Leaving first job, did you have a pay increase? - page 2

1. 
   Jul 4, '17

   Joined: Sep '11; Posts: 2,511; Likes: 12,951

   Each hospital system or other employer has its own compensation package or union contract. You have to look at the whole picture: pay + benefits - cost of living - commute time, etc. You may get a raise, take a cut, improve benefits, regress on benefits, etc. It also depends on how much they pay for experience and if you're going to an area where you have experience, or if you're starting something new and they start you at the bottom.
   
   This is a very hard question to answer definitively on an internet forum.
2. 
   Jul 4, '17

   From: CA, US ; Joined: Jul '06; Posts: 2,930; Likes: 6,846

   Yes to what TriciaJ said.
   
   I worked a hospital that paid less than the bigger fancier hospital across town. But where I worked we were part of a state wide retirement system. (Not that I paid that much attention to retirement stuff when was young and got a job there!) I have been retired several years with good retirement benefits. The nurses who got paid more across town did not have much of a retirement plan. It is very difficult to navigate the retirement plan/savings system on your own.
   
   I never paid attention to pay. I worked out patient surgery my last ten years. I honestly have no idea what my hourly wage was, if it went up or down. We were closed nights, weekends, holidays. I wouldn't work 24/7 nursing again for $500.00 an hour!
3. 
   Jul 5, '17

   Occupation: Driver's License Examiner From: US ; Joined: Sep '10; Posts: 12; Likes: 2

   New grad pay with ADN in Central FL I started out at $19.5. About 1 1/2 years later I was making $22.15. I went PRN at that time and got $33 an hour so I could start travel nursing with a huge increase of course in pay about $42. I recently started with a new travel company after a year with the other and make over $45 an hour. I switched back to PT from PRN and my pay is about $29.50 for the PT same job I was making $22.15 at a year and a half prior. Pay is not the only consideration for me though. I would take a lower pay for a commute where I could actually come home each night. Currently, my commute is 2 1/2 hours so that's not possible.
4. 
   Jul 5, '17

   Occupation: EMT-P, RN, CCRN Specialty: Pediatric critical care ; From: LA, US ; Joined: Aug '14; Posts: 60; Likes: 67

   My base pay went up, but I went from nights at my first job to days at my second so technically it was a pay cut. I still pick up PRN at my first job so that helps. They're really hurting for nurses so call-back pay is plentiful
5. 
   Jul 5, '17

   Joined: Aug '16; Posts: 150; Likes: 446

   As soon as you have an offer ask for more. I have gotten more than the initial offer at my last 3 jobs. One time it was only 50 cents more per hour but at my last job it was around $6 more per hour. You need to be ready to explain why you are worth more, experience, certifications ect.
6. 
   Jul 6, '17

   Joined: Aug '05; Posts: 73; Likes: 67

   It depends on what area of nursing you moving to. I have taken several pay cuts, but did so in order to chang3 my focus. When I left the hospital for a hospice position, I took a pay cut. When I left hospice to teach nursing, I took a pay cut. If just depends on the situation.
7. 
   Jul 9, '17

   Joined: Sep '10; Posts: 158; Likes: 103

   Went from base of $20 to $18.59 to get out of a nearly two hour drive. New job had cheaper benefit s, lower taxes, and saving on gas. Less stress too.
8. 
   Jul 9, '17

   Joined: Aug '05; Posts: 964; Likes: 210

   I went from hourly pay to salarly pay and took a major pay-cut. But the hours were better and the level of stress was lower.
9. 
   Aug 8, '17

   Occupation: ICU/Telemetry Nurse Specialty: Telemetry/ICU ; Joined: Sep '15; Posts: 124; Likes: 57

   Didn't leave my job yet, but I have been looking. One offered me a 5 dollar increase from 36.50 to 41.50. ❤️❗️ Only 8 month of experience at that. Also, at a high acuity, magnet hospital. On my way to that crna route...

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