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!
This is a disgrace to the nursing profession. More than 4000 people applied but only 150 positions will up for grabs at MGH
Do you mean it is a disgrace 4000 nurses applied or that they only had 150 openings??
I think MGH is taking advantage of the economy but obviously 4000 nurses were willing to give it a shot and while I agree $11.44/hr is very low.. 150 nurses will get a chance to get great training and a boost on their resumes for the future...I still think it beats no job at all.
Maybe I'm biased because I was accepted to the program, but I don't think it's a disgrace to nursing. I think that this program is a mix of classroom work and a preceptorship, both of which I've had to pay for up until now. I consider it an honor for such a prestigious institution to believe in me enough that they're willing to pay me to learn. Are they taking advantage of the economy? Maybe. But who isn't these days. I'd rather be employed making $11.44 an hour with full time employment waiting for me at the end of six months than becoming a bitter "old grad" saying how much this program sucks and still not having an acute care position. Just my opinion though.
Specializes in taking a break from inpatient psychiatric nursing.
Maybe I'm biased because I was accepted to the program, but I don't think it's a disgrace to nursing. I think that this program is a mix of classroom work and a preceptorship, both of which I've had to pay for up until now. I consider it an honor for such a prestigious institution to believe in me enough that they're willing to pay me to learn. Are they taking advantage of the economy? Maybe. But who isn't these days. I'd rather be employed making $11.44 an hour with full time employment waiting for me at the end of six months than becoming a bitter "old grad" saying how much this program sucks and still not having an acute care position. Just my opinion though.
I can see both sides, being on the outside of it (and having a job that's keeping me afloat while I'm going to school part-time). Anyone, in any field, might dread the possibility that new hires will be paid much less. That puts their positions at risk, since a lower paid workforce is more desirable to corporations.
That's one of the reasons unions formed. I guess there's no union at this hospital in Boston, hm?
That's one of the reasons unions formed. I guess there's no union at this hospital in Boston, hm?
This is an internship, not a staff nurse position, so a union wouldn't matter. Pay for new grad STAFF RN positions has not changed and is $29 and change per hour, which is what these nurse residents will be getting paid once they get hired on as staff. MGH is not unionized but thousands of nurses who work there are happy without a union. As far as pay, the non-union hospitals in the area have to stay competitive with the unionized hospitals so unless all the area hospitals lower wages for staff nurses, it won't happen at MGH.
Specializes in taking a break from inpatient psychiatric nursing.
This is an internship, not a staff nurse position, so a union wouldn't matter. Pay for new grad STAFF RN positions has not changed and is $29 and change per hour, which is what these nurse residents will be getting paid once they get hired on as staff. MGH is not unionized but thousands of nurses who work there are happy without a union. As far as pay, the non-union hospitals in the area have to stay competitive with the unionized hospitals so unless all the area hospitals lower wages for staff nurses, it won't happen at MGH.
I see your point, April, though the whole concept of a salaried "internship" for nurses is a new concept, isn't it? Also, you wrote, "Thousands of nurses who work there are happy without a union."
How do you know that? Are you a nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital, or otherwise employed there? Just curious.
The point is this those who applied and got accepted are happy. They are positive and look at it as a gd learning exp. that will get them the job they hopefully want later. It is 6 months and not 6 hrs. 4000 other people felt the same way and could have been making alot more in NURSING HOME. This is their choice and mabey some people today just become nurses to take care of people and not make a nice paycheck. I know there is nothing wrong with both. But to some money is not a factor the JOB is key instead. This is not a disgrace to nursing in anyway. A company did this not the nursing profession. I just got a 1.40 raise over the next 2 yrs the RNs I work with got 2.00 over the next 2 yrs. The CNAs, housekeepers, cooks and such got NOTHING. Other people work in a hospital and they get pay checks also.
From what a nurse at MGH told me, 150 will be accepted and only 40 will walk away with a job offer after the 6 months. So not everyone accepted is guaranteed a job at MGH after the residency... I'm not 100% sure this is accurate but I've heard this from a number of people
It's a disgrace that 4000 people are willing to work a full time schedule for 11.44/hr and not even have a guarantee that they will be walking away with a job at this institution. CNA's receive about $14.40/hr at MGH but BSN graduates have to receive 3 dollars less?
From what a nurse at MGH told me, 150 will be accepted and only 40 will walk away with a job offer after the 6 months. So not everyone accepted is guaranteed a job at MGH after the residency... I'm not 100% sure this is accurate but I've heard this from a number of people
I'm almost positive this information is incorrect. Experienced nurses are being hired to staff the new ICU as well. Perhaps that is where the 150 came from?
IMHRN
4 Posts
This is a disgrace to the nursing profession. More than 4000 people applied but only 150 positions will up for grabs at MGH