MGH is offering new grad ICU internship for $11.44 an hour?

[DisneybearRN]

I was cruising the hospital websites as I do everyday as a new grad and came across this:

The Department of Nursing at Massachusetts General Hospital is running a New Graduate RN ICU Residency Program for six months from April 2011 to September 2011. RN residents will be hired and trained to work successfully in an intensive care setting.

Qualified applicants MUST have:

- a Baccalaureate of Science Degree in Nursing

- a current MA RN license

- less than 10 months of professional RN experience in a healthcare setting

- completed a clinical practicum in an ICU or experience in a patient assistive role in an ICU.

RN Residents will be eligible for benefits and paid a salary of $11.44 per hour. The schedule will be 40 hours per week with five 8-hour shifts. Day/Night rotation with weekends and holidays required.

11.44 an hour? They can't be serious...can they? They pay their CNAs more!

[nifty_n]

Wow that is absolutely terrible. I would never consider working as an RN for $11 /hour

[goodgrief]

This is what happens with supply vs. demand. If there were truly a nursing shortage then the hospitals wouldn't be able to get away with paying so little. Just 5 years ago I took an ICU internship with full pay, didn't have to sign a contract, $10,000 student loan repayment and they paid for my moving expenses to relocate. Obviously there is no nursing shortage b/c you don't see those kind of benefits offered anymore.

From what people are saying on here, the spots for this new grad residency are actually being filled at this ridiculously, almost comical, low pay. If people weren't willing to settle and if no spots in the residency were filled then the hospital would be forced to pay more to the new grads. However, with this over abundance of RNs the hospitals can be picky about who they hire and can pay whatever they want. It's not the hospital's problem or the hospital's fault that some new grad RN took out a bunch of student loans, the hospitals honestly couldn't care less about your student loans. What it really comes down to: hospitals are businesses.

[Nurse_NYC, BSN]

In the medical world, it is well known that MGH has the reputation of a ”bully culture.” This culture seems to have spilled over into nursing as well. $11.44 is a slap in the face. They will keep doing this as long as people keep accepting those positions. Paying $11.44 is also discriminatory and classist. ”Those who do not have other sources of income need not apply.” It's time for larger nursing organizations to step up to the plate and start calling out hospitals that degrade the nursing profession. 

[Nurse_NYC, BSN]

This is why I support nursing unions. 

In the medical world, it is well known that MGH has the reputation of having a ”bully culture.” This culture seems to have spilled over into nursing as well. $11.44 is a slap in the face. They will keep doing this as long as people keep accepting those positions. Paying $11.44 is also discriminatory and classist. ”Those who do not have other sources of income need not apply.” It's time for larger nursing organizations to step up to the plate and start calling out hospitals that degrade the nursing profession. This is a perfect example of why I support nursing unions. 

[OncologyCat, BSN, RN]

MGH unfortunately does not have a nursing union even though many other hospitals in the same Mass General Brigham (which used to be Partners Healthcare) system have an active union. However the new grad base rate seem to be the same across the system. It’s similar at MGH and BWH at least from what I know. Still, MGH not having a nursing union is mainly the reason why I didn’t choose to work there. Last I read from their latest new grad job description the base hourly rate is $20/hr now for the first 14-16 weeks of orientation and will be increased (not sure to how much; it doesn’t specify) once residency completes. The thing is new grads continue to apply and take the job at that salary so obviously the hospitals don’t have incentives to increase the rate. Many new grads I know who took the new grad positions at MGH or BWH all have to live at home with their parents in the greater Boston area, or else they couldn’t afford rent!