Student Nurse negotiating on pay after graduation.

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I am a student nurse at a hospital in Tennessee. My pay right now is $10 an hour. I met some new grads during orientation and they said their starting pay is $18.50. Neither one of them were student nurses during nursing school. I want to know if anyone has any experience or information on negotiating after graduating assuming one will stay on the unit they worked while in school or even transferring to another unit in the same hospital.

Do you think it would be acceptable to negotiate with the nurse manager and/or HR?

I would be a new grad but I would at least have the floor experience on the unit. The nurse manager told me they would want us student nurses to come on as a nurse once we graduate.

(In this situation) Would it be a good idea to at least explore and ask when the time comes or take the new grad pay? I would want to negotiate for $20.00 an hour but I would agree to $19.50. I am not aware of their benefits so that and the $18.50 pay may balance out. Thank you for reading and any opinions given.

Emergent, based on my idea of nice I would say 1400-2000+

I concur with the other respondents: as a newer nurse, you have no bargaining chips upon which you can negotiate a higher rate of pay. You have no specialized experience that differentiates you from the rest of the herd.

You can certainly ask for $19.50/hourly, but why in the world would HR agree when there's likely a line of fresh faces who would willingly accept $18.50 with no questions asked? Also, HR frowns upon negotiating staff nurse wages out of the desire to avoid claims of discrimination.

I agree.

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Moved to general nursing student

Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.

When you say you are a student nurse, I think maybe you're referring to a position known here as "nurse extern" -- someone who is working in a nurse capacity while still in nursing school, with a licensed RN preceptor who monitors your activities on the job and has to cosign all your assessments, medication administration, etc.

In that case, since you will basically not need ANY orientation/precepting, I could see the unit manager being willing to start you at a slightly higher wage. But if they say that they can't, don't let that be a deal-breaker for you. Remember that nurse externships are basically "lost money" to the unit -- they have to pay a licensed nurse to be responsible for your patients, in addition to paying you. Externships are offered with the idea that the student will ultimately be hired onto the unit and they won't need orienting.

Basically they are investing money in your success... instead of paying for a preceptor after you're licensed, they're paying now to precept you so that when you are licensed, you can hit the floor ready to go. So that money that they will be saving by not having to precept you has already been spent paying you and your preceptor during your "student nurse/nurse extern" period, which may mean that they can't offer you anything beyond the standard starting nurse wage, even though you'll have more experience than a typical new grad.

I graduated this earlier this year and from what i have seen most places have a set pay for new nurses. As a student nurse , what functions did you perform? Student nurses job have different variations, i know at some places allow they them to perform nurse functions while others worked at the level of a cna. As you will come to realize nurses in general do not not make a lot of money. It's all about supply and demand.

To the OP-You really have no leverage as a new graduate nurse as you do not have any professional RN experience. Additionally-once you are hired-you are in the pipeline for scheduled evaluations and raises. It is very difficult to negotiate for more money after you are hired.

You have to decide what are "your must haves". Are you prepared to walk away if you do not get your $19.50/hr? You may have to move out of state for more money but the cost of living may be higher.

Good luck!

Specializes in Psych/Mental Health.

I would try looking for more jobs and take whichever one offers the most and/or more hours, provided that quality of management is similar.

To the OP-You really have no leverage as a new graduate nurse as you do not have any professional RN experience. Additionally-once you are hired-you are in the pipeline for scheduled evaluations and raises. It is very difficult to negotiate for more money after you are hired.

You have to decide what are "your must haves". Are you prepared to walk away if you do not get your $19.50/hr? You may have to move out of state for more money but the cost of living may be higher.

Good luck!

Thank you! I actually live in Knoxville and I have looked at other cities in the south (Nashville, Atlanta, Charleston, Asheville, etc) and most of them pay around the same so now I do not see a reason to move until I get some experience under my belt.

Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.

I disagree that it is "wrong" to suggest that you would like a slightly higher pay rate when you have been working there already as a student nurse/nurse extern. Now, they very likely will say no - you really don't have much bargaining power yet. But the answer is definitely "no" if you don't ask. If you have already demonstrated that you are a good worker and would be a valuable employee, I wouldn't worry about coming off as entitled. They have already seen your work as a student nurse, and your actions and hard work will speak for you. (You ARE a hard worker, I assume.)

If/when they stay firm on their salary offer, I suggest that you take it and get that valuable new grad experience, regardless.

I believe that not being willing to, or good at, negotiation is one reason that nurses continue to have the level of pay that they have. So, if you don't choose to negotiate now, that's understandable. But definitely remember that you can negotiate in the future.

Wow, the pay sucks in Tennessee!

That's what I was thinking!!

Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.

If the pay at your hospital is based on a union contract, then you won't have any negotiation regarding salary. Most hospitals with union contracts have a set pay scale and you move up the scale based on the contract. I'm surprised at how low the pay is in your area. However, I'm assuming the cost of living is also much lower, too. Good luck on your upcoming NCLEX :)

Specializes in ED.

I am also in Knoxville and think I know of the place that you are referring. They will not pay you more. If you want more $$ try Blount or a Covenant facility (union).

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