Low unemployment

[KSjo88]

Was just wondering if and how the current economy is impacting your facility or place of employment. Currently, our economy is supposed to be experiencing the highest level of unemployment in decades. I work PRN at to separate facilities as this works better for me as a single mom and I do not need the health insurance as a combat veteran I receive the healthcare I need from the VA. However, at the one facility I work at they are a critical staffing issue(well at both they do) but I know several of the nurses started looking elsewhere and were offered approximately $4 more per hour at other facilities so they went back and asked for a $2 raise in order to stay and the facility refused. So then we had a mass exodus and ended up with a facility full of travel nurses. Sometimes the night shift is completely travel staff. So they implemented a temporary $5 shift differential for night shift. The other facility also has a staffing issue. Always, short. This is a big medical facility. The base pay at this facility is already lower then market value, I would say $2-$6 depending on experience. However, they recently slashed PRN differential, as well as night differential, and weekend differential. Their idea behind this was something like all the older nurses are retiring and in order to save money these differentials will not apply to new hires or anyone who isn't grandfathered in. From my understanding those nurses who work straight nights were given a base pay increase to offset the nearly $5 night shift differential but is still lower then it was before. So I guess I'm just not seeing these wage increases the news is talking about are suppose to be happening because of a tight labor market. But when I look at job ads I'm seeing more and more job openings.

[KSjo88, BSN]

So is anyone noticing the low unemployment in their work place? I've always worked nights, which has been chronically short staffed to the point they had sometimes only one nurse scheduled and had to fill in ALOT with agency....so they increased the night differential $3 for a total of $5 for nights. Now about a month into it we have this huge flop. Now a ton of open day shifts... anyways I just recently discovered another facility in the area is hiring at nearly $5 more per hour and offering signing bonus of $8000. Debating whether to bring this up to HR or go apply to the other company.

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

So is anyone noticing the low unemployment in their work place? I've always worked nights, which has been chronically short staffed to the point they had sometimes only one nurse scheduled and had to fill in ALOT with agency....so they increased the night differential $3 for a total of $5 for nights. Now about a month into it we have this huge flop. Now a ton of open day shifts... anyways I just recently discovered another facility in the area is hiring at nearly $5 more per hour and offering signing bonus of $8000. Debating whether to bring this up to HR or go apply to the other company.

This is a little late but: Unless you love your current job go apply at the other company, You won't get a sign on bonus where you work now and I highly doubt if your employer will jump your pay by $5.00/hr to match the other job.

[KSjo88, BSN]

This is a little late but: Unless you love your current job go apply at the other company, You won't get a sign on bonus where you work now and I highly doubt if your employer will jump your pay by $5.00/hr to match the other job.

Yeah, I'm not happy. But seems like everywhere I have been is all about cutting or decreasing benefits as much as possible. Why is this a thing in nursing.

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

Yeah, I'm not happy. But seems like everywhere I have been is all about cutting or decreasing benefits as much as possible. Why is this a thing in nursing.

Tell me about it. You're preaching to the choir! My insurance is crazy expensive for mostly crap coverage. I'm maxed out on PTO, though to be fair I do actually get quite a bit. Good luck getting any kind of bonuses. They also took away charge pay, shift differentials and OT for anything other than the legally required OT after 40 hours a week so many times I am mandated and working double shifts at straight time.