Why do nurses get paid so much?

Question

Justin Parker · Accepted Answer

Nurses get paid so much for many different reasons having to do with helping people, education and training requirements, and the stress of the job. It is important to note that while some nurses do receive significantly high salaries, and others are compensated well, some nurses are not paid a lot of money relative to their field or profession.

Here is a closer look at some of the reasons nurses can be paid a lot of money:

Nurses help people
Nurses provide critical care and medical assistance to people when they are in their most vulnerable physical states, this is a sensitive job that takes skills and compassion to perform. Patients in general are extremely grateful for the services nurses provide. They perform an invaluable service to communities as they seek to improve the health of others.
Nurses are in high demand
Nurses are in demand in nearly every part of the country. It is extremely rare for a qualified nurse to not be able to find work. This also means that nurses have a great number of choices in terms of where they want to live. The medical field in general has many roles that are in very high demand, and as a result, the pay for these roles is often good.
Education requirements
Many nurses go through four-year degree programs in nursing and also have to pass the NCLEX exam. Their education and training can be rigorous resulting in a salary that is relative to their efforts and also one in which they can hope to pay back any educational loans they may have taken out.
Nurses experience burnout at a high rate
Burnout is extremely common in the nursing field. This is a form of exhaustion caused by constantly feeling swamped with tasks and being overworked. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has compounded the problems nurses normally have with their jobs.
Nurses tend to be overworked, and the pandemic has exacerbated this issue to an almost unprecedented level. Hospitals and medical facilities often provide good salaries and wages to keep nurses from leaving their critical roles when experiencing burnout.
Being a nurse can be a stressful job
Most nurses can feel overwhelmed daily, especially if they work in large hospitals or emergency rooms. In these environments lives often hang in the balance, and mistakes can cause deaths.
This weighs heavily on the nurse population, and the stress of it can cause anxiety, depression, and other mental issues. Some hospitals choose to pay their nurses well as a way of recognizing the daily struggles and issues they face.
Exposure to germs and viruses
Perhaps one of the worst aspects of being a nurse is the exposure to germs and viruses. Nurses of course have PPE but all the gear and sanitizing methods are not foolproof, and nurses often get ill from being on the job. Extreme forms of exposure include being accidentally pricked by a needle from a patient with a blood illness.