Asking for a raise

ArrowRN, BSN, RN · Jul 8, 2017

I'm just curious cause noone mentioned this...how did you go about negotiating your initial salary? Yes people forget they can NEGOTIATE an initial salary. I think this is where most people esp women (not to be sexist) fail to realize their initial worth to a company before or at time of the interview. How long have you been with this current employer?

It's critical to do a market survey and find out what the base rates are at a particular institution so you won't start off being underpaid.

It's too late for that now, but I hope other pay attention. For now besides blurting out your experience of the past, I would gather all of the solid documented proof you got that prove your current worth to this employer. I will not only relate to your patient care, for example notes of thanks from patients and family about the great person you are but if their is anything to help implement to save them money that will also perk their ears up or anything you were directly involved in that help ensure the company met their goals and budget for the year. Are you involved in any committees etc.? Did you implement something that help reduce pt falls, etc thereby reducing company costs?

Thats all idea's I got for now. Only other thing as a last ditch effort I know of that works is to start applying to other places and get a job offer and get an idea of what you are worth in the current market, if it's more than your current salary then sometimes to retain an employee the employer would rather match that than spend thousands to replace you. It's a bit risky cause they might just say good luck with your new job and send you off.

Remember you need solid proofs and preferably documented or tangible evidence, because quite frankly, everyone thinks they deserve a raise.

Added info: At my hospital we get annual raises, based on 3 scales lower than expected, meets expectation or exceed expectations. To meet my goals to exceed expectations, I have taken a number of steps first I became a preceptor on the unit, so I'm involved in training students and new nurses. I also became a member on our unit committee and the purpose of the committee is to implement various policies and work on quality improvement, for example a group works on fall prevention, another works on skin ulcer prevention etc. I also work as a computer resource..in other words I am one of the "goto" persons people come to if they got documentation issues and I am current working on a project to improve documentation compliance. None of these have extra pay but I do get paid to go to the meetings and they do count as "points" for end of year raises. I am also going to request charge nurse training. With these I think I can prove my worth by end of year to get an "exceeds" rating. I hope this gives you some ideas.

If your raise gets turned down then find out what it will take to get your max annual raise(if you got such a system) and start working on it.

Good luck and be confident and go for it!

allnurses Guide · Jul 9, 2017

Hi everyone. Needed some direction here. As you can read the title. I'm curious how to go about asking my employer for a raise. This topic is uncomfortable for me, however I feel wronged here. I know we should not talk about our pay between co workers, but we do.
I work in an acute psych inpatient facility.
Currently, I'm the lowest paid nurse. With that said, I have 3 yrs experience as a RN ASN, and 6 years for CNA. I have a few other nurses whose base pay is 3-4 dollars higher. These nurses have 2-3 years experience in psych as a RN ASN, and that's it, and have worked there less than I ( I have been employed at this hospital for 1year). Yet like I stated, they pay them 3-4 dollars more.
Discussing experience, within my total 9 years, 6 as a CNA. The last 3 years as a RN, I have done pediatric, rehab, long term, Alzheimer's/dementia, women's health, and now acute psych.
I want to go about this professionally, of course, and would like help figuring out the best way to approach this.
Thanks for the help!

As someone who has done psych for years I can't even remember when was the last time I got more than a standard cost of living raise this year I got a whole 3%. I don't even notice it on my check. Since you have been there a year I would ask if you have had an annual review or cost of living raise yet. If not you are kind of jumping the gun. Asking for more money is always chancy. One thing I will tell you for sure is not to make any threats like quitting unless you are fully prepared to follow through. I would not mention that you know what your co-workers make in some cases discussing pay can violate company policy and though it is a free country at least for now there are consequences for doing things even if you have the right. Simply go to your boss. Make an appointment and don't dilly dally - simply say something like I have been here a year and believe I have proven my worth to said facility. Would you consider a raise. All they can say is yes or no.

Hppy