Should I become a police officer or nurse or stick with it?

[Daytonaflyer]

If you become a cop, do it in Las Vegas. Base salary is around $53,000. Many cops here make around $80,000. Also, prison corrections officers in Las Vegas can make well over $100,000 with the top earning officer making over $160,000 last year by working lots of overtime. All this with no college degree required.

http://www.policeemployment.com/cityjobs/northvegas/

This link is for the city of North Las Vegas; Las Vegas metro cops make even more.

 

[siucavflight]

I dont really care what you do.

 

[Rally]

Hitting the bottle this early in the morning?

 

[MALSR]

My friend is an ER nurse and has already made 35k this year and its not even May. He made 97K last year alone. Thats without a Masters degree. Think if he pursues that as well.

 

[mamba20]

People will always be sick and people will always misbehave. Heck, with nursing you can probably make more then a heavy captain after a few years. I's stick with flying though

 

[Secret Squirrel]

Remember, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. It is only after we actually jump over to the other side we see all the brown patches.
I loved my 5 years as a police officer. But I lost 3 friends in shootings and traffic accidents, and a bunch more that had to medical out and will never be physically the same. There are many events I remember fondly that I really helped people and felt a sense of accomplishment. But what really sticks out in my mind are the many traffic accidents where I could not tell where the SUV ended and the bodies started. The many young people who took their own lives with guns, scum of the earth that molest or abuse their children, and morally dead people addicted to drugs are really what stick in my mind.
There was the time I was the first responder to a child not breathing and had to do cpr on a newborn I knew was dead. The mom got drunk, fell asleep with the baby in bed and rolled over on it. When she woke up she found the baby not breathing (probably was screaming and struggling to breath that woke her up) she screamed and work up the 10 other drunk people in the trailer and they called police. I can still smell the three homeless people we found in a burned out building, huddled in the corner to try to escape the flames, bodies half burned half normal. The horror on their faces eternally burned and eternally etched in my mind. Or then there are the fond memories of going with DFYS to take someones kids away from their parents. Or trying to hold a guys jugular as he bled out from 20 stab wounds around the head and chest while I waited for the ambulance to come. I saw him die in front of me. Both of us looking in each others eyes.

Now I am not trying to dissuade you from becoming a cop. I did love the job. But just realize that there is a dark side to the job. You are always a cop no matter what you do. You go to a party and everybody knows you are a cop. Everybody has that story about how the cop mistreated them because they were just traveling with traffic and everybody was speeding. You tend to lose friends who are not cops and be closer with the people you work with. Good luck with your decision. I actually think people should have to do ride alongs with their local police to realize how evil some people really are, and how bad some areas of their town really are. Sorry it was so long

 

[chignutsak]

Great post man. Cop buddy of mine told me a story of a semi that had crushed a minivan with kids. He was on the scene before ambulances arrived. I have all the respect in the world for cops. For those thinking of putting on the shield, think really hard about some of the awful sides of human nature you will see.

 

[Vspeeds]

Yea, but a lot of the a$$ will look like Ron Jeremy.

LMAO
Damn good dude!

 

[B-J-J Fighter]

Has anyone here been a full-time firefighter?

 

[JettBoii]

There are many specialties that you can pursue as an RN. Yes you can make good money without a masters degree but you can make better with one. You could get your BSN and work in any type of ICU for one to two years then apply to CRNA school; certified nurse anesthetist. When you graduate 28-36 months later (mean program length) you will easily start off at around 90K a year with option to make much much more depending on the schedule/service you work. If you work for yourself or do agency/contract you can make over 150K a year. Nurse Practicioners make anywhere from 80K/120K a year; also requires a masters degree.

Your job is never in jeopardy, your home everynight and you have a big fat paycheck to take care of yourself or your family with.

 

[Daytonaflyer]

My friend is an ER nurse and has already made 35k this year and its not even May. He made 97K last year alone. Thats without a Masters degree. Think if he pursues that as well.

Actually with a master's degree, he probably won't make any more money, he'll possibly earn even less. I worked as an academic advisor for a university nursing program for a little while between flying jobs, and one of the most common misconceptions from nurses was that they would earn more money after they got their masters.
All the master's will allow him to do is teach nursing or work in nursing administration. Those jobs are usually salary and have limited earning power compared to other nursing jobs when you can work overtime and pick up extra shifts. Most hospitals don't offer a pay raise to continue nursing with a master's degree.

 

[JoeMerchant]

Keep flying and find a nurse with handcuffs....Problem solved....

 

[MALSR]

Actually with a master's degree, he probably won't make any more money, he'll possibly earn even less. I worked as an academic advisor for a university nursing program for a little while between flying jobs, and one of the most common misconceptions from nurses was that they would earn more money after they got their masters.
All the master's will allow him to do is teach nursing or work in nursing administration. Those jobs are usually salary and have limited earning power compared to other nursing jobs when you can work overtime and pick up extra shifts. Most hospitals don't offer a pay raise to continue nursing with a master's degree.

I also have a friend who is a hospital administrator; started out as an RN and then got Masters. Making 150K now.

 

[satpak77]

Indeed RN will never be out of work, and always be around hot young females. Its 2008 people, and soon will be 2010, 2015, and it is "ok" to be a man and be an RN.

Speak Spanish and your never-out-of-a-job status just got double bulletproof

 

[Griff]

I am a full time firefighter...... West coast type but don't hold that against me..... we try.