Negotiating Pay

[NurseLife88, ADN, RN]

Hello all! I am an old grad but a new RN. I have worked in residential care settings most of my life but I am going to be switching work settings soon and would like some input. I was offered a full time position as peds nurse within a medium sized medical facilty at a rate of $23.20 to start. (I reside in Iowa for salary reference) I was so excited to have been offered a position exactly where I wanted that I immediately accepted the offer. I am now wondering if I should have negotiated my salary with the hospital by asking for more. Based on what I am reading I am in about the 50th percentile for nurses incomes within the state, but I do note many jobs offering a base closer to $24 hourly. I know being a new nurse I don't have as much wiggle room as those with more experience, but would like to know what other new nurses are averaging with pay and hours as well as whether I should have negotiated. Any and all info is useful. Thanks☺

[NicuGal, MSN, RN]

Most places start all New grads at the same rate and on the same pay scale. Also, look at your benefit package. Many places that offer great benefits have a lower wage.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

I can't remember where I read this, but I had read somewhere that for most new grads--not just nursing--the most important factor in deciding on their first job was the experience they'd get, not the money they'd make.

And it makes sense.

You could take this first offer, get your year or two of experience--which you really can't put a price tag on--and then be in a much stronger position when applying for the next job and/or negotiating a better salary.

Or you could keep holding out for as much cash as you can get for the first job, but risk not getting hired because there's a ton of other new grads that will be willing to work for that lesser salary.

Not saying that you should be willing to be lowballed because you are new, or that you can't attempt negotiating as a new grad. You could definitely try negotiating because IMO, if you don't ask, you don't get. But you must also be realistic as well. As a new grad, you really don't have much negotiating power....and the days when hospitals threw money at new grads are long gone.

Last, if the facility is union and/or there's a set pay scale based on experience, then there is little to no negotiating wiggle room for you.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Also, look at your benefit package. Many places that offer great benefits have a lower wage.

This as well. Those great benefits could more than offset a slightly lower wage.

[NurseLife88, ADN, RN]

Most places start all New grads at the same rate and on the same pay scale. Also, look at your benefit package. Many places that offer great benefits have a lower wage.

Thanks. One of the reasons I accepted was in part because of the benefits package but hadn't fully considered better benefits playing in role in salary which as you pointed out sometimes do.

[NurseLife88, ADN, RN]

I can't remember where I read this, but I had read somewhere that for most new grads--not just nursing--the most important factor in deciding on their first job was the experience they'd get, not the money they'd make.

And it makes sense.

You could take this first offer, get your year or two of experience--which you really can't put a price tag on--and then be in a much stronger position when applying for the next job and/or negotiating a better salary.

Or you could keep holding out for as much cash as you can get for the first job, but risk not getting hired because there's a ton of other new grads that will be willing to work for that lesser salary.

Not saying that you should be willing to be lowballed because you are new, or that you can't attempt negotiating as a new grad. You could definitely try negotiating because IMO, if you don't ask, you don't get. But you must also be realistic as well. As a new grad, you really don't have much negotiating power....and the days when hospitals threw money at new grads are long gone.

Last, if the facility is union and/or there's a set pay scale based on experience, then there is little to no negotiating wiggle room for you.

Thanks for your knowledge I can definitely see your points. One of the biggest factors in deciding on this position was because of the experience it will provide me. It's a position that also floats to NICU and OB which I loved because that's even more experience I can gain. So I do agree it's such an important factor to choose an area where experience can be gained.

I am not looking for the highest paying job I can find but wanted to make sure I wasnt selling myself short as well as gain some insight from nurses who have been there and done that haha.

[Wolf at the Door, BSN]

I think you need to be satisfied with being an old new grad getting a job in peds and not adult med surg. Don't be concerned about 23.20 vs closer to 24..Like Jay-Z once said WTF is 50 cents.

[NurseLife88, ADN, RN]

I think you need to be satisfied with being an old new grad getting a job in peds and not adult med surg. Don't be concerned about 23.20 vs closer to 24..Like Jay-Z once said WTF is 50 cents.

This one made me lol and yes I suppose in the gist of things I should be happy to have a job, I know a lot of new grads having a very difficult time finding a job let alone one in the area they desire. Counting my blessings!

[kp2016]

My first RN job was in a state with a very low pay rate for new RN's. I cried when I received the offer. The recruitment manager actually felt bad for me - thats how devastated I was and told me that if I negotiated they may be able to give me a little more. I carefully wrote a letter requesting a higher salary and patiently waited. They counter offered with an addition 50 cents an hour. I'm not sure it was worth the addition disappointment. The upside was management was wonderful and this was a great place to work. I moved a few years later to a new state and received a pay offer of almost $5 more per hour. It was the job from hell.

Motto of the story, money isn't everything. Good luck, I hope you enjoy your new job.