I was cruising the hospital websites as I do everyday as a new grad and came across this:
The Department of Nursing at Massachusetts General Hospital is running a New Graduate RN ICU Residency Program for six months from April 2011 to September 2011. RN residents will be hired and trained to work successfully in an intensive care setting.
Qualified applicants MUST have:
- a Baccalaureate of Science Degree in Nursing
- a current MA RN license
- less than 10 months of professional RN experience in a healthcare setting
- completed a clinical practicum in an ICU or experience in a patient assistive role in an ICU.
RN Residents will be eligible for benefits and paid a salary of $11.44 per hour. The schedule will be 40 hours per week with five 8-hour shifts. Day/Night rotation with weekends and holidays required.
11.44 an hour? They can't be serious...can they? They pay their CNAs more!
those wages are correct or close to correct for past new grads, but obviously as this thread points out, those wages would not come into play until after the residency program is over.
and yes it is a M-F internship.
My reply with wage info was in response to rn/writer asking what the new grad starting rate is if the interns end up getting hired as new grads.
The current Neuro ICU will be moving to the new Lunder building. The new MSICU will be in the Blake building where the Neuro ICU is now.
I agree that for the right candidate, this could be a wonderful opportunity. And, to each his own. For the people who are interested, great. I guess it depends on where you reside, as to what the perception will be. I think some of the wages are very low for nurses in some parts of the country. Keep in mind, that as a nurse, you are responsible for lives, and should be compensated for this. There is nothing wrong with anyone expecting a decent wage with a four year degree. Also, nursing is not medicine.
I am Canadian, so our system is slightly different. We don't have residency, and anyone who is hired as a new grad is paid the new grad wage, which is anywhere from 25 to 33 dollars an hour, not including differential. Senior nurses are paid more than this rate. Furthermore, most facilities are unionized up here, so there is NO WAY that anyone would offer a ridiculously low wage (training or otherwise). It just does not happen, and this is why I have commented on this matter with indignation.
Where I am, we are educated for a mandatory 4 years. There are no more 2 year RN programs (LPN, yes). We go to school, get hired, and yes, we have usually one to six months training, depending on the unit. However, the training wage is still at least 25 to 29 an hour, because you're in a union. People would tell employers to stick it up...for 11 an hour. So while I can see merit in all the points of view expressed here, I'm not in the US, and, well, facilities cannot operate that way. Now, I'm certain if they could pay less, they would. Except that the unions would never allow that.
Honestly, I think all nurses deserve at least a fair wage. Nursing is highly skilled. Anyway, congratulations to the people who have accepted the position. As long as you are content with your decision, that is all that matters :)
I was interviewed for this position and got great news telling me that i'm being offered one of the positions. The problem is this, I currently make almost 3 times that now. I have been working since September in a New Grad Program and my orientation ends in a month when my pay will increase. I am not fond of the remote area or the hospital that I am at now regardless of the good pay and really wanted to be back in Mass and in the City.
You currently have a position where you will be making 3 times what is being offered in the MGH internship? And you are in a new grad program and you are going to leave right after it ends?
I feel some obligation to my employer to at least stay for some length of time (1-2 years) after going through a new grad program, regardless of whether or not you have a contract. It costs them money to train you and it confirms the stereotype that new grads are total flakes. Plus, if you want a good recommendation, it would be better for you to at least stay for a little bit.
You currently have a position where you will be making 3 times what is being offered in the MGH internship? And you are in a new grad program and you are going to leave right after it ends?
I feel some obligation to my employer to at least stay for some length of time (1-2 years) after going through a new grad program, regardless of whether or not you have a contract. It costs them money to train you and it confirms the stereotype that new grads are total flakes. Plus, if you want a good recommendation, it would be better for you to at least stay for a little bit.
