2.5% annual raise - should I be as irritated as I am?

[iLOVEbees]

I am an ICU nurse with many years of experience.

I very rarely call in. I think I called in once in the last year, but that may have been last year. I work extra shifts frequently.

I do not get involved in unit politics or drama. I work hard and do not get written up.

Other nurses treat me as a resource person.

With all of that, I got graded a 2.25 on a 1 to 4 scale. The person doing my evaluation is brand new and said my evaluation was done by "charge nurses" but would not name who did it.

I am getting a 2.5% raise due to this. This means I am really getting a pay cut due to inflation.

Putting my vexation about the review aside, do I have a right to be as irritated as I am about a 2.5% increase? What are y'all getting?

I'm trying to breathe deeply and get my head straight before I talk to the unit director.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I would venture to guess that very few people get fair reviews even though they might be performing well in their jobs. Nurse managers and supervisors must remain under budget, and too many good reviews would cut into that goal due to the increased pay raises.

Due to employers taking advantage of the current economic climate, some nurses have not gotten pay raises in several years, especially if they work for a facility that is not unionized.

[TiffyRN, BSN, PhD]

The way I used to understand it; most of the employees (since I've been a nurse) got between a 3-5% raise depending on how they scored on various factors (which have little to nothing to do with skill).

Where I work now it was initially explained to me that we got between 2-5% based on some system of points that made it virtually impossible to get more than 3-4%.

More recently it was explained more in detail. That scale puts you in a range, but in truth it's up to the discretion of the manager what the final % raise is going to be. The manager is given only so much money he/she can distribute in the form of raises, so he/she is going to have more to distribute in better years (not so much the last couple of years).

I've heard lots of grumbling from folks the last few months. Nurses that do many extra activities at work and are used to being in the 4-5% range are coming away with 2-3%. My eval is done and awaiting the "number" from the manager. I'm not expecting anything above 2%.

I guess what I'm saying is, it's not about you. I think most employers are feeling the pinch and figure they can get away with shorting the raises and most nurses are not looking to "shop around" right now.

[agldragonRN]

what are y'all getting?

i am getting 1% raise every year x 3 years, then 2% 4th year, and 3% 5th year. i am union so it is in our 5 year contract. so the nurses who are lazy get the same pay increase as someone who bust their behind.

i know a couple of nurse friends who had not had a raise in a couple of years due to "economy" per the employer.

[86toronado, BSN, RN]

I got a less than1% raise this year (union, not performance based) Just had this discussion with my mom yesterday, actually. Any raise is good in this economic climate.

[nerdtonurse?, BSN, RN]

You GOT a raise?

Our hospital's running in the red due to all the non-pay. So none of us are getting one. I'm sure that's not true of the docs and execs, given all the new cars showing up in their section of the parking lot...

[madwife2002, BSN, RN]

Here in NW Ohio they layed off all LPN'S and cut the nurses hours so I would just take the raise and pray for an economical recovery soon

[Biffbradford]

How many people in America have gone the past 5 or 6 years with NO raise?

You have a JOB.

Choose your battles carefully.

[CCFCP]

Id be happy with any raise at this point.. my salary increase from CNA to LPN at my facility happened 2 months after my annual review and they wont give me a raise because they are considering that to be my raise for the year.. but that means I lose out till my next review. This really bites.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

I can understand being unhappy with a moderate review score. I am sorry for that. If you truly feel it is erroneous shrug it off and continue on in your now 2.5% higher paying job. If there is any truth in the details of it, then make corrections and continue on in your now 2.5% higher paying job.

Congratulations on your raise. Getting one at all says something about how you are valued and it is a GOOD message. Don't let unrealistic expectations rob you of that knowledge. All of the talk of it being a pay cut with inflation is just working yourself up. A pay cut is a pay cut. A raise is a raise. Inflation is happening to everyone and raises are not something anyone is entitled to. Cost of living raises are nonexistant these days. You did good getting one at all right now. Let yourself be happy.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

I too am happy to have a job. Last year got 3%, then had 1% taken away.

This year, nothing.

But again, I have a job.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

Many nurses can't find jobs, many nurses haven't have a raise of any kind in 3-5 years. In Realit, you are very lucky to recieve anything at all. I know when I did evaluations, I and the other managers, would be told what would be given of the 2-5% and what grade score was associated to what percentage. We would be told that prior approval would be necessary prior to evaluating any one to get 5% to deem the credibility of the managers claim that the employee deserves the raise. It was made explicitly clear that the "raise" was for morale and had nothing to do with actual mertit or financial benefit.

Congratulations on your raise ......little though it is.....:heartbeat