Case Manager/Field Rn Salary for New Grad

[Gingilly]

Hello all, wanting feedback form the group. I am a new grad RN, still I guess, been working a total of 9 months private duty thru agency. Was just offered a field/ case management position w/ same agency at what I think is a ridiculous pay- 18.50/hr hour. Right now my rate for a shift is $25/hr and I'd like to do no less than this. My responsibilities would be supervision of 100 plus lvns, pt case load of 60: recerts , discharge visits and intermittent visits for only 2 pts. My territory would be a 100 mile radius and I get a gas allowance. I think this is a fantastic opportunity for which I'm very grateful....but the rate is worrisome. I meet w/ the owner next week to finalize things and I plan on counter offering. I'm just not sure how to do so or what justification I could use...besides that I live in Southern California and cant live off 18.50....(which is their lvn rate by the way). Any thoughts on how I should go about negotiating or if I should just be grateful and shut up?

Thank you in advance

Jen

ps this is a repost from CM forum since no one answered over there!

[caliotter3]

You say you can't live on that in SoCal. Yes, you are right. Let that be your reason to refuse the pay cut. And by the way, all agencies that I have ever worked for paid their RN nurse supervisors more money than their field RNs and LVNs, not less. There are LVNs in CA that are paid anywhere from $22 to $25 an hour so why should an RN supervisor be getting that insulting pay? A reduction in pay? You need to find a new employer. JMHO

[caliotter3]

Oh, counter with this, make it your mantra: "I am not a CNA. I am not an LVN. I am not a CNA. I am not an LVN".

[berube]

did you say supervising 100 lvn's???? if that is correct i would run faster than i could, case load of 60 patients??? insane, unless i am reading that all incorrect. if not i will never complain about my job again!!!

[k7redeemed]

What company is this please? I have worked private duty as a new grad & was only paid $17/hr! Horrible. Please share. Are they looking for more shift workers?

[Gingilly]

Sorry, I 'm not sure how to reply to individual post so here goes:

Yes 100 plus LVNs: I'd have 60 pts, each with 1 to 3 lvns. I'd have to do a compliance review with them q 60 days and be available for their clinical questions during work hrs.

I'd have to see my pts q 60 days for recerts only I believe. And the case load is actually 62 since I'd have an additional 2 pts who get intermittent visits only.

I'd rather not name the agency since my co-workers are members here.

This new position is a combination of supervisor/field/ intermittent care RN.

I have been doing 8 hr shifts at $25/hr, 3-4 days a week. At this time there are no RN cases so I'ld have to do LVN cases but those are all taken. I agree that if RN base is $25 I should be making a little more in this type of position.

I'm guessing they are going to come at me with the fact that this is salary position aka guaranteed income rather than my shift cases previously where I went up to a week w/ no work d/t my pt being hospitalized frequently.

I have a business background and have demonstrated my ability by assuming cm responsibilities on my previous pt w/ them.....but I am a "new" grad with no experience in health care and its is a dismal makerket out there.....So in other words they are offering a bone to a starving dog. I know that tactic will be to make me feel grateful for little money when theres the threat of no money.

I'm sure if I turn this down I wont be getting any lvn cases any time soon w/ them.

I'm thinking of asking for $30 (57,600/yr.) then settling for no less than $22 (42,240/yr.). Other than that I've got to walk because then we're talking my old esthetician salary w/o all the head ache......and theres always stripping if I really want to feel like a ho!

Am I being unreasonable? Any thoughts on figures I should be throwing around?

Jen

[caliotter3]

Ask for $30 but be willing to be cajoled down to $28. That is about how it goes at most agencies. Anything less and you are compromising yourself.

[Gingilly]

Thank you, that gives me the benchmark I'm looking for! I'll update the result of that convo next week!

Jen

[Gingilly]

Thank you guys, I said my mantra, refused the initial offer and they came back at 30/hr. I am happy with this and appreciate the feed back here. If anyone wants the tactics, I'm happy to spell it out but bottom line- know what youre worth and be confident. I was ready to walk if I didn't get at least 28/hr and that helped me feel less desperate. I think that helped a bit.

Jen

[caliotter3]

Holy moly! Maybe you should have asked for $32 or even $33! I am surprised that you were successful but also very happy for you. The rate of $30 is acceptable (barely). You did good!!!

[Gingilly]

Thank you Caliotter! I was rather nervous but all weekend I kept the mantra up. I wanted 31.25 to make it 60k but 30 is close enough for now. I've proven myself , have a good history w/ this company and I think they valued that. They seemed a little shocked when I bluntly said 18.50 was not a living wage and I needed more, but it went well from there. Any way thank you for telling me 30 because I was originally thinking 25/hr would be ok since I'm a new grad......now I can think of paying some bills finally and save for grad school. I'm very happy!

Jen

[caliotter3]

I saw a post one time that stated the national employer well-known for the lowest wages low-balled their nursing supervisors for $28 an hour. Back when, I learned that they paid my initial supervisor $25 an hour. So that is how I knew you should shoot for a minimum of $30 an hour. Glad to see you did well in your efforts. They probably should be paying you $35 an hour, but we need to be thankful for anything we can get!