I'm sry you think i fit the stereotype of being a "flake." However if you were in my shoe im pretty sure you would be contemplating the same thing. I started this new grad program along with 10 other new grads and there are now 5 of us left. That should speak for itself that the program is not working that new grads in a market like this is not satisfied and wants to leave. I am sorry, actually im not but I am not one to sit in an unhappy setting for the sake of money. I feel no obligation to anyone. I went to school for 4 yrs to get my BSN and when hired despite thinking i may be compentent and doing my best, IF AN EMPLOYER THINKS OTHERWISE whether one day, 6 months or a yr on the job they have no obligation to keep me. I told that to one of my fellow cohort in the program who was not happy and the next day they called her told she has two weeks left after 4 months of training her. And thats the problem with some nurses. They are so unhappy with their jobs but won't take a stand and do something and so they stay and make their lives, the pts and their coworkers lives hell with their negative energy.
And I needed someone from my current job to use as a reference for the MGH position and the Assistant Nursing Manager gave me not only a great recommendation letter but told me to use her as a reference anytime. I think i give more credit to someone who knows this is not for them and walk away and go in search of their dream than someone who sits around just because.
I'm sry you think i fit the stereotype of being a "flake." However if you were in my shoe im pretty sure you would be contemplating the same thing. I started this new grad program along with 10 other new grads and there are now 5 of us left. That should speak for itself that the program is not working that new grads in a market like this is not satisfied and wants to leave. I am sorry, actually im not but I am not one to sit in an unhappy setting for the sake of money. I feel no obligation to anyone. I went to school for 4 yrs to get my BSN and when hired despite thinking i may be compentent and doing my best, IF AN EMPLOYER THINKS OTHERWISE whether one day, 6 months or a yr on the job they have no obligation to keep me. I told that to one of my fellow cohort in the program who was not happy and the next day they called her told she has two weeks left after 4 months of training her. And thats the problem with some nurses. They are so unhappy with their jobs but won't take a stand and do something and so they stay and make their lives, the pts and their coworkers lives hell with their negative energy.
And I needed someone from my current job to use as a reference for the MGH position and the Assistant Nursing Manager gave me not only a great recommendation letter but told me to use her as a reference anytime. I think i give more credit to someone who knows this is not for them and walk away and go in search of their dream than someone who sits around just because.
You are so right! Now more than ever employers will leave you high and dry at the drop of a hat.. Most states are right to work which should be called Our right to fire you at Time! You have the education and if a better opportunity comes along, you should take it. Other careers would not think twice.. But so many nurse are into this "They gave me a job so I will stay forever" People do not stay in jobs long term anymore..sometimes you need to change just to get more experience.
As a NM, more than once I have interviewed nurses who say I worked for that hospital for 20 yrs and now I am downsized and need to find new job and they are amazed such a thing could happen!!
You and other nurses considering this have to decide for themselves if the reduction in income for 6 mos with the chance of above average income after that plus the kind of training on your resume is worth it or not!
If yes , more power to you. If no, stay where you are and good luck with your career and be happy for yourself and for others who made other choices.
You are so right! Now more than ever employers will leave you high and dry at the drop of a hat.. Most states are right to work which should be called Our right to fire you at Time! You have the education and if a better opportunity comes along, you should take it. Other careers would not think twice.. But so many nurse are into this "They gave me a job so I will stay forever" People do not stay in jobs long term anymore..sometimes you need to change just to get more experience.
As a NM, more than once I have interviewed nurses who say I worked for that hospital for 20 yrs and now I am downsized and need to find new job and they are amazed such a thing could happen!!
You and other nurses considering this have to decide for themselves if the reduction in income for 6 mos with the chance of above average income after that plus the kind of training on your resume is worth it or not!
If yes , more power to you. If no, stay where you are and good luck with your career and be happy for yourself and for others who made other choices.
HI nlmoore,
Thank you for your response. I happy to say i will taking the position at MGH. It is a great learning opportunity and though i don't know what the future holds after the 6 months, its a leap im willing to take. Thankfully, with this current New grad position i was able to save a substantial amount and so I'm going to take the risk/opportunity and pray to God everything works out. I gave my notice at work and i got well wishes from everyone.
