What do you do that you earn six figures?

r/financialindependence • u/fidgit86 • 9d ago

It seems like a lot of people make a lot of money and it seems like I’m missing out on something. So those of you that do, whats your occupation that pays so well?

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u/Axarraekji 9d ago

Hospice nurse. I make 150k and work about 40 hours per week in Utah.

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u/BcILoveHer11 9d ago

Wow that’s incredibly high for hospice compared to where I am. Are nurses generally paid a lot in Utah or is there some kind of premium on hospice?

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u/Axarraekji 9d ago

I work at three companies and do on-call with all three of them at the same time. One week on, one week off. I make $2,300 per week for just being on call, that's about 50k per year. On call isn't that busy so I sleep eight hours most nights. I case manage at two of the companies, but fewer patients than most nurses because I supplement my income with on call. I make $55 per visit, plus mileage and travel time depending on the job and if it's on call.

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u/monsteez annually max 403b, rIRA, 401a(18% of income) 9d ago

What happens when you get called to multiple as t same time?

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u/Axarraekji 9d ago

I've been doing three companies at the same time for one year. There was one time that I was doing a patient admission at the same time a patient was being transferred to their home from the hospital and also needed to be admitted. That wasn't the problem. The problem was that the patient died in the ambulance on the way home. So while I was with a patient starting him on services, I had to take care of the situation (over the phone) of a patient not yet on our services but also discharged from the hospital, who had died!

MOST of the time on-call needs are not emergencies. I can triage the situation. Two calls at the same time? One of them is bound to be not as important as the other. So I'll go take care of the more important situation first and just explain to the other that I will take a little longer than usual.

A surprising amount of calls are people panicking (mostly the family) or worrying about something that isn't as serious as they think. I've been doing this for eight years. I can triage pretty well over the phone and reassure the patient/family and let them know what to do before I get there, or just handle it over the phone.

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u/Laetitian 9d ago

So you overcharge for emotional labor and then half the time you can't actually guarantee that you'll do the job you're being overpaid for, got it.

Hope you never have to think too much about what the dying people's family might need their money for.

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u/Confident_Ad_3216 9d ago

You truly have no idea what you’re talking about. Look up insurance reimbursement for hospice care vs. inpatient ICU care and get back to me on costs passed on to the patient.

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u/Laetitian 9d ago

How does it matter? What value are they creating?

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u/Confident_Ad_3216 9d ago

The “value” they’re adding is lessening human suffering at the end of life.

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u/Ridikiscali 9d ago

So how I understand this, is that this person is actually not being overpaid…they are juggling multiple jobs at a time.

Now, this might work in Utah, but if you do this is a more populated state you’re going to be in for a bad time. Additionally, you’ll have to live with yourself by blowing off one patient/family to work on another.

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u/Laetitian 9d ago

If you can juggle the jobs, less should be charged for each job. If you cannot juggle the jobs, you should not be allowed to juggle the jobs. As long as it's unresolved which it is, for the purposes of economic analysis, it is effectively both.

"You'll have to live with yourself."

I mean, yeah, that's my point.

4

u/radioactive_muffin 30yo | 48% SR 8d ago

Not sure if you think everyone here is super busy all the time and "deserves" their pay in your mind if you're going with this "it doesn't take much so you're overcharging" mentality.

I'm sure quite a few jobs here don't require constant attention at all times, but they do often require specialized attention. The pay is for the specialization and not solely based on time; if it were just time then we'd only be discussing laborer jobs here.

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u/forestofcats 9d ago

To be fair you just described most mental health and grief related professions of all levels.

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u/enjeneral 9d ago

You're being downvoted inappropriately. They must have created an emotional connection over the amount of money that she makes that they have zero empathy. It's startling to hear this.

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u/crypto_knitter 9d ago edited 9d ago

It's startling to hear, but I've also never in my life met a nurse who's morals I didn't find suspect. A course I took in uni had a lot of the nursing program in it... Man do I dread the day I have to count on any of them for physical health support let alone mental. I've had one or 2 excellent nurse experiences though thankfully.

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u/another-new 9d ago

My ex wife is an RN. My gf before that was an RN. My current fiancé is an RN. I’m on a first name basis with over 100 nurses, practitioners, and doctors. I dread every interaction where I need their help, because I know them on a very intimate level. They can downvote you all they want. Your fears are in fact grounded and well deserved

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u/crypto_knitter 9d ago

It's a little bit of don't meet your hero syndrome to a certain extent... But that's certainly not all of it.

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u/BrownieBones 9d ago

They're just people. Maybe you're putting nurses on a pedestal?

