Accidentally told my coworker what I make, BIG ISSUES NOW

Nurses Relations

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Hi all! So I am relatively a new graduate (3 months prior experience) before landing a job at a SNF. I have only been there for a week and although I was told during the interview that I would be working nights, my manager wanted me on the 3-11 shift to learn admissions for a month. I've been working with this RN for about 2 days now and shes really nice. We talk about out personal lives and etc. (For example she had a daughter by someone who is the same ethnic background as me..etc). So I'm explain my experience from my last job at a large teaching hospital and simply mention that I am taking a pay cut but its worth it because I want the experience. She then asks "Oh what are they starting you at." I stupidly tell her my wage (37) and didn't think anything of it. I explain that I usually leave the part on the application where it says to put your desired wage blank but this time around I put a high wage (I was getting paid 5 dollars more at my last job than this one.) She then says oh wow your very lucky and that they didnt start her at that wage and she put 38 on her application but management told her that they couldn't afford to pay her that. Anyways she says I'm lucky and we leave it at that.

My next day, I notice that she is acting a bit different but didn't think anything of it...it is a stressful job however. I do notice however that we dont seem to see eachother at all and that she didn't teach the the computer system (the most important part) but is teaching the other new hire the computer system. When I sit down to observe so I can learn the phone rings. She quickly looks at me and says "Can you answer the phone in a dismissive tone." Again, didn't think anything of it.

When night shift comes on, one of the night nurses says its her last day. No body knows why it seems very VERY abrupt because nobody talked about it before. I see her and this other nurse(my preceptor I suppose) kind of talking privately. This nurse that resigned was a nice girl and I ask "Oh where are you going?" All she says is "Somewhere." which again I thought was a bit odd.

The next day my manager comes up to me and asks me to meet him in his office. By his tone I can tell something was wrong but have no idea. He asks me if I told anyone my wage and I said yes to my preceptor. He then informs me that 1 nurse (the night nurse) quit because of it and that 2 more are considering quitting. I explain that it was naive and I didn't know i confided in her. He tells me she is not your friend, she went and told everyone and that she is already treating you differently. He then says next shift you will be on nights, I need to get you away from them. EVERYTHING now makes sense to me.

Sorry for the long post but what should I do or is there anything that I can do to rectify this situation. Should I confront/talk to this nurse who went and talked about me to everyone? I do not know how much the other nurses are making and had NO IDEA I was even making more than them. IDK if its because I have my BSN or bc they knew I wouldn't have accepted a job or a wage any lower when I was making $5 more at my last job. I feel HORRIBLY about this especially because our SNF is already so short-staffed.

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I am shocked there are so many clinging to the antiquated idea that discussing salary is gauche especially because it is exactly why women and minorities have been historically paid less than white men. I'm forever thankful to the colleagues who shared their salaries with me and I pay it forward every chance I get. The salary spread I have been privy to among my NP graduating class has varied by $60,000-yes a year. Any idea how much that adds up to over the course of a career? I'm grateful my colleagues weren't like some of the smug posters here who won't share their rate with others. Hopefully they aren't assuming they are making so much that they don't want others to be jealous because that might be incorrect but alas they will never know.

I'm in California!

I'd like to know what state you're in that pays that much at a SNF? That's nice!

Your support is very much appreciated! Like seriously (: What I will say is that I have noticed some fiesty attitudes on other posts as well. I think that no matter how much one says it was a certain way, some will just see it the way they imagine it and go with that (For example since 37 seems like high wage to many people (esp. those that do not live in California) its automatically assumed that I was bragging.

And yes good advice. that was actually the FIRST thing I asked my manager after he told me. Those words exactly!! "What can I do to rectify this situation.?" Unfortunately he said there is nothing that could be done as it is already out and you can't undo it. He said the only solution would be to give all the nurses higher raises but said "but I don't think my boss is going to want to do that." So yeah, nothing.

I somewhat feel that my manager has my back? (again this is the director not HR or anything, up until now he did not know what nurses working there made and didn't have any contribution when coming up with pay.) Again still wondering why I was paid more, but I am no longer complaining. Later that day I asked him how everything is going. He said that some are complaining but ahh well we will deal with it.

I definitely will not chastise anyone on here, and after googling and reading these posts for years, actually posting and so many people pitching in there opinions is motivation for me to contribute to other posts that I have experience in their situations, and perhaps be a "saving grace" like yourself.

Very thankful that at least one person understands!!!!!

I'm really sorry you came here for advice and received so much negative, talking down to!! I have observed this as well in other posts I have read on this site. I can understand how it could slip out... We ALL have let things slip or had things come out differently than we intended before!!

I would suggest that you go back and talk to the manager again and ask if there is anything that you could do to rectify this. Reality is that a good manager would have called everyone in and put his/her foot down!! If then others can't work well together and treat others in this manner... I wouldn't want them on my team. Granted things could get difficult until everything turns around and people are replaced BUT....I would let them all know that they either get along or move along!

