Future new grad needs Advice***

Editorial Team / Admin · Oct 28, 2017

You'd need to research the cost of living vs. salary. Just because one area offers a higher salary doesn't mean that you'd have more disposable income- you may be spending that extra on rent or groceries or gas.

As far a PTO accrual, that is often based on years of service. In my facility, PTO increases at 5, 15, and 25 years. You may go somewhere else and earn less PTO.

There's a lot more to consider than just the salary.

pjlovesnursing, BSN, RN · Oct 28, 2017

You'd need to research the cost of living vs. salary. Just because one area offers a higher salary doesn't mean that you'd have more disposable income- you may be spending that extra on rent or groceries or gas.
As far a PTO accrual, that is often based on years of service. In my facility, PTO increases at 5, 15, and 25 years. You may go somewhere else and earn less PTO.
There's a lot more to consider than just the salary.

Thank you! I have been researching and is just a little confusing like, for example the average that I find for my current state and cost of living does not match at all to what is happening in the market right now. I have lived before in San Diego, and Boston so those areas do not scare me as much because I know what to expect. I am a person that lives way below my means, and I want to have a balance of quality of life, and work. I don't want to spend 10 years paying my student loans.

The PTO on my facility is similar to yours. I've to keep on researching and thanks so much for your reply.

KeepAtIt · Nov 1, 2017

Hey yo!

I have my ADN & graduated in December '16 and am currently pursuing my BSN. I was hired with no experience in the OR and started one month ago. The trend that the hospital system I work for is changing to is hiring new grad RNs to the OR because it is so different from the floor/other aspects in nursing and there is little evidence that previous experience in other disciplines in nursing leads to a more productive OR RN. This hospital system is the only one in my state that will hire new grads in the OR and including myself, the last 3 RNs had no experience after school. Every other hospital requires one to two years. I was hired without a residency program but do have a 6 month orientation getting paid as a normal RN where I will become certified through AORN.org after a few months. I am scrubbing/circulating in each aspect for 2 weeks at a time and have been thrown into it all which is how it should be. In my nursing union contract it is mandatory that RNs be allowed to be scrub nurses(although we have surg techs) and to also circulate. I cannot be happier. Do some research, and find a hospital that doesn't have a residency program because it is harmful to me to be paid a significantly lower wage because you are a "resident" and will be performing the same interventions I will as a new grad OR staff nurse. I accrue 0.0678 hours in PTO for each hour worked at my hospital. There are also options to buy PTO time if you need it at most facilities. Keep your head up! You will find what you are looking for!!

pjlovesnursing, BSN, RN · Nov 2, 2017

Hey yo!
I have my ADN & graduated in December '16 and am currently pursuing my BSN. I was hired with no experience in the OR and started one month ago. The trend that the hospital system I work for is changing to is hiring new grad RNs to the OR because it is so different from the floor/other aspects in nursing and there is little evidence that previous experience in other disciplines in nursing leads to a more productive OR RN. This hospital system is the only one in my state that will hire new grads in the OR and including myself, the last 3 RNs had no experience after school. Every other hospital requires one to two years. I was hired without a residency program but do have a 6 month orientation getting paid as a normal RN where I will become certified through AORN.org after a few months. I am scrubbing/circulating in each aspect for 2 weeks at a time and have been thrown into it all which is how it should be. In my nursing union contract it is mandatory that RNs be allowed to be scrub nurses(although we have surg techs) and to also circulate. I cannot be happier. Do some research, and find a hospital that doesn't have a residency program because it is harmful to me to be paid a significantly lower wage because you are a "resident" and will be performing the same interventions I will as a new grad OR staff nurse. I accrue 0.0678 hours in PTO for each hour worked at my hospital. There are also options to buy PTO time if you need it at most facilities. Keep your head up! You will find what you are looking for!!

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. The pay for a new grad resident is the same of a entry level nurse here (It's just low overall with no difference between ADN to BSN even though they are pushing for BSN nurses). It's really cool that you get to scrub and circulate. Nurses here are trained to only circulate, I met a few that scrub but they used to be surgical techs. Thanks again for sharing your experience and I will keep my head up :)