Hiring an RN into private practice

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello everyone! I am a psychiatrist and in the process of starting my own practice, it will deliver transcranial magnetic stimulation, an FDA approved treatment for major depression. It's very safe, well tolerated, and only in extremely rare cases can be associated with a seizure during a treatment. Only 25 or so documented cases of the tens (maybe hundreds) of thousands treatments to date. Some were in people actively drinking heavily and others were from the experimental days of TMS when the treatment intensity was too high. So the likelihood of seizure is very low. I'm looking for advice on how to recruit 1-2 RNs to deliver the treatment. It is a very chill job description, just apply the coil and deliver an 18 minute treatment to the patient (no IVs, draws, nothing). It will be first shift, 0800-1600 and the rest of the time is spent answering the clinic phone, following up phone calls, medical records, etc. I won't be able to offer benefits and the hourly wage I can really offer is $20/hr, for working 50 weeks a year, that is 40k. However, there is a bonus that I am thinking of offering for each billed patient encounter, of $3. I'm projecting about 45 patient encounters billed a week, that's an extra 11k or so and as the practice grows, so does that bonus. Anyone have any input on what population may be interested in this type of opportunity and how I can market this? I have no idea how to find well qualified nurses (good sites to post the listing, or maybe good places to find nurses who are interested in a more chill job description but maybe less competitive pay) and especially someone who can be reliable since the treatments are 5 days a week. There is also the bonus that the nurse can have flexibility in their hours too. Thank you for all the input!

So, you want an RN, to do the dirty work.. but won't pay them what they are worth or give them benefits?

I'll say this for ya, you got a lot of nerve coming on this site and ask for help.

So, you want an RN, to do the dirty work.. but won't pay them what they are worth or give them benefits?

I'll say this for ya, you got a lot of nerve coming on this site and ask for help.

Please actually read my posts. I don't have that kind of money and was not interested in hiring an RN in the first place due to cost. This is my attorneys advice. I'd pay more if I could but I simply can't. My overhead is already over 100k. Just google how much psychiatrists make. Fortunately there is actually some helpful input here like looking for part timers and ideas to help me sweeten the deal. Plus, it seems like no one here has experience with TMS. The work itself is far less stressful, so please don't actually judge the work until you actually know what it looks like.

Also, to shed some light, I encourage people to look up TMS tech jobs. Most pay far less and don't even ask for a nurse. I'm not sure why my attorney says a nurse is needed. She's either very conservative or most TMS practices are taking on a whole lot of risk.

So, you want an RN, to do the dirty work.. but won't pay them what they are worth or give them benefits?

I'll say this for ya, you got a lot of nerve coming on this site and ask for help.

Please actually read my posts. I don't have that kind of money and was not interested in hiring an RN in the first place due to cost. This is my attorneys advice. I'd pay more if I could but I simply can't. My overhead is already over 100k. Just google how much psychiatrists make. Fortunately there is actually some helpful input here like looking for part timers and ideas to help me sweeten the deal. Plus, it seems like no one here has experience with TMS. The work itself is far less stressful, so please don't actually judge the work until you actually know what it looks like.

to shed some light, I encourage people to look up the TMS tech jobs. They generally pay far less and don't even ask for an RN. I'm not sure why my attorney keeps telling me to get a nurse. Either she's ultra conservative or most TMS practices are taking a huge load of risk,

I can read. If you can afford an attorney, you can afford to pay a nurse... what they are worth.

Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
Reality check.

Let's not forget that over in acute care the price point for hiring an at-will RN (effectively/apparently) comes with carte blanche to be thoroughly abusive in different ways, and doubly abusive by everything that goes into covering up the fact that what I just said is true.

What's better? Work with someone you might get to know fairly well and probably be treated like a fellow human being while not making much money, or make a professional wage while being treated like a subhuman piece of garbage?

Both have their obvious and serious philosophical incongruities.

Why get put-out at a physician, but not an MBA or any of the "Cs"? This OP person kinda wants what s/he can't afford, but the "haves" in healthcare corporations don't even pretend to worry about such minor matters. That's mom-and-pop to them - they offer higher wages and then simply make demands that aren't commesurate with compensation after all. And have the complete power to do so.

Not sure that one way of refusing to pay for what you want is better than the other.

It isn't any better. But this is one person asking us how feasible this is. If a hospital MBA-type came on here with something similar it wouldn't be pretty.

I can read. If you can afford an attorney, you can afford to pay a nurse... what they are worth.

My attorney is less than 2 grand, benefits and higher salary is magnitudes higher.

Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.

I think your best bet is to hire 2-3 semi-retired or retired nurses who aren't ready to let their licenses go. Everyone gets a few hours of work per week, a few bucks and not a whole lot of stress. They can cover vacations for one another if they want to augment their 2 weeks with unpaid time. I think schedule flexibility would be the biggest selling point to attract a few seasoned but low-needs RNs. Good luck.

It isn't any better. But this is one person asking us how feasible this is. If a hospital MBA-type came on here with something similar it wouldn't be pretty.

Oh, I get that. And I get that the OP's desire is not feasible. If an RN is indeed required for the proposed business model, then I guess the OP's conclusion should be that it's not feasible because it involves overhead that is high enough the business idea itself doesn't work.

Some of the overtones here reek of the thinly-veilied "you and your ilk will always be our sworn enemy," though.

Wretched Evil Doctor who wants to make money at the expense of a professional RN!

Come on - it's that kinda funny?? Why get all bent out of shape when we've already let a different wolf in the back door?

Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

If you really need to hire RN's to fill this role it might be difficult, but not impossible. For a light workload lower pay might be acceptable to some nurses. The lack of any benefits raises your difficulty bar significantly however. There are nurses out there that have insurance coverage available through a spouse but you will find most RN's willing to accept a pay scale that low are going to expect compensation in other areas, like stellar benefits.

You may be more likely to find candidates by offering a few part time positions rather than looking for just full time staff. If you are indeed flexible in the scheduling this might be a good opportunity for a student, a semi-retired nurse needing to limit hours or risk reducing retirement benefits or a stay at home parent looking to re-enter the job market but needing to a work schedule that is friendly to their child care needs or the kid's school schedule.

Good luck with your new business!

Thanks to those who were helpful! It's been tremendously helpful indeed!! I was pretty sure I had a conundrum on my hands but the ideas have been great! I'm glad to see there are plenty of RNs who don't assume all MDs are sworn enemies. I'm sure it shines in your work as well.

Curious,

If you believe this service is a viable idea, and if you need an RN in order to provide it, why not find an RN who wants to go into business with you and split the profits accordingly.

"I'm glad to see there are plenty of RNs who don't assume all MDs are sworn enemies. I'm sure it shines in your work as well."

That speaks volumes on your end. I have worked with MD's for 35 years, never once thought of them as a sworn enemy.

Don't need you to shine my work, it speaks for itself. Just.. pay me for what I'm worth.

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