So sorry that you have encountered the eating of the young or in this case the new! And I remain, after many many years, appalled that this profession treats their own in this manner!! So, hoping that of all the lessons you have found here, one is to never with hold training or knowledge to suit yourself (no wonder she is making less!!) and that you would never ever treat others the way they have (after all it's not your fault he gave you more and her less) and... Hoping you will never ever treat others as those here, who have talked down to you and betrayed you when you were simply asking for advice. Keep your chin up and obviously watch your back! It will either turn around or you will need to find an environment that is indeed a team environment. Best of luck!!

Specializes in NICU.

Okay, this culture of being secretive about your salary is silly. Being secretive about your salary only serves to help the management and company keep more money when in reality many RNs may be underpaid unfairly. What is the advantage to keeping it secret? If you don't want to disclose, I would certainly wouldn't care about it, however no one should be ostracized for sharing their salary (although the OP may have been a bit naive in sharing it straight away on the second day of the job). Information is power, plain and simple.

I have no problems disclosing that I made up to $65k as a NICU RN on the east coast (without OT) and now make $95k as a NNP in the southwest. If you look at the NP forum, there is plenty of salary discussion on what's fair and plenty of people telling folks that they shouldn't accept low wages and negotiate. RNs should do the same.

Have any hiring managers posted on this thread?

Specializes in ER.
Okay, this culture of being secretive about your salary is silly. Being secretive about your salary only serves to help the management and company keep more money when in reality many RNs may be underpaid unfairly. What is the advantage to keeping it secret? If you don't want to disclose, I would certainly wouldn't care about it, however no one should be ostracized for sharing their salary (although the OP may have been a bit naive in sharing it straight away on the second day of the job). Information is power, plain and simple.

I have no problems disclosing that I made up to $65k as a NICU RN on the east coast (without OT) and now make $95k as a NNP in the southwest. If you look at the NP forum, there is plenty of salary discussion on what's fair and plenty of people telling folks that they shouldn't accept low wages and negotiate. RNs should do the same.

I made $90,000 last year as a lowely ASN. :cheeky:

Specializes in NICU.
I made $90,000 last year as a lowely ASN. :cheeky:

I'm happy for you- especially if you did no OT. Wagging your tongue out at me would seem to encourage a bragging culture, which (I suspect) is a large reason why folks wouldn't want to disclose their salaries due to its inherent distastefulness. I think simply stating the facts is a better way to get your information across. As an aside, it looks like you also have 23 years experience while I have 8 years, which probably accounts for the similarity in wages.

Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

I apologize and take back what I said about "be glad you aren't fired!", it was an ignorant statement on my part.

I stand by my OPINION that it simply is not ever a good idea to tell a co-worker what you make! If you already work in a place with low morale, and you don't particularly plan on leaving, why make things worse????

I work somewhere with GREAT morale, and I'm not about to tell anyone what I'm making. Its not their business... I'm just going to say, it would be a bad idea, and leave it at that.

Agreed. This situation surely brought on a lot of trouble for me. What really irks me is that bc of this lady all the RN's and (prob lvns too) know my wage while I don't know anybody elses wage and everyone else doesn't know anybody elses wage. Now people can easily lie to manipulate eachother or to support them "talking bad about me." there were 2 other RN's hired around the same time as me, they can very well be paid my wage but they'd certainly lie about it now. Kind of makes me feel like a walking target, but I digress!

No need to apologize! I completely understand where you were coming from.

I apologize and take back what I said about "be glad you aren't fired!", it was an ignorant statement on my part.

I stand by my OPINION that it simply is not ever a good idea to tell a co-worker what you make! If you already work in a place with low morale, and you don't particularly plan on leaving, why make things worse????

I work somewhere with GREAT morale, and I'm not about to tell anyone what I'm making. Its not their business... I'm just going to say, it would be a bad idea, and leave it at that.

Specializes in ER.

Absolutely!!! Never ever tell this information. Take it to the grave...if you must tell someone, only tell your mother.

Specializes in ER.

The real answer is for nurses to learn how to negotiate, and learn how to walk away. It's a sad situation in that a lot of people don't negotiate.

Interesting indeed. I wouldn't say that the majority of comments are in support of me though. And what do you mean that "it wont upset them," as in the lpn won't be upset or the cnas. Very curious. I'd definetely say that someone in a higher role making less than someone in a lower role would be a bit more touchy. Also wondering if the cna's had many more years seniority at the company compared to the lvn or vice vera.

The thread is in the Lpn forum.

They said the Lpn should be happy for the Cna.

i don't know about this thread,but I do tell other Rn's how much i make.

Lpn's and Cna's,I do not at all.

My job is a little different in that hourly wage is based on Insurance and or skill set.

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