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[quote=Anonymous]20 year RN here. 
I worked in the MICU at Hopkins and in Labor and Delivery--both places which are about as challenging as it gets for RNs in terms of critical thinking.  I was in my 20's during both jobs and at that point in my life I wanted more autonomy and I simply wanted to "think" more.  
I was an awesome ICU nurse and took care of some of the sickest patients there are (at Hopkins they were all transfers from ICUs across the state and region) but ultimately I was still following the orders of physicians.  It's the nature of nursing.  I struggled with it in my 20's.   I wanted a job that would require me to really think.  My first degree was not in nursing and was from an Ivy.  My classmates were the ones making their decisions in their careers and I was following the orders of others.
Now that I'm 40 I don't the autonomy and stress that would come from being the decision maker when life and death are in the balance. 
I did end up getting a master's degree and worked in an autonomous role as a nurse midwife for 5 years.  I did home births and ran the show.  It was crazy/sttressful and wonderful all at the same time. 
Now I'm 40's and my main role in life is being a mother to 3 kids and partner to a a husband who is the main breadwinner and works long hours.  I work full time doing case management from home and make around $95K. However, on occasion I look around for other jobs and I realize 
that I would have a difficult time replicating my salary and that I may never make $100k.   I've had 5 interviews in the past 6 months and all have ended when I said that I wanted $90K.  Simply because they can find nurses to do that job (my job) for less.  That's pretty significant for someone who has close to 20 years of experience in a career.

Also, to the nurse making $100K as a fed--yes, that is definitely an employer who pays nurses better than just about anyone.  I have a few friends who also make $100K in the fed world.  The fed pays doctors below market rate but tends to pay nurses well.   Just like they pay attorneys below what many make in the private sector but pays many administrators more than they can get elsewhere.   The fed is great for people in middle-level type jobs/professions. [/quote]

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