Leaving first job, did you have a pay increase?

allnurses Guide · Jul 4, 2017

I have left jobs for pay increases in other specialties but I have also left jobs because I wanted to work for another organization and actually took a pay cut to do it. It has all worked out for me and I love the organization I work for. Still the days of big pay increases are sadly no more. I would much rather work for a company that likes me and I them than make more money being miserable.

Hppy

TriciaJ, RN · Jul 5, 2017

Each hospital system or other employer has its own compensation package or union contract. You have to look at the whole picture: pay + benefits - cost of living - commute time, etc. You may get a raise, take a cut, improve benefits, regress on benefits, etc. It also depends on how much they pay for experience and if you're going to an area where you have experience, or if you're starting something new and they start you at the bottom.

This is a very hard question to answer definitively on an internet forum.

brownbook · Jul 5, 2017

Yes to what TriciaJ said.

I worked a hospital that paid less than the bigger fancier hospital across town. But where I worked we were part of a state wide retirement system. (Not that I paid that much attention to retirement stuff when was young and got a job there!) I have been retired several years with good retirement benefits. The nurses who got paid more across town did not have much of a retirement plan. It is very difficult to navigate the retirement plan/savings system on your own.

I never paid attention to pay. I worked out patient surgery my last ten years. I honestly have no idea what my hourly wage was, if it went up or down. We were closed nights, weekends, holidays. I wouldn't work 24/7 nursing again for $500.00 an hour!

claytonrenee · Jul 5, 2017

New grad pay with ADN in Central FL I started out at $19.5. About 1 1/2 years later I was making $22.15. I went PRN at that time and got $33 an hour so I could start travel nursing with a huge increase of course in pay about $42. I recently started with a new travel company after a year with the other and make over $45 an hour. I switched back to PT from PRN and my pay is about $29.50 for the PT same job I was making $22.15 at a year and a half prior. Pay is not the only consideration for me though. I would take a lower pay for a commute where I could actually come home each night. Currently, my commute is 2 1/2 hours so that's not possible.

firemedic12, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Jul 5, 2017

My base pay went up, but I went from nights at my first job to days at my second so technically it was a pay cut. I still pick up PRN at my first job so that helps. They're really hurting for nurses so call-back pay is plentiful

kp2016 · Jul 5, 2017

As soon as you have an offer ask for more. I have gotten more than the initial offer at my last 3 jobs. One time it was only 50 cents more per hour but at my last job it was around $6 more per hour. You need to be ready to explain why you are worth more, experience, certifications ect.

areensee · Jul 6, 2017

It depends on what area of nursing you moving to. I have taken several pay cuts, but did so in order to chang3 my focus. When I left the hospital for a hospice position, I took a pay cut. When I left hospice to teach nursing, I took a pay cut. If just depends on the situation.

Calalilynurse · Jul 9, 2017

Went from base of $20 to $18.59 to get out of a nearly two hour drive. New job had cheaper benefit s, lower taxes, and saving on gas. Less stress too.

NurseLatteDNP, MSN, DNP, RN · Jul 9, 2017

I went from hourly pay to salarly pay and took a major pay-cut. But the hours were better and the level of stress was lower.

chris21sn, BSN, RN · Aug 8, 2017

Didn't leave my job yet, but I have been looking. One offered me a 5 dollar increase from 36.50 to 41.50. â¤ï¸â—ï¸ Only 8 month of experience at that. Also, at a high acuity, magnet hospital. On my way to that crna route...