Benefits Package

What do you think of this...

Vacation-3 weeks after 1 year (none the first year)

You should have some the first year. 2 weeks is minimum the first year then three is OK.

I am responsible for paying malpractice ins., licensing/certification fees, DEA#, membership fees, lab coats, etc.

This is very bad. There is no real occurrence insurance anymore so your malpractice will go up every year. This should always be a practice expense. They should also pay for the other things that you need to do your job. This includes license and certifications necessary for practice. Lab coats should be paid for by the practice also.

After 1 year, up to 3 days and $1,000 CME

Pretty light. The standard seems to be 5 days $1500 which doesn't go far anymore.

6 paid holidays, 3 floating holidays

Pretty much the norm.

No contribution for dental ins or life ins., only medical is partially paid

Most PP doesn't pay for dental or life. Medical partial is becoming standard. Depends on the cost and the quality of the insurance.

401k is 1% employer match then additional 5% of salary at the end of the year if practice profits allow

Bonus is 3-6% of annual salary if I see the required number of patients. MD/practice mgr. determine the percent based on how much $ you generated and general ability to work well with others, etc.

It is significantly less than I get as an RN so I was just wondering how it compares to the average NP benefits package.

401k is OK. Bonus is pretty shaky and open to manipulation.

Overall this verges on awful. At a minimum they should pay for things that benefit them. License etc. Tell them to try again.

David Carpenter, PA-C

Totally agree with David. For you to pay for your malpractice insurance is ludicrous!

Thank you for the feedback. Unfortunately, this is already an improvement from the first offer and I believe that it is no longer negotiable. So I am back in the same situation I have been in for a couple months, settle or don't practice as an NP yet. Crazy!!!!!

It might be worthwhile to take crappy benefits to get a job, but for me the malpractice would be a drop dead issue. Its going to increase every year and you will have to pay a tail when you leave when you are least likely to afford it. Sometimes you have to take a crappy job to get in the field. But the malpractice would be non-negoitable to me.

David Carpenter, PA-C

Another option: take this job (especially if you are in a tight market) then keep looking. Personally, I have found it easier to get a new job if I'm already employed

Another option: take this job (especially if you are in a tight market) then keep looking. Personally, I have found it easier to get a new job if I'm already employed

Unless the practice is doing something illegal, the first job should be at least two years (in my opinion). One of the things that we look at is job hopping. You want to hire someone who is going to stay. Someone who is looking for a new job after being at their current job for months or weeks doesn't qualify in that respect. I would agree that having a job and some experience will make you more marketable but the thing that makes someone marketable is the experience in my opinion. This is key early in the career.

50k + bonus may be acceptable if thats what it takes to break into the market. Again the malpractice is the deal breaker for me. If that one point could be negotiated then maybe the OP could consider this.

David Carpenter, PA-C

I respectfully disagree David: when a market is tight, many mid-levels have to take what's available and then move when another job opens up. I am still in my first job as a mid-level (graduated May 06). However, I did look for another job when I had been there 18 months and was actually hired but changed my mind at the very last minute. However, I have had other job offers without even applying.

Sheri,

I have to agree with the others. I think this is a pretty bad deal. I recently completed a job search as a new FNP and every practice I spoke with covered malpractice insurance, DEA number, state license, and gave at least 2 weeks vacation the first year, not to mention signficantly higher salaries. Is this the norm for your area?

I understand wanting to work ASAP, but maybe it's worth looking a little more, if you can.

Agree - you have to consider what is available or not available in your area. I took my first APN job in a field in which I had absolutely no experience - I have been able to learn a lot but I had a huge learning curve (and still do to some extent).