Just my two cents-but if you have the opportunity to get something this prestigious on your resume without bankrupting yourself, swallow your pride and do so! Take it from the guy who bankrupted himself moving to Florida for a job because even something for $11/hr wasn't an option a few years ago for a new grad.
Also, does anyone know where this new medsurg icu is going? space is obviously limited on the mgh campus, and from all the info i've read on the lunder building, its basically the new home of the neuro icu, 60+ neuro stepdown beds, radiation oncology space, a new er, and then a number of operating rooms. Regardless, hopefully they spoke to the staff to get their input and made this a tremendous building.
Space is opening up in the old buildings, the new MSICU will move into the neuro ICU once the Neuro ICU moves to the Lunder building.
Again I said this in a previous post...i agree the pay is not the bigger issue, I have no problem with people taking an opportunity, BUT this is not the opportunity new grads THINK it is.
They will not be getting the support they deserve since this new MSICU will be primarily staffed by new grads. New grads will be there to support each other, but they will lack enough guidance from experienced nurses.
When I was a new grad at MGH I was the only one the unit had to support for 3 months...the influx of new grads was spaced out so each new grad could get the support and guidance they need. How will 30-40+ new grads on ONE unit get the guidance they need when they all started at the same time?
Would you send your family member to ICU level of care where the majority of the staff nurses have only 6 months of experience? And would you want to be the new grad with only 6 months of experience taking responsibility for ICU patients and feeling like you don't have someone to back you up during a crisis?
MGH is trying to change the face of nursing based on a budget crunch, not only putting patient safety at risk but putting the satisfaction of new grads at risk. Being a new grad with all the support you need is tough, I can't imagine the stress of being a new ICU grad without support.
Hi kartia911, I have also accepted the position at MGH for this internship. While the $11.44 is very difficult to live on in Boston, I believe that the experience we will get is truly incomparable, especially in this kind of economy. I am looking at it as an extension of school. I've lived without a job since May 2009 while in school (I graduated in December 2010) so this is a major upgrade for me. :) I'm also really lucky in that I have a very supportive husband who basically told me that whatever we have to do to start my career off right we will do. Good luck to both of us.
You currently have a position where you will be making 3 times what is being offered in the MGH internship? And you are in a new grad program and you are going to leave right after it ends?
I feel some obligation to my employer to at least stay for some length of time (1-2 years) after going through a new grad program, regardless of whether or not you have a contract. It costs them money to train you and it confirms the stereotype that new grads are total flakes. Plus, if you want a good recommendation, it would be better for you to at least stay for a little bit.
And therein lies the point of this whole thread. In a nutshell.
This is why THIS internship was born, and why more internships will begin to sprout.
I don't question why that particular person is leaving. Everyone has their own reasons; but the point remains the same...Hospitals a paying out the ying to train new nurses, and they are lucky if many of them even stay the year. It can't continue. It can't...
And therein lies the point of this whole thread. In a nutshell.
This is why THIS internship was born, and why more internships will begin to sprout.
I don't question why that particular person is leaving. Everyone has their own reasons; but the point remains the same...Hospitals a paying out the ying to train new nurses, and they are lucky if many of them even stay the year. It can't continue. It can't...
And so, $11.44/hr is the result.
Uh, no.
$11.44/hr is the result of an employer's market. MGH can afford to be picky in who they hire and new grads will be scrambling for an 'opportunity' to be flat broke for 6 months just to get their foot in the door. And at the end of those 6 months, there is no guarantee of a job.
I don't question why anyone leaves their jobs, but if a hospital wants to retain nurses, have the nurse sign a contract.
Once again, you are scapegoating new grads for the fallout of a terrible economy.
April, RN, BSN, RN
1,008 Posts
My reply with wage info was in response to rn/writer asking what the new grad starting rate is if the interns end up getting hired as new grads.
The current Neuro ICU will be moving to the new Lunder building. The new MSICU will be in the Blake building where the Neuro ICU is now.