Did You Get A Sign On Bonus?

martymoose, BSN, RN · Jul 14, 2005

yep, i'm getting one 7500 if we commit to 2 yrs. BUTTTTTT, I'm finding out there's a reason why it is sooo high, and I'm thinking of quitting and paying it back cause it is soooo not worth it. When you've only got 6 mos on a intermediate care floor and are told that you are senior nurse today, whats that say, and it also scare the pants off of me . The pace stinks, very easy to make mistakes. So , beware of the bonus. It's there for a REASON. Good luck.JR

HappyNurse2005, RN · Jul 14, 2005

Yes. My hospital gave me $750. but, its $250 on my first check, $250 after 6 months, and $250 at one year.

The other hospital in town was not giving sign on bonuses.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Jul 14, 2005

The higher the bonus, the worse the working conditions typically.

It disturbs me that a place has to offer a sign-on bonus to recruit new people.

Jami RN, BSN, RN · Jul 14, 2005

The hospital I recruit for does not offer sign-on bonuses to new grads. In fact, we only offer sign-ons to experienced critical care or OR nurses because they are still pretty hard to come by. I agree with previous posters -- the higher the bonus, the more you're gonna pay every day at work. $7,500 up front to a new grad means you're going to suffer every single day and possibly lose your license because the hospital is so short-staffed.

I will admit, though, that the area of the country I'm in does not have a huge shortage right now. One of the reasons my hospital doesn't offer sign-on bonuses is that we've decided we want nurses to work here because they agree with our mission and values, and not because we offer a bonus. This has reduced our turn-over, because we don't get the "bonus-chasers" who change jobs every 2 years for the money.

Think hard about how much you're willing to pay for that bonus in the years you promise to work!

HappyNurse2005, RN · Jul 15, 2005

for my meager 750 bucks,i agreed to work nothing. no contract, but if i leave then of course, i dont get the bonus, the rest of it.

MarieLPN, you are in virginia i know, this is from Carilion Health System.

I would have worked there for no sign on bonus, too, though. THat was not hte deciding factor

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Jul 15, 2005

Reason why i said what i did is that one of the local LTC facilities was offering 9 grand (Nine thousand dollars) for LPNs. I forget what the RN bonus actually was, but it was 5 figures.

And it had a horrible nurse-rt. ratio.

chattypattyCRNA2B · Jul 15, 2005

Reason why i said what i did is that one of the local LTC facilities was offering 9 grand (Nine thousand dollars) for LPNs. I forget what the RN bonus actually was, but it was 5 figures.
And it had a horrible nurse-rt. ratio.

Wow!!!!! I've never heard of bonuses that high except for PT's.

amyrae76 · Jul 15, 2005

Actually some of the hospitals in my city are offering a $10,000 starting bonus to new grads. But like other people have said, there's usually a reason a bonus is so high. You have to commit for 2 years, which didn't sound too bad to me. But then I worked there as an aide during nursing school and I HATED it. The nurses are horrible to each other and the morale just stinks. I ended up taking a day shift job at a magnet hospital where I didn't get a bonus, but they don't have to offer bonuses because they have a good reputation so nurses want to work there.

Bonuses are certainly not guaranteed once you graduate, but tell your classmates that before they accept a job with a bonus, they should talk to people who work there and find out if it's the right fit for them.

amy :)

RNKITTY04 · Jul 15, 2005

i was hired on with a 1500.00 bonus. 500.00 after 90 days 500.00 after 6 months and 500.00 after a year. I think this is fairly common in my area (northeast Florida) I'm not complaining.

msnicole418 · Jul 15, 2005

the hospital i got hired at offers newgrads 8000.00 its for one year of commitment and i actually havent heard any bad things. I live in nj and my hosoitak is in the inner city so it is busy and you do WORK but i dont think the conditions are bad there its actually very competitive to get into. I failed my boards and still will recieve my bonus if i pass the 2nd time which most hospitals dont do

jenrninmi, MSN, RN · Jul 16, 2005

It was not offered a bonus at my hospital. They do have a reimbursment program for school though.