Memphis OB Newbie

Mommy TeleRN, RN · Dec 2, 2006

Welcome to TN. I can tell ya a "little" bit. New grads start off around 20.50/hr at most of the hospitals. Night diffs round roughly $4/h, weekends 4-7. Usually with one year experience you can get a weekender position which would pay somewhere around $40 (I have limited knowledge of these programs.. not sure if pay varies depending on what floor you are on or what)

You might make the most at Baptist but I've hear lots of negative talk (bad staffing mainly)

I would probably check out Methodist if I were you. Hear lots of good things, staffing good, pay good. Several facilities to choose from.

Whether or not you make more I guess depends on what you make now :)

nurseulm06 · Dec 3, 2006

thanks Mommy Nurse for your reply, the information was very helpful. here in La my base is low but with the weekend diff, unit pay, and night pay i make around $24 an hour. iam sure i'll probably be making the same there, maybe a little bit more. i wil be moving to the olive branch area i know baptist and the methodist hosp are there so hope fully i want have to wait too long for a position in L&D. I have been reading some threads, where is Baylor? do they pay more for weekends? i really appreciate your help. thanks,

Mommy TeleRN, RN · Dec 3, 2006

You are making $24 at night, on weekends? Girrrllll I can GUARANTEE you will make more in Memphis! You will make that night weekdays here!

Now the way I understand the Baylor plans (and here I just here them called "weekender" ) ok there are two ways to do it: work 24 and get paid for 40. Or get a shift premium. I do not know of hospitals do 24/40 in Memphis. The ones I'm familiar with do the shift premium.

The one I'm most familiar with: you are obligated to work at least 2 weekend shifts. You get a nice premium. Or you can sign up to work 32 hrs... 24 must be weekends. You get the same nice premium. Your extra 8 can be the third weekend night at the same rate, or during the week for a lesser rate. The difference here is that with 32 you are full time and get more bennies/lower insurance rates.

The catch is : you have to work a year to get in that program. Now you MIGHT negotiate to go ahead and get on that plan since you do have I think you said 6 months experience. Personally this type of plan is my long term goal because I don't care to work the weekends.

Even if you don't qualify for the dedicated weekender plan you can still work some weekends which pays 4-7/hr depending on the facility. Which is pretty good..but the dedicated weekend is 10+ more/hr

I would strongly suggest Methodist over Baptist if you get a choice between the two. Baptist pays well..but it's because from what I hear (I have a lot of friends that work there as interns and I also work with a lot of agency nurses that have worked there) they pay well because they don't staff near enough nurses. I have heard rumors of >10 pt per nurse. Otherwise it is a very nice facility as far as equipment and such. It "might" be better in L&D since L&D tends to have lower ratios and I would think L&D nurses would be more plentiful than other areas (my guess)

Anyway - I'm sure you'll be just fine because we NEED nurses in West TN. Agency work is PLENTIFUL because of the shortage of staff nurses.

Keep us posted on what you decide. We always need more scoop on how nurses like the various hospitals lol

Also have you checked the MED? I've heard lots of good things about them. Not sure how much L&D they do.. I'm sure a fair amount. There is also St. Francis which is pretty big. Still my first choice would likely be Methodist.

Welcome to TN!

Mommy TeleRN, RN · Dec 3, 2006

Oh by the way I reread your post: there is not a "place" called Baylor... well not in TN. It's another name for "weekender" plan. I think it's termed Baylor because it started with a hospital name Baylor and the name stuck...so some places call weekend programs "Baylor plans" HTH!

Mommy TeleRN, RN · Dec 3, 2006

me again.. as far as "work permit" is LA not part of the compact states? I would just google the TN BON and contact them as far as what you need to do with your license. Since I'm not licensed yet (graduate in the spring) I can't tell ya much on that front.

meandragonbrett · Dec 4, 2006

Baptist has more competitive benefits than Methodist...amazing retirement. The weekender plan is hard to get into as everybody wants those positions. Each facility is what you make of it. The best cardiac facility in the region.