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!
Specializes in Psych, Chem Dependency, Occ. Health.
Fact: You would be correct if this was a position for a STAFF RN, which it's not.
I stand by my position that executives are frothing over receiving 4000 applicants at $11.44/hr. I don't care how shiny the "internship"wrapping paper is. Do you think the number of applicants would be less if it was a staff position? If you think top management is not asking that same question, you would be wrong. Considering the problems unions are having all over the country don't be so sure that the unions would be able to fight thousands of nurses willing and able to work for less money. In fact, nurses in Worcester who are in contract talks are facing less public support and less political support than they have in the past. I am originally from Mass and maintain my MNA membership so I am well-informed about union activities in MA. There are lots of nurses who would gladly take the spots of union nurses for less money right now. You are not looking at the larger picture. Which is your right. The tide is turning both in terms of supply/demand and public/political union support, businesses are taking advantage of that. If I was a new grad facing the job market you are, I'd probably jump on it too. As so many new grads on this thread have said "a job even at that wage is better than no job at all". Enjoy your internship.
At most hospitals in Texas they require a contract for new grads to stay atleast 2 years for them to earn their money back if not the new grad is required to pay a certain amount back. The lowest pay for a new grad is 20.00 an hour, BSN new grads went through 4 years of school including clinicals and even associate RN'S paid good money to get certified w/ some sort of experience to get paid more than a tech. 11.44 is a rip off you can work anywhere and get paid while getting your experience then go where you want including MGH.
I have to said alot of people keep treating this as if it were a job. When the 6 months is over the people they keep will get the 30 plus dollars/hr they deserve. Those of u who got in the program I'm taking a wild guess u will be getting about ACLS and PALS training. So even those that have not been hired will now be HIGHLY marketable in the ICU field. Now many yrs ago in Worc MA. when again there was not a high demand for nurses. There were 2 BSNs that now work with me at the hospital both when they finally got in were working 11-7 at nursing homes making less than 18.00/hr that was 8-10 yrs ago. Do u think they happy being stuck in a position like that for that long with only that amount of money. These 6 months will be they best thing they ever did. I don't blame the hospital for trying to safe money. Any other business would do the same thing.
At most hospitals in Texas they require a contract for new grads to stay atleast 2 years for them to earn their money back if not the new grad is required to pay a certain amount back. The lowest pay for a new grad is 20.00 an hour, BSN new grads went through 4 years of school including clinicals and even associate RN'S paid good money to get certified w/ some sort of experience to get paid more than a tech. 11.44 is a rip off you can work anywhere and get paid while getting your experience then go where you want including MGH.
Go ahead, you give it a shot and let us know how that works out for ya.
This is an internship for nurses with no cc experience. They are contributing pretty much zero to the critical care units on which they are training. As you pointed out, many facilities are charging nurses money if they quit early to try to recoup training and orientation costs.
Sadly, the days of "you can go anywhere you want" are long over.
Just to clarify, anyone who was accepted to the program had to have critical care experience in a clinical practicum. So we at least have a cursory knowledge of ICU patients and practices.
I think that is so crazy important. I have watched 4 new grad none BSNs be allow with only 3 wks of training be allowed to work in our ICU once they passed ACLS and PALS. Very scary-one almost killed someone, she was not allowed in there anymore. Statment by DON "..you need more med-surg", no kidding. They ask me down there to help out-cause I have yrs of exp. You just need that. The nurse mentioned moved on to another hospital to work another ICU. Yrs ago to go into to work you need 2 yrs med-surg get to your assessment skills strong. An ICU is not a place to learn if u no exp.
I've read and commented throughout this entire thread. For those of you who agree to the low wage, you are entitled to your opinion, and I am entitled to mine. No amount of argument, no matter how thoughtfully constructed will convince me that paying 11.44 EVEN to new grads is a good idea. Regardless of the fact that new grads require mentoring, they still deserve more than 11.44 an hour. As a nurse, you are responsible for LIVES, even these new grads. That wage is undermining the whole profession, and if the hospital was unionized, they would never be able to get away with that. Obviously, they are not. Furthermore, more nurses should be standing up and saying "No!"
If you believe that this type of practice will not affect ALL nurses at some point in the future, you're naïve. As long as the economy is bad, employers everywhere will continue to see how low they can go. Thank god I'm in a union!
Like I said, if this was a staff nurse position, I would be offended at 11.44/hour. I would walk away and never look back. But I'm being paid to learn, and I'm honored by that. It's like receiving a full scholarship to college for a semester with a stipend. Maybe people should try to look at it that way. We will not be caring for patients on our own.
I'm gonna guess ur positive attitude had something to do with u getting into the program. Gd 4 u. I see this as such a great opportunity 4 u. What I find funny is that I bet if they offered just a "free class" for BSN new grads to help them obtain hospital jobs and as a bonus gave u ACLS/PALS training free. Everyone would think this such a wonderful thing.
Just to have this internship on one's resume will open opportunities in the future that will make up for not making more money for the duration of the internship!!
To me it is like taking a education course in Critical care which one would expect to PAY good money for not get paid to do!
That wage is undermining the whole profession, and if the hospital was unionized, they would never be able to get away with that. Obviously, they are not.QUOTE]
The unionized hospitals in Boston aren't hiring new grads, period. Not as staff nurses, not as interns. At least Mass General is giving some of these new grads a chance at some experience. If these new grads were being hired into staff nurse positions at $11.44, I'd be right there with you saying it's insulting, but they aren't. When hospitals start dropping wages for nurses as a result of this residency, then you and whoever else can come back here and tell us all that you told us so. Until then, I'm not worried a bit.
AprilRN, I respect your position. I understand the other side of this argument. However, I also stand by what I said. Regardless of the fact that this is a residency which allows new grads an opportunity, the wage is inexcusable. They could still offer a livable wage.
WyndDrivenRain, BSN, RN
250 Posts
I stand by my position that executives are frothing over receiving 4000 applicants at $11.44/hr. I don't care how shiny the "internship"wrapping paper is. Do you think the number of applicants would be less if it was a staff position? If you think top management is not asking that same question, you would be wrong. Considering the problems unions are having all over the country don't be so sure that the unions would be able to fight thousands of nurses willing and able to work for less money. In fact, nurses in Worcester who are in contract talks are facing less public support and less political support than they have in the past. I am originally from Mass and maintain my MNA membership so I am well-informed about union activities in MA. There are lots of nurses who would gladly take the spots of union nurses for less money right now. You are not looking at the larger picture. Which is your right. The tide is turning both in terms of supply/demand and public/political union support, businesses are taking advantage of that. If I was a new grad facing the job market you are, I'd probably jump on it too. As so many new grads on this thread have said "a job even at that wage is better than no job at all". Enjoy your internship.
Sue