Pay increase when switching departments?

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm an RN in a smallish hospital (90 beds). I am currently in Med/Surg, and have an opportunity to become an OR Circulator within this same hospital. I have one year of RN experience.

If I am offered the OR position, should I ask for a pay increase? By the hospital's standards, I'm a pretty inexpensive employee, since I was a new grad just a year ago.

Thoughts?

you can ask but it may not happen. one year of experience is not a huge bargaining chip.

Specializes in being a Credible Source.

They're giving you the opportunity to enhance your skills and you believe that that warrants a pay increase? Once you're fully trained and independent, and have proved yourself for a few months in the new position, perhaps. Now, though, kind of crass IMO.

Thanks for the thoughts so far.

To give a little further context: I have been approached by several different departments within this hospital recently. Regarding the OR opportunity, I've had surgeons and PACU nurses trying to "recruit" me to make the switch. Just yesterday the director of the Cath Lab also approached me about joing their team (apparently word got out that I was considering a change). I am fortunate to be well respected in this hospital, and therefore I have options. My interest is in the OR, and I feel that's where I'll hang my hat for a good long while. It seems that the "competitive" pay increases come when you change hospitals, but why not when you change departments, especially if I'm being recruited? "Crass" is certainly not a word I would associate with myself and it is not my inention at all.

Further thoughts would be appreciated.

Specializes in Home Care.

I wouldn't ask for a raise until after 6 months in the new position. Its a matter of proving yourself worthy of a raise.

Thanks for the thoughts so far.

To give a little further context: I have been approached by several different departments within this hospital recently. Regarding the OR opportunity, I've had surgeons and PACU nurses trying to "recruit" me to make the switch. Just yesterday the director of the Cath Lab also approached me about joing their team (apparently word got out that I was considering a change). I am fortunate to be well respected in this hospital, and therefore I have options. My interest is in the OR, and I feel that's where I'll hang my hat for a good long while. It seems that the "competitive" pay increases come when you change hospitals, but why not when you change departments, especially if I'm being recruited? "Crass" is certainly not a word I would associate with myself and it is not my inention at all.

Further thoughts would be appreciated.

I understand the recruitment part. I held many different jobs within the hospital(after being recruited) where I worked for more than a decade. If you changed jobs (unless you went to managment) and were still considered a staff RN, then you had the same pay grade and held your seniority. You would not make the same as someone coming off the street because you retained all of the raises you had in the past. I made changes for better opportunities, better schedule-no nights, weekends, and holidays actually gave me a pay decrease but worth it!

Specializes in ICU, Research, Corrections.

It is not customary in my large hospital system to get a pay increase when

transferring jobs. I don't think it would hurt to ask HR though if there is an

increase.

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