Help!! How to retain new nurses

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello, I am an RN that is currently going back to school for my BSN. One of my assignments is to collaborate with another nurse on a topic. Please help! What are some ideas that you have to encourage new nurses to stay at a facility? If you answer, please list your speciality and state. Thanks!!!

Benefits...good benefits with FREE dental, inexpensive vision, and medical that is a little on the spendy side, but covers very well. I've been there just over six months and I have 8 days of vacation built up...and 25 hours of sick pay. Double-time and a half PLUS $100 for working holidays. Free meals on weekends and holidays...and the food is actually really good! Mileage reimbursement.

Uniform allowance...$250 when 90 day probabtion is complete (and they pay retroactivly so anything you bought to start working there is covered) and $100 a year after that.

Automatic raise at 90 days and annually thereafter. Also a merit raise in addition to the automatic one. And there is no salary or wage cap...cooks who have been there for 25 years make more than new grad RNs...this is a good thing in the long run.

Education reimbursement...if you end up paying anything for CEUs, it is because you either didn't ask for reimbursement or you went to something totally unrealted to what we do. (I have to pay for PALS and NRP, but the facility still covers my meals and mileage whileI go).

Set scheduling...everyone is on a set two week rotation. Everyone is really good about trading if you need a day off that you normally work. When you are hired , you simply plug into whatever set schedule is open.

Adequate staffing...even if someone calls in and we end up being short, staffing is still pretty good.

Help from management...we actually get out there and answer call lights and sit/stand alarms (we have a HUGE dementia and fall risk population). We help with med passes if the med nurse is behind...we help if there is an incident like a fall, transfer, or elopement.

Just a good environment to work in general. We promote (and enforce) a very positive attitude. If you start having a rotten attitude, you are called in and talked to about it in very short order...if the rotten attitude doesn't improve, there is little hesitation to either terminate or suspend. It sounds harsh, but we all know how one person can drag the team down...it just isn't allowed to happen.

Does such a place even exist????

Benefits...good benefits with FREE dental, inexpensive vision, and medical that is a little on the spendy side, but covers very well. I've been there just over six months and I have 8 days of vacation built up...and 25 hours of sick pay. Double-time and a half PLUS $100 for working holidays. Free meals on weekends and holidays...and the food is actually really good! Mileage reimbursement.

Uniform allowance...$250 when 90 day probabtion is complete (and they pay retroactivly so anything you bought to start working there is covered) and $100 a year after that.

Automatic raise at 90 days and annually thereafter. Also a merit raise in addition to the automatic one. And there is no salary or wage cap...cooks who have been there for 25 years make more than new grad RNs...this is a good thing in the long run.

Education reimbursement...if you end up paying anything for CEUs, it is because you either didn't ask for reimbursement or you went to something totally unrealted to what we do. (I have to pay for PALS and NRP, but the facility still covers my meals and mileage whileI go).

Set scheduling...everyone is on a set two week rotation. Everyone is really good about trading if you need a day off that you normally work. When you are hired , you simply plug into whatever set schedule is open.

Adequate staffing...even if someone calls in and we end up being short, staffing is still pretty good.

Help from management...we actually get out there and answer call lights and sit/stand alarms (we have a HUGE dementia and fall risk population). We help with med passes if the med nurse is behind...we help if there is an incident like a fall, transfer, or elopement.

Just a good environment to work in general. We promote (and enforce) a very positive attitude. If you start having a rotten attitude, you are called in and talked to about it in very short order...if the rotten attitude doesn't improve, there is little hesitation to either terminate or suspend. It sounds harsh, but we all know how one person can drag the team down...it just isn't allowed to happen.

Does such a place even exist????

Yup...it does. We work really hard and our residents are spoiled and demanding, but it is honestly the BEST job I've ever had. I would still rather be in the ER or the back of an ambulance, but it is so good!

One word: Staffing. Okay, make that two: adequate staffing.

Mind if I add 3 more? based upon acuity

thanks :)

Yup...it does. We work really hard and our residents are spoiled and demanding, but it is honestly the BEST job I've ever had. I would still rather be in the ER or the back of an ambulance, but it is so good!

I'm envious.

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