Nurse Extern to RN on same floor? Opinion needed!

llg, PhD, RN · Jan 26, 2008

I think it is great that you have found a good place to work and have a good chance of being hired there. However, I don't think you should be compensated "extra" because you have worked in a student role on the floor for a while.

A lot of new grads bring some sort of "special" experience or background that will be assets for the unit. But to have 10 different payrates to compensate 10 different types of "special" things possible in a new grad's background might cause all sorts of political problems among the staff and for the management. For example: other new grads might have gone to a stronger school ... or may have valuabel work experience in another field ... or may have worked as an extern in a hospital that provided her with tremendous experience ... etc. etc. etc.

If you have found a good fit for you so early in your career, thank your lucky stars. You are one of the fortunate few. Please do yourself a favor and don't muck it up by insisting on special treatment or special compensation that other -- equally educated and perhaps equally experienced -- new grads won't get. An attitude that you are superior and entitled to more than the others will probably get you a bad reputation that will cause you more trouble than it is worth.

Just ask if your experience counts towards the calculation of your pay rate and/or if it counts towards your official seniority when calculating benefits, scheduling, etc. You have a much better chance on those topics. A lot of hospitals will count your experience when considering those aspects of compensation.

You can ask about the pay rate ... but don't make a big deal about it.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jan 26, 2008

I agree with llg, it doesn't hurt to ask and present your case, but do it in an enquiring way rather than "I'm entitled because I've worked here for two years" kind of way.

Many nurses techs where I work move up to graduate nurse status, some being techs for many years. Howeve, they get the same as any other new grad coming to the unit. But the advantages of working as a nurse in the unit you teched on are great such as knowing the type of patients, knowing where everthing is, having a relationship with your peers, etc.

Good luck.

ukstudent · Jan 26, 2008

When I graduate I will be just shy of working two years as an Extern on this floor. I feel as though this experience has got to count for something! I am not just any new grad coming out of school with only experience from my clinical rotations. I have almost two years under my belt and feel as though I should be compensated in some way salary-wise.

I was a tech then extern for 8 years before becoming a nurse. Before actually becoming a nurse I felt like you. I knew the computor system, knew all the docs and what they liked, etc Since becoming a nurse I have found out that there is a WORLD of difference. You have exactly zero experience at being a nurse, zero. So should you be paid more than someone else with zero experience as well. The short answer is no.

As a side note please make sure that you have a full orientation as a new nurse. Sometimes the same idea (that you have experience) that you wanted to use to get more pay is used to give you less orientation. This is unfair to you and your patients.

casperx875x · Jan 26, 2008

Thank you for everyone's advice. It's what I was looking for! You made some good points (such as my experience on the unit counting toward seniority, etc.) that would make me feel compensated for my time worked on the floor. I've been feeling so conflicted with people telling me I should be compensated monetarily! Your guidance definitely makes me feel better.

And for the record.. I do feel extremely fortunate to have found such a great, supportive place to work. I know it is a rare find, and I absolutely do value everything about my unit.

Thanks to all. :)

Blee O'Myacin, BSN, RN · Jan 27, 2008

Thank you for everyone's advice. It's what I was looking for! You made some good points (such as my experience on the unit counting toward seniority, etc.) that would make me feel compensated for my time worked on the floor. I've been feeling so conflicted with people telling me I should be compensated monetarily! Your guidance definitely makes me feel better.
And for the record.. I do feel extremely fortunate to have found such a great, supportive place to work. I know it is a rare find, and I absolutely do value everything about my unit.
Thanks to all. :)

I agree with the above posters who say that you need to ensure that you are given a proper orientation and support as you transition from extern to RN. Having familiar, comfortable surroundings will ease your transitions in some ways, but it may also present a new set of challenges that might not be there if you were to go to a new unit.

Bottom line, if it's a healthy environment and you are going to get the mentoring that you will require, that is plenty of incentive to take the position.

I was a computer programmer for years before going to nursing school. Even though my first job had computer based charting and order entry, I did not feel entitled to ask for more money, even though I had an edge of experience on all the other new grads... It just didn't compare, even if I could troubleshoot the system when it was slow and "fix" the broken computers...(I've learned in subsequent jobs not to advertise that knowledge and I call IT when the computers don't work because I've got enough on my plate doing nurse stuff!)

Good luck -

Blee