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u/Partigirl 9d ago

I agree. It's one of the few careers left that people can enter without too much hassle and make good money. That attracts a lot more money oriented people than caregiver types. I've met a few good ones but overwhelmingly met a lot of the other type.

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u/enjeneral 9d ago

I mean, you're not wrong. I'm a caregiver, I do know many nurses. One of my friends was a nurse and her husband confided in me that she actually beats him. He checked himself into the psyche ward. And she's as sweet as can be.

This nurse in this thread talks like she gives zero fucks. And eight years is actually nothing. She talks as if she knows everything when she knows nothing.

I feel so bad for the families in her care.

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u/crypto_knitter 9d ago

Yup. Exactly my thoughts exactly. I'm sorry to hear about that husband but .... Well yeah. Bullies become cops and nurses

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u/[deleted] 9d ago edited 9d ago

[deleted]

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u/Axarraekji 9d ago

Three different hospice agencies. These companies are not associated with any hospitals, though hospitals may send us their patients who need hospice care in the patient's homes. I visit people in their homes and in assisted living facilities and nursing homes (but for me, mostly just homes). Each hospice company has their own census of patients that they take care of. They need an on-call nurse to manage any problems that come up after regular business hours. Since each company doesn't have a very busy on-call need, I am able to do three companies at the same time and get paid from all of them.

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u/[deleted] 9d ago edited 9d ago

[deleted]

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u/Uruz2012gotdeleted 9d ago

They answered elsewhere so I'll summarize for you. They're going to the "more important" call first and tell the other to suck it up and wait. They're charging for on call service but overbooked themselves on purpose to make more money. Someday a person is going to die while waiting for them because of this.

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u/binkerfluid 7d ago

I dont know why this is being downvoted its true

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u/Silent-Wishbone532 9d ago

So basically you have three jobs and take a bunch of call 🙄. Not the typical nursing position

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u/its_el_PJ 9d ago

My wife is also a hospice nurse and makes approx the same pay. The difference is she is a union nurse for a large regional hospital in SoCal. Works a 9-5, Mon-Fri with no on call. She loves what she does and is so glad to be out of the smaller hospice circuit. Also, she is a RN with only her associates. The amount of pay doesn’t justify her taking on student debt to get the BSN or go for the NP.

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u/averagecommoner 9d ago

The person is clearly lying, read through their post history. Disgusting af.

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u/Phantom_Absolute DI1K 9d ago

I looked and didn't see anything that contradicted what they've said here.

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u/OneHourRetiring 9d ago

Ooooofs, tough job! You must have a strong, empathizing and sympathizing mindset!

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u/Axarraekji 9d ago

Thank you! It can be hard, especially all the different family dynamics I encounter.

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u/monsteez annually max 403b, rIRA, 401a(18% of income) 9d ago

Has there been an increase in the last year since covids been a thing? Hospitals have been filled, wondering if hospice has been going through volume of patient changes, too

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u/Axarraekji 9d ago

Yes. I've seen patients die more quickly since Covid. Part of it may have to do with people not seeing their doctors as often, so doctors don't see patients declining and refer to hospice at appropriate times. That was already a problem before Covid.

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u/FlamingoStrange8386 9d ago

Are you an RN?

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u/averagecommoner 9d ago

read through their post history. it's all roleplay.

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u/WarWinx 9d ago

…they have a comment from over a year ago mentioning working as a hospice nurse.

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u/discombobubolated 9d ago

Not necessarily. I know someone who is a hospice nurse. Off the job, she is hateful and cold as ice. It's a perfect job for her, as people dying doesn't affect her one iota. She's there for the pay and vacation time.

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u/OneHourRetiring 9d ago

Perhaps so, I spent a little time with a hospice nurse during my mother's final day. She was the most caring and sympathizing person during our worst time. She was not cold and heartless. She was strong though and putting our minds at ease that our mother will be fine as well as stepping us through the process once she passes.

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u/OneHourRetiring 9d ago

Also, u/discombobubolated ... the emotional impacts of her job may explain why she needs or has that outlet. Right, wrong or otherwise, I can't help to think that there is more to her story. I can see why one would want to keep a distance from others. Saying goodbye is not the easiest thing. If I were in that job and let it bottles up inside me, I will not have a mental stability to function at all.

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u/nycdedmonds 9d ago

I just spent a week watching my dad in hospice. Everyone there was incredibly kind and we are going to be donating money to them in the future. If there had been a nurse like you describe, we wouldn't have had those feelings at all. Any hospice run by an admin with a brain would know that.

