Did You Get A Sign On Bonus?

[TLC RN]

I am still in school but would like to try and settle an ongoing discussion. Many of my classmates claim that everyone is getting a sign on bonus when they start working. It is as if they believe it is automatic and it does not matter where you live. When I ask new nurses (in our area) they say no one that graduated with was offered a sign on bonus. Maybe it is just my area but I was wondering about the rest of the country.

I know it prob has been a topic many times, but...Is anyone getting a sign on bonus? If so, is it your first nursing job? Also, if you want to disclose, how much was your bonus for?

[BETSRN]

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!

I am so gald you have mentioned this to all of us seasoned nurses out there. It never crossed my mind but I will be aware from now on. Thanks again!

[janster58]

My sign on bonus at UPMC was 120hrs of PTO (vacation) advance. When I moved and started working, I found out I WASN"T allowed to use it. Just 2 weeks per yr. So much for a bonus. Needless to say, I'm not working there anymore.

They wonder why they can't keep staff!!!

"Use a bad lure, and the fish gets away!"

[janster58]

I've had decent sign on bonuses in the past. One was in S FL, 7000.00 for 2 yr commitment, wasn't bad until new management screwed up the place.

[janster58]

Texas is a scarey place to work, been there done that!

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

Four grand for critical need areas and night shift (the hardest to fill). New grads got the $4k (I did) with half up front, the rest spread out over the next half year. No strings attached, except you have to still BE on night shift or in the critical need area in order to collect each installment.

The bonuses weren't there because it's a horrible place to work. They can also be there because a particular unit or shift has high turnover for other reasons. Nurse burnout, or just not wanting nights.

Worked out great for me, I like night shift!

[Sheri257]

I have to agree with a lot that's been said here. One hospital in my area offers $10K for a two year commitment. Not only is it a horrible place to work but ... they're also the lowest paying ...

A good $3 to $4 an hour less than everywhere else. So, while they pay the $10K up front, they actually save $15K or more over that two years with the lower pay rate ... probably even more when you consider the lower overtime pay.

Their health insurance plan is also the worst in the area. It costs more than anywhere else and, if you travel out of state for vacation or whatever, you have no coverage if something happens. Believe me ... they make their money regardless of that sign on bonus ... one way or the other.

The higher the sign on bonus ... the more I run away. There's always a reason they have to pay that much money up front ... and it's usually not a good reason.

:typing

[Imafloat, BSN, RN]

I live in the midwest and there are 2 big hospital networks here. The first one offers a 10K loan repayment bonus for 2 years and the other system offers 11k loan repayment bonus for 3 years.

I am working at neither facility, instead I am working at The Children's Hospital, who offers no bonus. They recently upped their pay to the level that the other facilities are paying and they only have 2 nursing vacancies posted on their website. There were a lot more vacancies 3 months ago, but there are 3 nursing programs in the area with new grads the past month as well as seasoned nurses leaving the network hospitals.

[M&M+RN]

I'm a new nurse. I work as a nurse tech and requests transfer position as a RN. I asked HR why they don't offer me a bonus/contract, they said it's because I'm not a new employee. I thought nurses get sign-on bonus to for 2-3 yr. contract (for retention as a nurse) or do they just offer this to experienced RN's. I'm confused.