Do nurses still get signing bonuses?

Nurses General Nursing

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Title pretty much says it all, I know when jobs were more plentiful and the 'nursing shortage' was on everyone's mind there were signing bonuses. But I haven't really heard anything about them recently, have you? If you have what kind of bonus was it or how much?

Locally, I noticed no bonus postings, however LOTS of educational reimbursement. Our big hospital is a magnet designation, so they are pushing big for BSNs. If you have a diploma or ADN, an educational reimbursement of 5-10 thousand per year (!) to earn your bachelor's degree really makes a nice alternative to a "sign on bonus." A bonus is taxed, while educational reimbursement isn't. But it builds your resume on someone else's dime, and best of all- it's an investment that you get to take with you when you leave!

My husband's BA degree was totally paid by his employer, and he does have to stay with them for 2 years, however, in this economy I like the idea that he has a job for 2 years! His "bonus" was $18,000 and we don't have to claim it as income. :yeah: This is one of the "benefits" I'll be hoping to cash in on when I start work!

Sign on bonus?! That's assuming that hospitals have any foresight... or common sense :D

Oh, no, in this time of plenty (job applicants, that is) - they don't concern themselves with such things. Prior to '09, night shift nurses got a $5,000 sign on bonus for a 2 year commitment (full time day shift, $2,000); now, nothing.

Oh, well, as always the chickens will come home to roost. They just never learn, do they?!

DeLana :)

P.S. I'm kind of glad they didn't offer me a bonus, which wouldn't have been much for my PRN status anyway, as I had to pay my last one back!

Specializes in Med-Surg/Oncology, Psych.

I don't want to get the discussion off track too much, but I live in New England and I'm not familiar with the border towns in Texas that some of the posters have described. I'm sorry if this is an ignorant question, but what exactly makes these areas so dangerous that nurses worry about their licenses?

I got a 2,000 dollar sign on bonus that's pretty good around here especially with there being way more nurses than jobs....I graduated in may 09

Specializes in ICU, ER.

Be careful. In this job market, any hospital that gives a bonus might not be a great place to work.

Specializes in OB.

If any of you decide to take a job which still offers a sign on bonus, I'd strongly suggest that you immediately put any bonus money in the bank and leave it there until any time period requiring payback is over. That way you won't be stuck if it turns out to be the job from hell - you can buy yourself out.

I don't want to get the discussion off track too much, but I live in New England and I'm not familiar with the border towns in Texas that some of the posters have described. I'm sorry if this is an ignorant question, but what exactly makes these areas so dangerous that nurses worry about their licenses?

Grossly understaffed, and the highest amount of malpractice suits in the country by far. If you call NSO for a quote on insurance, they tell you all about it! You pay WAY more for than anywhere else in the US. Not sure why that area is so sue-happy but it runs off all the staff!

Specializes in ICU.

Well thanks for the replies guys it was something I was wondering about a lot.

To be honest, I would be vary wary of hospitals that offer big bonuses right now ... I work for a very small 100 bed hospital in Chicago that offers a $5000 bonus (1/2 given at 6 months) ... there is a reason they are offering bonuses right now, they can't keep their nurses ... and I thought it was great when I first started, but most, if not all RNs that have been at the hospital less than a year are counting down the days where they can get the bonus & go to another job. I could write a book on the craziness of this place & how the administration treat their staff.

Specializes in tele, stepdown/PCU, med/surg.

About the Rio Grande Valley area: I think there are a couple reasons why there is a reputation of being unsafe for nurses' license. First, there is no metropolitan big city there and thus "best practice" is less likely to take hold and fewer of the "awesome" healthcare practitioners of our country are likely to go there. San Antonio is a great city but it's hours away and is not considered in the Rio Grande Valley.

Secondly, there are for-profit hospitals there which have a bad reputation. I personally try to to given them a chance but to quote an allnurses.com member, "Tenet is shady at best."

Just as a side note, even larger cities can have a bad name. Las Vegas has a horrible reputation as being unsafe for nurses; This is no surprise as the healthcare situation there is dominated (almost monopolized) by for-profit companies.

Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

There's one hospital in my area that is offering signing bonuses to nurses...but it's only for experienced nurses, they're only offering it on specific units, and it's nothing like the bonuses of yesteryear--only 1k, 2k max.

None of the hospitals here are offering bonuses to new graduates. If anything, I think new graduate nurses would give THEM a bonus if they would just hire them.

haven't seen any advertised.

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