2

u/DefeatFear 9d ago

Sorry for your loss. Was right there with you ❤️

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u/peatmanc 9d ago

Yeah seems better suited for people who don't care. If you did you'd be depressed all the time lol

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u/rockymt28 9d ago

Well dang

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u/Excellent-Skill923 9d ago

Yeah...my sister quit Nursing school cause she couldn't stand the smell of formaldehyde and wiping senior asses, or so she's said.

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u/Zaphanathpaneah 9d ago

Holy crap...my wife is not an RN or even a CNA, but she's doing home companion care and is essentially a hospice worker right now with her current client (probably not going to last another week) and she does this for $13/hour.

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u/rivaRhine 9d ago

There is more responsibility/liability that she bares hence the pay. If you all can manage it, my advice is for your wife to get through nursing school. She will command more pay with a degree in hand. States school and community colleges usually offer good return on money and time invested.

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u/mrmytwocents 9d ago

Yep, are used to work at a large care home doing end-of-life care and coordinating closely with hospice. Frustrating to realize it was only making $10.50 per hour for doing essentially the same job as the hospice nurses. But I sure don’t begrudge them for income, especially given all of their education and credentialing.

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u/averagecommoner 9d ago

The person is clearly lying, read through their post history. Disgusting af.

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u/South-Talk2555 9d ago

You hospice nurses are angels!

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u/HeyMcFly55 9d ago

As someone who recently lost a loved one and had a hospice nurse caring for him I can honestly say you deserve your salary.

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u/data_wombat 9d ago

It makes me very happy to hear a nurse being paid fairly.

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u/SluggishPrey 9d ago edited 9d ago

Very. Self-gratification should never have to compensate a low wage. We need to protect these jobs essential to the well being of the community

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u/nbknoid 9d ago

I'm not a nurse but can confirm hospice RNs make this much.

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u/averagecommoner 9d ago edited 9d ago

bs. what is with this fake ass new worshiping of nursing careers and spreading bs so clearly made up? Fuck off. With Covid overtime etc you can expect to make $35-40/hr starting in So Cal (great btw). Less in places like Ohio etc where these fake ass mofo's are pretending to be from.

Source: 2 of my brothers just started working as RN's this past year and mom is an LVN in a hospice/retirement place...

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u/TheKunit 9d ago edited 9d ago

How exactly? I'm a nurse and so is my wife. She even worked for hospice of the valley here in Arizona for a while back closer to when she graduated. The pay was nowhere close to what you claim. Is it some special kind of hospice?

Edit: Saw your responses down below. Good hussle gigs! You are a hard worker!

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u/averagecommoner 9d ago

Full of shit or scamming people. hard worker my ass.

Disgusting

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u/TheKunit 9d ago

Eh you never know. Working on call and prn status as a nurse makes you extra income while not paying pto or insurance or any benefits.

It does sound like she is getting paid to do 3 different jobs at the same time, triple dipping without the employers really knowing. To the employer it probably just seems like she's really slow at times.

It's not impossible for her to make that much though. My wife does clinical adjunct work for the local community College nursing school. They pay something like 68$/hr without other benefits like I said. With her doing that full time plus other work that level of income is totally attainable.

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u/Axarraekji 8d ago

All three companies are aware of the arrangements with being on call at the same time. They trust me to take care of the patients. As a hospice nurse, we're out seeing patients without anyone looking over our shoulders. We have to be reliable and independent.

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u/TheKunit 8d ago

Well then more power to ya! Idk how they don't have some sort of conflict of interest clause going on there but it's none of my business.

Personally juggling 3 jobs at the same time sounds like my worst nightmare. Especially because they are similar/the same and making mistakes is way more probable in that situation. I don't know how you keep it straight all the time!

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u/sc0tty0 9d ago

Bless you. Hospice are amazing.

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u/Axarraekji 9d ago

Thank you.

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u/clearcasemoisture 9d ago

I just wanted to thank you for the job you do. My dad died 2 weeks ago and had home hospice. Watching and taking care of my father die gas been the hardest thing I've ever done, but I am so thankful for the hospice nurses that showed up when ever we needed them. You're truly a blessing and I can't even begin to imagine the amount of families and patients you have helped. I think 150k is way too little for as much as you do.

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u/TFGoose 9d ago

Just wanted to say you are vastly appreciated for choosing to do what you do, and I'm glad you are well-compensated. Hospice was there for the passing of both of my grandparents, and I can't begin to describe how incredibly helpful nurses like yourself were in explaining what to expect and helping us cope. Y'all are angels... seriously. Thank you.

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u/jericho-dingle 9d ago

You earn every penny. Thank you

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u/Ocirus83 9d ago

You deserve every penny. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you do.

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u/freddielizzard 9d ago

You deserve every penny.

