icu SALARY QUESTION

I am finishing my BSN. I already got an offer from a trauma 1 hospital to do the internship program in the ICU. They told me that my starting hourly salary is $22. Thats the basic entry nurse salary for that hospital. My questions is will my salary go up after the ICU program becuase I will be offlicially an ICU nurse with certification?

No place I've ever worked paid extra for critical care. Being a "certified" critical care nurse - ie - your CCRN - takes 2 years of crit care experience, plus sitting for an exam. Taking your hospital's crit care course, dysrhythmia class and ACLS does not give one the title of "CCRN".

My hospital gives a one time bonus for certification in our chosen speciality (ie -CCRN or CEN).

Blee

No, it's your choice to be a critical care RN, I had a 50 cent / hr raise after getting my ccrn. But, nurses that work on the floor also get the raise if they get their Med -Surg, certification. I've been ER/ICU/OHRU for almost 30 years. I always say, it's what you choose. Never go into ICU thinking you know it all. If a nurse if a good floor nurse, I consider them to be the best of our profession. If a nurse can care for 12 or more pt's , do critical thinking , prevent deterioration of a pt etc... deal with 12 pt's family members, lab ....xray ....Dr's calling etc... and still get a pt to ICU with good nursing care then...... thank God for them !

No place I've ever worked paid extra for critical care. Being a "certified" critical care nurse - ie - your CCRN - takes 2 years of crit care experience, plus sitting for an exam. Taking your hospital's crit care course, dysrhythmia class and ACLS does not give one

Blee

I read from another poster that it does not take two years but rather 1500 hours which can be done in a year working nearly full time.

The hospital is paying for your ICU training and the extra length of orientation new grads require. Consider that payment.

I read from another poster that it does not take two years but rather 1500 hours which can be done in a year working nearly full time.

Close...

It is 1750 hours, which must have been completed within the two-year time period before taking the exam (that is where the 2 years comes from).

In our hospital, RN's are paid the same/have the same raise schedule no matter the dept.