Are there ever any raises in peds PD?

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Oct 13, 2018

I worked for the same agency for nearly a decade and I think got a whole $1/ hour at some point. It was my side gig- so I didn't really care, but if this is your main source of income- you will not be getting regular raises.

tami2017 · Oct 13, 2018

Damn. I had a feeling. Why is this particular line of work in nursing so below par compared to others?? Other specialties lure nurses in with thousands of dollars sign on benefits, high hourly rates, tuition reimbursement, the whole nine yards, whereas PD just say " this is what we pay, thats it" and its a take it or leave it kind of attitude.

allnurses Guide · Oct 14, 2018

Things weren't too bad when I started PDN in 2004, when you'd get a dollar more an hour after you'd worked with the agency for a year. After that, when we had the severe issue of oversupply in my area, especially in new grads, a lot of agencies weren't very concerned about the lack of experience. Raises came to a screeching halt, and new hires were making quite a bit less per hour than we had a few years prior.

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Oct 14, 2018

Rarely. It's tied generally to very low reimbursement from Medicaid. Medicaid wanted to pay agencies $16/hr for RN care (central line maintenance). Care management is bundled in the rate. Minimal increase for high tech cases (trach-vent, continuous monitoring, continuous feed)

Alex Egan, LPN, EMT-B · Oct 16, 2018

No one in this business has ever done anything for me I didn't ask for. You want a raise ask. The worst they say is no. They say no shop yourself around to other agency and move, or get a written offer and let them match. It's true that the reimbursement pie is fully baked in home care there's not a lot of wiggle room, but there's usually some especially if you're still receiving starting rate.

AdobeRN · Oct 16, 2018

I do PRN for my agency- I have always had to ask for one. Every year when I am required to attend the mandatory training before I leave the office I make a stop at the supervisors office to say hello and oh BTW what about a raise? So far it works, I don't get much but it never hurts to ask. I honestly think that if I didn't ask I wouldn't get anything.

tami2017 · Oct 16, 2018

Thank you all for your responses. Looks like as long as nurses keep flocking to PDN, agencies will have no incentive to increase pay. Only a shortage of pdn nurses will make agencies offer better rates. Or if we speak up collectively.

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Oct 17, 2018

Not exactly. The reimbursement rate is significantly less than outpatient, rehab, inpatient or subacute. However those other areas are paid by commercial/private insurance. Most of private duty pediatrics is only paid by Medicaid.

Alex Egan, LPN, EMT-B · Oct 17, 2018

Thank you all for your responses. Looks like as long as nurses keep flocking to PDN, agencies will have no incentive to increase pay. Only a shortage of pdn nurses will make agencies offer better rates. Or if we speak up collectively.

I strongly disagree. The issue is rarely an issue of oversupply. Even if it were, a consistent work history with few call outs and good clinical/client relations will start you apart from the pack. Frankly in my experience the bar is set so low in PDN that what is standard at most jobs is overachiever in this one. E

What's missing is the desire and ability to sell yourself. How many call outs have you had in the last year? How does that compare to others. I don't expect you to know that but I promise your boss does. You pick up extra every now and again? Send your availability in on time? If you're doing good work the company will want to retain you. If they don't than that's also their business, go find another agency who will pay more.

Unless your local area is completely totally oversupplied with nurses there's no reason to sit back and be under-compensated. Even if it is over stocked with new grads. Who's training them? It's you! Throw that point in as well.

As others have mentioned the reimbursement rate is set. It it what it is, so a ceiling does exist. It just drive me crazy when people haven't gotten a raise ever, and new grads are starting higher then them. Negotiate or stagnant.

Crystal-Wings, LVN · Oct 19, 2018

LOL, no. I wish. Alas, that's a pipe dream. It would also be nice if we got more than 3 days of PTO a year, because the office staff at my agency gets 8 days which is totally unfair. The nurses out in the field get Jack ****.

Orion81RN · Oct 20, 2018

I've worked at one agency for a year and a half with 2 performance reviews. Reviews were good, but no raise.

I luckily found another agency that pays $6 more an hour. For "acute cases" the rate is $27-30. I'm at $28 now on a great case. The patient will be declining, requiring more care, so I'll see what they say about a raise.