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u/wtbrofls 9d ago

Home health nurse, similar here

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u/TinLizzy-1909 9d ago

As someone that has been on the family side of what you do.... Thank You. The compassion, support and caring for both my father and myself from the nurses really did make a difference. I know it has to be hard being around such emotion every day but it what you do eases some of the pain for those experiencing it.

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u/doingthisforgiftexch 9d ago

This is my dream job! I got my degree in chemistry (while waiting to get into a local nursing program, California :/ ) but I’ve been applying to masters in nursing programs now and I’m currently a hospice CNA! Any advice!?

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u/BearsBearsBears_wooo 9d ago

Thank you for what you do. My mother passed at the end of December from ALS and Hospice was incredibly helpful to her, my father, and all of my family that was helping my parents. My father said sometimes they would leave the house in tears.

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u/Peonybabe 9d ago

Thank you for what you do! The hospice nurses I met - had to meet - were incredible.

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u/ChildhoodGlittering 9d ago

Every hospice nurse I’ve ever met has been an angel on earth. You all are priceless. The world needs more people like you. Thank you!

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u/plastic_thunder 9d ago

Thanks for doing it. The people who helped my mom were kind and even checked in on me a year later.

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u/daysinnroom203 9d ago

I wanted to do this for awhile after watching my mother in law due, and her room was full and the. Others were empty. Depressed the heck out of me. Then I watched a loved one die at home and while we stood by and just watched the nurse do her thing. I could not handle that. No way. I want to hold peoples hands so they don’t die alone, but I don’t want to be in the room with a family losing their loved one.

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u/djc6535 9d ago

Holy shit. My Mom is a hospice nurse in California and works twice as many hours for half as much pay...

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u/averagecommoner 9d ago

because the fucker is lying. look through his post history.

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u/IndecisiveTuna 9d ago

What the fuck. I’m in FL and did 1.5 years of hospice case managing, only earned around 70k with a shit ton of OT.

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u/myownbeer 9d ago

My wife does hospice work and doesn't make anywhere near that who do you work for.

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u/Axarraekji 9d ago

Can't say for privacy reasons 😬

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u/IceStormMeadows 9d ago

Wow. My mother in-law is a nurse for IHC. Has been for decades. So definitely senior level. And I think she makes about 1/2 or even a 1/3 of what you do.

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u/umbrellasunbrella 9d ago

Thats because this person is working 3 jobs getting paid to be on the clock for all of them at once. Not exactly ethical by any means when you tending to people in the last moments of life.

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u/YouDroppedYourDildo 9d ago

Can I ask what you made before the pandemic?

That seems like a lot of money, unless you're in like Salt Lake City.

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u/Axarraekji 9d ago

I made the same before the pandemic.

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u/mursemanmke 9d ago

I’m Utah??? Damn, I’ve only seen nurse salaries that high on the coasts

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u/Reddituser8018 9d ago

Oh interesting, I am currently going to college for nursing and I am thinking about going into hospice.

I honestly didn't know they could even get paid that much. I just wanted to go because the hospice nurses when my grandpa were dying, were terrible and my grandfather suffered a lot. It gave me a lot of mental problems as a kid seeing that and has inspired me to try to help families going through a similar situation making the departure as comfortable as possible.

150k a year on top of that would be nice though.

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u/Silent-Wishbone532 9d ago

Thats not an entry level salary and not something one can just pick up and do

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u/forestofcats 9d ago

That’s insane, my mother in law is a hospice nurse in the Chicago suburbs, works 6 days a week at least 10 hours a day and makes half that.

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u/CreamyPeanutButter14 9d ago

What company do you work for if you don't mind me asking? Is it like a home health type gig or are you in a nursing home?

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u/ihopeicanforgive 9d ago

Hospice nurse? I have so many questions not related to FI. Mind if I dm you?

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u/Axarraekji 9d ago

Sure, no problem

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u/raerae1991 9d ago

In Utah, my Moms hospice team was the best. Want to thank you for all the support you guys give ❤️

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u/MrPurple883 9d ago

But you have to live in Utah

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u/mmartinez59 9d ago

It's beautiful in Utah.

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u/JimmyLonghole 9d ago

Utah is actually pretty great!!

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u/Rydezkin 9d ago

Ridiculous. I mean in Finland, hospice nurse would get paid around 30k€, max 35k€ no matter the difficulty of the job.

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u/zen_nudist [34, 70% SR] 9d ago

And you still probably can't afford a nice 3-bedroom home here.

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u/Axarraekji 9d ago

Bought a 4 bedroom 0.26 acre home in 2016. Now? Forget about it. Prices are absurd. My wife is stay at home. 5 kids.