Ask for a raise?

Kristenlaurenw · Jun 21, 2016

Most hospital policies don't allow managers/ HR to just give raises after a rate has been agreed upon at the time of offer acceptance. When you are offered a job, that is the only time to negotiate. A lot of places do annual raises based on cost of living or merit raises based on annual evaluations. Check with your manager.

amoLucia · Jun 21, 2016

Your CNA friend was hired as a CNA because she had a CNA certificate from an approved training program and her practice is governed by whichever governing Board (Dept of Health, BON) authorized her certificate. You didn't identify yourself as a certified CNA, but as a tech. The educational qualifications are different. And if you compared your official job descriptions, you'll mostly likely find that they do differ.

Just because you seem to be doing some similar job tasks is independent of your job titles. RNs and LPNs do similar overlapping tasks, but they have different educational preparation and different scope of practice and usually different unit responsibilities. Thus different job titles and different pay rates.

A certified CNA title with CNA job duties will differ from that of a tech. And there most likely is a different pay rate. If you're due for some evaluatory performance review about this time, you could ask about a possible raise - assuming that all is well with your performance, attendance, etc. But don't be surprised if a raise is not possible at this time (see PP Kristen).

Just FYI, administration usually strongly discourages employees to compare pay rates. If you do discuss a raise, DO NOT reveal that you know about your friend's rate. You will most likely jeopardize her job and yours.

llg, PhD, RN · Jun 21, 2016

I agree with the poster above that the difference in pay is most likely because you are in a different job category -- and your friend is in a category that requires state certification and pays more because of that.

If/when you talk with your boss ... leave your friend out of it and don't make it personal. Ask about the 2 different positions and find out what their educational requirements are, certification requirements, etc.. Once you have that information, you can decide whether or not it would be worth it to you to pursue a CNA job.

NOADLS · Jun 21, 2016

You might qualify for a standardized raise of 1-2% per annum, but don't expect raises for performance. Remember, you are an expense to this hospital. If you ask for (or expect) an obscene raise, it would be easier to replace you.

Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN · Jun 22, 2016

Managers like to claim they "can't" give bigger/more frequent raises or raises outside of the pay scale, but sometimes they can. You can ask, but make sure you have something to bring to the table that makes you worth bending the "rules" for. I got a raise five times bigger than what I was told was "allowed" with some assertive haggling. Some of my co-workers tried the same thing and failed.

Make sure your department can't live without you and make sure you catch your manager in a good mood. Some intermittent schmoozing leading up to the talk may be helpful, as well ....and never mention that your co-workers blabbed!! Never.

Xlorgguss · Jun 22, 2016

Did your friend have previous experience as a CNA? That could be reason why. Nursing school wasn't considered "experience" when I was hired as a PCT. CNA's may get get a bit more per hour to start but i don't think it's because they have a certification. I think it's because of experience. One hospital I worked at did,pay 50 cents more an hour if you held a CNA license. I was eligible to sit for the exam as a nursing student, but it wasn't worth the cost of the exam and time. However,in my experience some CNA's don't have a perfect transition from a nursing home to inpatient hospital. Many have never done blood sugars, full vitals, and documentation. However they are definitely quicker on the uptake than those that have never touched a patient before!

Scrubs_n_sirens, MSN, RN · Jun 22, 2016

Or your friend said her pay rate was higher than it really is?

kateee · Jun 22, 2016

We both have the same certification, I have 6 months more experience than she does!

RNperdiem, RN · Jun 22, 2016

Shift differentials maybe?

barlas · Jun 23, 2016

Research the evidence and present it to your managers when you ask for it. You need to find out what the average going-rate is for your job. Six months exp isn't a lot. However, if you are very good at your job, and people like you, and you are genuinely being paid lower than the standard rate then they will most likely 'give' you the raise.

I had the same thing happen to me. I was hired fresh out of college, and paid an almost pathetic amount. After a year, I was hired on from the temp service to the company, and received a $1 per hour raise. I then went back to school, and got a cert in something that offered me a better paying rate than what I was getting. At the same time, I researched the going rate for my experience level, and the average pay for my profession. I presented this in a very professional manner, and luckily I got yet another raise. This time it was $4 dollars per hour more. However, I was fully prepared to be denied, and possibly let-go, or receive lower hours, and that was okay b/c I had a back-up plan.

Atl-Murse · Jun 23, 2016

Maybe she lied. Everybody lied