US-based Kenyan nurse and content creator, popularly known as Nurse Judy, has hit back at critics who questioned the authenticity of her recent pay transparency post, insisting she has "absolutely ZERO reason to lie" about her earnings.
The nurse, who documents her life and career in America to her online followers, sparked a fresh wave of debate after sharing details of her biweekly paycheck, only for some Kenyans to accuse her of exaggerating her income.
The Backlash Begins
In a series of Instagram posts, Judy addressed a follower going by the handle @smarthotcookie, who had challenged the way she captioned her earnings.
Judy had earlier revealed that working in the United States has enabled her to earn the equivalent of up to Ksh 1.3 million per week, an amount far beyond what most nurses in Kenya take home in a month.
Responding to the doubts, Judy explained her reasoning for calling her paycheck "6 days' pay" rather than a standard biweekly cheque.
She broke down her work schedule for clarity, stating: "I traveled on August 8th and started working August 9th. The biweekly payroll period covered shifts worked from the 1st–15th. I started on the 9th and worked 6 shifts during that pay period."
"I Have Zero Reason to Lie"
Judy maintained that she has nothing to gain from fabricating her income, pointing out that she is just as open about slow periods as she is about high-paying ones.
"When I'm making crazy money, I talk about it. When the money is slow and shifts are dry, I talk about that too," she said.
She questioned why some followers found it easier to doubt her than to believe her success was real.
"What actually tickles me is how some of you find it easier to believe 'she must be lying' than to believe somebody figured out a blueprint you didn't know existed," she wrote.
Addressing the "20 Years in America" Argument
A recurring pushback Judy has faced involves other Kenyans in the US insisting her figures are impossible, often citing their own long stay in the country as proof.
Encouraging Other Nurses
Beyond defending herself, Judy used the moment to encourage fellow nurses to seek out higher-paying opportunities rather than dismiss them as impossible.
For context, registered nurses in Kenya typically earn between Ksh 55,000 and Ksh 110,000 per month in public hospitals, depending on experience.
"Meanwhile, some of us came here, stayed curious, asked questions, networked, switched agencies, explored different nursing opportunities," she said, adding that this was "what really irritates some of you."
She said her approach when encountering unfamiliar, high-paying roles was always to ask questions rather than assume dishonesty.
Judy has previously spoken about the range of nursing paths available in the US, including strike nursing, travel nursing, per diem work, and private-duty nursing- opportunities she says many overlook simply because they are unfamiliar.
