Help on a Pay Scale issue!!!

rjflyn, ASN, RN · Aug 17, 2005

Or you could email the hospitals HR department your self asking what there pay scale is.

I will add however $17 hr is pretty low no matter where one lives, new grad or not. Another point its hard to believe also that a new grad is going to get a "contract" a facility as generally most places want a person to have at least one year of experence in a particular specialty. Now if contract means working at an unionized facility on weekends only $36 hr is posible as generally something like that also carries no benefits.

Rj

2003rn, ASN, RN · Aug 17, 2005

I think the RNs who are paid the bigger $$ work per diem with no benefits. I don't know for sure though.

Debbie1972 · Aug 17, 2005

I think the RNs who are paid the bigger $$ work per diem with no benefits. I don't know for sure though.

per diem is with no benefits, you pay your own taxes and you are on "as needed" basis? Is that right?

I'm not finding out much on the web, but I do know on the CAMC website they say you start at $17 with all the great benefits. I'm now getting confused.

rjflyn, ASN, RN · Aug 18, 2005

My response to the original poster with the added information is that someone is blowing something up you skirt to put it polietly. If thats what the web site is listing there isnt anyway I can see a new grad getting more than double that. The only possible thing I could see a new grad making that much more in that case would be an ARNP- an advanced practice nurse and to that end if thats the case they are way under paid.

RJ

jsteine1 · Aug 18, 2005

It is entirely possible to make 35-37 hour as a contractor through an aggressive staffing or travel agency. My brother is a lead recruiter for one of the largest national Nurse travel companies and confirms that this is all too true.That kind of over the top hourly wage tells you that the supply and demand in that particular workplace is extreme. However, it would typically be night shift,include lots of weekends in a specialty unit and usually there are some other "teeth" in the contract, such as a specified time frame. Staff nurses, full time with some predictable schedule who get benefits and paid time off will not see that kind of money. The average "value" of a benefits package is about 15% of your hourly wage or annual salary. There are a number of Hospital and LTC corporations who will add in that 15% to base pay if a full time employee waives the benefit package because they have coverage through their spouse. Thats worth inquiring about when seeking a job.

Consider this: If a nurse makes 35/hour, her agency is getting more per hour (over 40)to pay the nurse and cover their overhead costs. If hospitals would strategically improve their wage levels, some would SAVE money by avoiding temps and contracting, which destroys the margins in any health care business. Some organisations do this successfully, some cant. In a geographical area that experiences seasonal census fluctuations, using temps is necessary.

barefootlady, ADN, RN · Aug 19, 2005

New grad starting wage is 17.50 to 18.00/hr without diffs. Diffs are evening, nights, weekends, and call-out pay for special units (OR, dialysis, ICU in some cases). No, per Diem here is covered by taxes if you work for the facility, otherwise, some of the agencies do not take out for taxes and this causes a big headache. The general amount of diffs is .75hr to 1.00hr for evenings, 1.25hr for nights and weekends. Special call out bonus is dependent on facility and what supervisor offers. Usually 30.00. Pay is low here.

rjflyn, ASN, RN · Aug 19, 2005

I agree with your post but the original poster was talking about a new grad. Most agencies and travel compainies want experence. That experence for most companies is at least one year in your chosen specialty. The more exp the more the pay.

Rj

It is entirely possible to make 35-37 hour as a contractor through an aggressive staffing or travel agency. My brother is a lead recruiter for one of the largest national Nurse travel companies and confirms that this is all too true.That kind of over the top hourly wage tells you that the supply and demand in that particular workplace is extreme. However, it would typically be night shift,include lots of weekends in a specialty unit and usually there are some other "teeth" in the contract, such as a specified time frame. Staff nurses, full time with some predictable schedule who get benefits and paid time off will not see that kind of money. The average "value" of a benefits package is about 15% of your hourly wage or annual salary. There are a number of Hospital and LTC corporations who will add in that 15% to base pay if a full time employee waives the benefit package because they have coverage through their spouse. Thats worth inquiring about when seeking a job.
Consider this: If a nurse makes 35/hour, her agency is getting more per hour (over 40)to pay the nurse and cover their overhead costs. If hospitals would strategically improve their wage levels, some would SAVE money by avoiding temps and contracting, which destroys the margins in any health care business. Some organisations do this successfully, some cant. In a geographical area that experiences seasonal census fluctuations, using temps is necessary.

jo27jean · Aug 29, 2005

I agree with some of the posts in that a new grad making that kind of money is not the norm. I have worked for staffing agencies and have made that kind of money but that is after being in my field for 6 years. You don't have benefits but taxes are taken out...the plus side is most of the time you get to pick when you want to work and where. I do not need health insurance so I look at the flexibilty as a benefit........one that my family really likes too.

jsteine1 · Aug 29, 2005

I recently been having a hard time explaining to my girl-friend that new grad RNs in WV are NOT making $27 to $36 an hour. We live close to CAMC, and I'm a new nursing student so I know they are starting more like $17. (plus the differentials)
Today, a hairdresser told her that her sister is a new grad and making $36 under contract with CAMC working the weekend shift. Please, someone write back so I can print it out and show it to her. If I am wrong and it IS possible, I will just have to eat my words, right? Is there any legitimate way this is true?
Thanks,
Debbie

The only way I can think of where that might be true STILL this is a stretch... is that shes working weekends in their perdiem float pool under contract. New grads will often be allowed to work in an institutions' float pools. Theres no benefits paid time off etc, so the money goes to the hourly pay rate, with weekend and off shift premiums. The most obvious solution is for you or the hairdresser or your friend to call CAMC, say you an RN new grad and that you wish to work weekends any shift and whats the payrate? The other posters are correct: new grads are not hired by the travel companies, too much risk and not enough experience to warrant the kind of billing rates charged by the travel co. which in turn could cause the travel company to lose that customer.

jsteine1 · Aug 29, 2005

I just quickly tapped into the compensation section of the CAMC website. The payscales for nurses are clearly listed.

17/hr for new grad- weekend diffs and offshift diffs of 1.25 each.

For experienced nurses- The above with a 1.25 experience diff plus a 1.25 Critical care differential

Add it all up, around 1.25 per hour for each diff- still doesnt come even close to 27/hour,much less 36.

SO:

A critical care nurse with experience who works weekends on the night shift caps out at )I am assuming the base pay is 18.25 for experience plus 1.25 for weekend , plus 1.25 for evenings or nights plus 1.25 for the critical care specialty caps out at: 22.00 per hour

Debbie1972 · Aug 29, 2005

Thank you, I will now print and prove my point to my friend!

Deb