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 CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

Yes, I thought the claim it was "accidental" was a bit much. The OP has been there a week and has already antagonized her colleagues and her boss. She may move to a different job, but I cannot help but wonder what else she might "accidentally" do "in all innocence" that might antagonize her new colleagues. The takeaway here is a bit more complicated than "Don't disclose your salary and now you know why." The takeaway is also not to get too close to someone to quickly, not to fully trust someone you just met and don't brag (and humble bragging counts.). Team building is just as important as learning skills, and I hope the OP has learned all of those things from this discussion.

I'd advise the OP to do plenty of self-examination before she starts the new job lest she poison another set of working relationships.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Medical-Surgical.

I might add your future plans also.

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At the hospital where I had worked for 23 years I was making about $1.00 more an hour than new hires when I left. I was actually making MORE than the RN maximum salary because I had been there so long. We ALL knew the salary scale, and we annually got a 1% raise unless there was an across the board cost of living increase, and once you were past the maximum you got a 0.05% annual increase (which is how people caught up.) But we all had a rough idea of how much everyone made. Technically we were not supposed to discuss it, but we did (usually on nights where "They don't pay us enough to do this!")

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Specializes in Adult MICU/SICU.

I've been in the dog house once many, many years ago over something similar. Telling anyone your pay is nothing but inviting trouble, which is something you already know. You can't go back in time (unless you have a Delorean and 1.21 gigawatts).

Not sure what state you work in, but I live in Tucson, AZ: I've been a BSN trained RN for almost 23 years and I make significantly less money than you do as a new grad. Would that upset you?

In any event, money ignites jealousy, it's only natural. Everyone wants to be compensated for their hard work. Earning less sends the message: "You aren't as valued as nurse X", even if that's not true.

You just learned a very valuable lesson that no amount of money could ever buy.

Cut yourself some slack: we all make mistakes from time to time, therefore you are in good company. To err is human.

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Interesting. Where I work, everyone has the same pay scale, same raises at the same hours-worked steps.

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Not sure if you read everything but like I explained before I used the word "accident" only to convey that it was certainly a mistake and that the better word for me to use is mistakenly or naively. Again, at my last job people even compared checks (not me though). Common sense, perhaps it is. But I assumed I would be making far less than them so that even if I was techniccally started at a higher wage it wouldn't be that big of a deal. (My coworker has been there a year.) Again, I didn't bring up the topic, I was asked a direct question with 1 person and thought it'd be okay to be straight-forward. Thanks

First off... You accidentally drop your keys in to the annoying narrow spot between your car seat and the center console. You accidentally forget to sign a check to the electric company. You don't accidentally tell your salary. You did it on purpose, you just regret it now - that is different from an accident. Never Ever EVER talk about pay with anyone other that the people who do payroll or the person who controls your wage - and even then only when it's necessary.

EVER.

Everything that has happened in this situation is exactly why.

Has nobody ever told you this? This is common knowledge and common sense.

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I live in one of the highest paying states and cities for RN's. New graduates at my sisters hospital were started at 41.49. In the interview of my other hospital we will (mainly new grads as well) be started at $42.40 and once the union finishes their contract, as the manager told me, everyone will get a raise of about $9-11. Again, everyother state I have seen doesn't pay as well as this one.

I'm having a hard time believing anyone with very little experience makes $37-$42 an hr without being an agency/traveler.

P.S. I have had jobs where it was a grounds for dismissal as well.

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It's against federal law to fire someone because they disclosed their pay rate to coworkers, so that's pretty unlikely.

Unless you live in an at-will state. They don't have to disclose a reason for firing you at all.

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Specializes in Registered Nurse.
I live in one of the highest paying states and cities for RN's. New graduates at my sisters hospital were started at 41.49. In the interview of my other hospital we will (mainly new grads as well) be started at $42.40 and once the union finishes their contract, as the manager told me, everyone will get a raise of about $9-11. Again, everyother state I have seen doesn't pay as well as this one.

Nope. Still having a hard time believing that rate. Sorry. If you do actually get that rate, good for you.

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Specializes in OB.
Nope. Still having a hard time believing that rate. Sorry. If you do actually get that rate, good for you.

Really? I made $43/hour as a new grad on nights in 2008 in NYC. There are definitely places around the country where new nurses make that much.

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Lmao I think it's funny that you don't think its possible to make that much. Because of my expectations, 37 is seen as low for me. I live in California btw. Nurses in top hospitals in the Bay Area start can start at $50. Please do your research before doubting anyone. Cost of living is high as hell over here too.

But it what baffles me is why you think I have any reason to lie on an anonymous forum, and especially about my wage which has been the cause of my distress. Goodday

Nope. Still having a hard time believing that rate. Sorry. If you do actually get that rate, good for you.
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Certainly that isn't why she left. May have contributed though. I would have definitely been suspicious about someone blatantly asking me about my salary. TMI... Like many of the others have stated, let it ride. Trust is earned, not given. Congratulations on your new job!

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