Advice please?: Pay rate, job hunting, the whole nine yards

[newrse]

I had made a post before, but I didn't really get that much feedback.

Today I went in for an interview and was offered a job for an acute/apheresis dialysis position.

All was well, but the manager mentioned that I'd be making the same pay rate as I do at my current job in chronic dialysis. I didn't feel like it was my place to discuss rates with her- Isn't that something you discuss with HR? She said they will contact me.

Do you think it's worth accepting this job if it's the same pay rate with "more" responsibilities? I do value learning the acute and apheresis side. And I always imagined staying in dialysis for the rest of my career.. But money is money is money.

So I have pressures telling me I shouldn't box myself in this one specialty (no matter how much I love it)..And that med/surg unit is the way I should be going, and I'd probably get more money. I personally don't have a passion for bedside nursing.

Advice, please?!

[jennylee321]

If you don't have passion for bedside nursing don't do it. It will show and your not going to enjoy it regardless of the pay. If it's the same your making in chronic dialysis, see it as an opportunity to expand your skills and scope. That is valuable training you are receiving without taking a pay cut.

[newrse]

I suppose you have a point. I guess I'm just torn up 'cause the company that's buying us wouldn't give me much of a raise.. And what I'm currently at is way less than the average at the hospital, which is why I figured I'd negotiate with HR. Do you/anyone know how to handle that?

Also, with this new job (as with hospital ones), I'd be doing on call. I guess I'm just weighing the long hours of dialysis + on call on top against my "low" pay... And I'd hate to gamble a year or so in med surge and lose all my dialysis skills.

Sorry if this seems all over the place, I just need some guidance.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

In general, there is no room for negotiation in entry-level jobs- AKA, jobs into which newly licensed nurses are hired. It's not unusual to dislike the idea of working in acute care because of all the negatives (shift work including holidays, high stress, etc)... but that's exactly why those jobs are associated with higher salaries.

By moving into an acute care work setting, you'd undoubtedly gain additional acute care knowledge & skills because you'd be working with patients who may have multi-system illness. In my experience, acute apheresis is frequently provided in an ICU setting. But if the on-call requirement & flat salary are off-putting and you're OK with staying your own specialty area, perhaps you could explore the pathway to supervisory or management positions in order to increase your salary.

[newrse]

Thanks for the reply and input.

I'm not newly licensed + I have experience in dialysis already- Do I count as "entry level"? I thought I would have some room to negotiate.