Lower pay during orientation months?

Gabby-RN · Feb 3, 2014

Are you saying that every nurse new to the organization would receive 75% of their salary during orientation or specifically new nurses? My current employer has a 12 week orientation, I don't think I would have made the switch if they only paid me 75% of my wages for 3 months. I would not have been able to afford it.

Sam J. · Feb 3, 2014

I've heard the idea before so I don't think it's new.
I've worked in the corporate world for 25 years prior to nursing, and I've never heard of anyone being paid less during orientation. I've obviously entered a whole different world in nursing.

I've only heard of that in trade jobs, as in being an apprentice. In over 30 years, and in many states from coast to coast, and in all kinds of health care arenas, military and civilian, I've never heard of this in nursing. And the replies are all over the place, from disbelief, to borderline hostility that a nurse would expect to be paid full pay during orientation? As far as nursing being a whole different world, now- that's the understatement of the year.

Some of the things I read about in here about the current state of nursing make me feel like I have just woken up, on a different PLANET...

Gotta love this forum- you never know what's coming next!

Ruby Vee, BSN · Feb 3, 2014

Has anyone heard that the Cleveland Clinic will now only pay 75% of your starting salary during the months of your orientation period?
I know competition in Cleveland is fierce and the Clinic is cutting its budget, but this doesn't seem quite fair.

I hadn't heard that, but it seems very fair to me. While you're on orientation, you're not really providing value to the employer. You have potential to provide value, assuming that you finish your orientation and then stay in your job for long enough to become competent -- more than two years, usually. But while you're on orientation, you're just costing them money and as discussed else where on this board, new grads tend NOT to stay in their jobs long enough to become competent. I'm sorry if that opinion seems harsh -- but job hopping has it's cost.

leekaye · Feb 4, 2014

Why do people feel so entitled?! As a new nurse, do you want to make the same as an experienced nurse right away?, while you're at it, let's bypass seniority and give you all the good weeks for vacation too. We all have to start somewhere and yes, while you're training, you are not being as productive, you are just learning.

I'm not saying that new nurses should make the same as experienced nurses. I'm saying that new nurses should be paid the starting rate for new nurses from Day 1, not Day 90. This isn't a competition. No one is trying to take away vacation or salary from experienced nurses.

We should be supporting our fellow nurses, not attacking them and bringing them down.

leekaye · Feb 4, 2014

But while you're on orientation, you're just costing them money and as discussed else where on this board, new grads tend NOT to stay in their jobs long enough to become competent.

Let's not put all new grads in one group. And I'm not sure how this differs from other companies who absorb the cost of training new employees. All employee training costs money. It's one of the prime incentives for reducing turnover in business.

I don't think it's a valid argument that new trainees shouldn't be paid starting wage since they're not fully productive. One could argue that vacations cost the employer since the nurse on vacation is an expense and the employer must pay for other nurses to cover. Nonetheless, it's a standard benefit because it's considered good business practice to provide vacations since they enhance morale and entice a quality workforce. I doubt anyone would argue that nurses on vacation should be paid only a portion of their salary since they aren't actually "providing value" to their employer during that period.

Sam J. · Feb 4, 2014

One could argue that vacations cost the employer since the nurse on vacation is an expense and the employer must pay for other nurses to cover.

One could also argue that if new nurses shouldn't be paid full salary because they aren't 'really working', then nurses on vacation sholdn't be paid at ALL (or even better, be forced to pay for their own replacements), becaue they aren't even IN the building? Eegads.

Gabby-RN · Feb 4, 2014

I hadn't heard that but it seems very fair to me. While you're on orientation, you're not really providing value to the employer. You have potential to provide value, assuming that you finish your orientation and then stay in your job for long enough to become competent -- more than two years, usually. But while you're on orientation, you're just costing them money and as discussed else where on this board, new grads tend NOT to stay in their jobs long enough to become competent. I'm sorry if that opinion seems harsh -- but job hopping has it's cost.[/quote']
I am not sure I believe it would take the average nurse with experience 2 years or more to become competent in a new position. I can't imagine many nurses with experience who switch hospitals because of relocation or other reasons see themselves as incompetent or not worthy of receiving their full salary while being oriented at a new facility.
There is a big difference between orienting as a new grad and orienting as an experienced nurse in my opinion.

amygarside · Feb 4, 2014

I think it is just normal. You will not get paid of who you are, you will be paid of how you can handle the job. For newbies, I think it is just fair. If you are good enough with your work, it won't be a problem.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Feb 4, 2014

I think it is just normal. You will not get paid of who you are, you will be paid of how you can handle the job. For newbies, I think it is just fair. If you are good enough with your work, it won't be a problem.

Maybe I misunderstood. I didn't think the proposal was that they pay newbies for how good they are; rather that newbies be paid 3/4 of their salary until they're off orientation.

Birry · Feb 7, 2014

Don't worry, eventually new grads will be on a "volunteer" basis, ultimately leading up to the corporate wet dream coup de gras of charging new grads for their training.

schnookimz · Feb 8, 2014

Don't worry eventually new grads will be on a "volunteer" basis, ultimately leading up to the corporate wet dream coup de gras of charging new grads for their training.[/quote']
Maybe that wouldn't be so bad. It's sort of a flashback to many years ago when nurses went to hospital programs and were trained jn the hospital and worked during their programs
If something like that existed and I had an opportunity to work at the hospital, earn a BSN and network all at the same time, seems like it would be alright.

BeccaBSN · Apr 15, 2014

I know of at least one hospital that does in fact charge new grads for their "residency", after which they may or may not be offered a job. There are also several in my area that offer unpaid residencies (we're talking months here) after which there is no guarantee of paid work. And competition to get into them is fierce! What a crazy job market.