Salary Washington DC area

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello,

I have recently moved to the DC area and I'm looking for a position in a Mother/Baby Unit. I was recently offered $35/hour. I was making that in Florida and was always told that "up north" they paid much better, but clearly this has not been so.

I am a new Women's Health Nurse practitioner (Masters)

I have 8 years of nursing experience (7 of which in Maternity)

Certified in Low Risk Neonatal Nursing

NICU experience

Fluent Spanish speaker

It seems the only focus was my years of experience and nothing else. When I brought this up with HR I hit a brick wall. She spoke to higher ups and made my case. (I wanted $37/hr), but they did not budge and only offered my a sign on bonus of $5,000 for a one year commitment OR suggested I give up PTO and Extended Leave benefits so my hourly could come up to $39/hr. I don't want to make a year commitment because frankly I am weary of a hospital that goes by years of experience only- never mind higher education, certifications or ICU experience. And there is no other way of increasing pay other than by annual evaluations (0.5-2%)- no ladders, no way of getting more for getting another certification, for participating in committees, etc.

I'm a little bitter and definitely let down. The cost of living is crazy up here!

Is this typical? Am I being naive?

Please share your experiences so I may get a more realistic view of what to expect!

Thank you

Is the job offer for an RN or for an NP? If it is for an NP job, then it is low. In the DC area, you should be getting 90 to 100K as a new grad NP. As a new grad NP, you may have to take an initial pay cut from what you made as an RN. If you are not happy with this offer, then keep looking.

Thanks for your response!

The offer was for a floor nurse in a mother/baby unit.

I accepted it, but I am most certainly still looking. I'm still wrapping my head around making $5 less than I would in Miami.

Specializes in Critical Care.

In general DC pays more than Miami, although in my experience nursing pay is based almost completely on years of experience with sometimes a $1 an hour, sometimes as much as $2 per hour difference for things like advanced degrees, certifications, etc.

The previous organization i worked for piy in place a new payscale precisley to ensure that nurses withe advanced degrees and certifications stayed at the bedside- hence the appreciation for and compensation for those things.

Hopefully I will find another organization that will pay what I am worth. For now I will work for much less.

Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

When I lived in DC, just west of GW circle, couple blocks west of GWU - Med. Center ( in the mid seventies). There was a pvt. Hospital called womens Hospital....or something similar.....? If it is still there. Georgetown Med.Center, DC General and GWU hospital had awesome obgyn, units....

You do not want to know my rate of pay as experienced critical care nurse in CCU, 11,800$/yr.....in the mid late 70's

best wishes.......I enjoyed living and working in DC. (& I'm a Texan).

I've always wanted to move/ work in that area. My oldest will probably be going to school in DC.

I'm from Southwestern PA and work in Ltc and make $35/hr. I would hope the pay would be higher in DC

28.65 at Washington hospital center

Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).

deleted due to wrong link provided

Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
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