accredited program of anesthesia education for an additional two to three years. Programs are highly competitive. These college or university based programs combine intensive theory, didactic education, and clinical practice. Most CRNAs graduate with a master's degree in either anesthesia or nursing. Upon completion of their education, they must pass a mandatory national certification examination^.