Negotiating Pay for Transfer

[JV2000]

Hello there, I'm looking for help negotiating pay for an ICU position that I am transferring to in the suburbs of Chicago. I currently have 1 1/2 years of tele/medsurg experience and 2 years of psych before that. Our ICU is extremely short staffed and every ICU nurse is on mandatory 12 hours overtime per week.

I did great in my interview and was offered a spot in the ICU, but at the same pay rate of $28.50/hr. I rushed into it and said yes right away but am now second guessing myself. I did ask about pay and the hiring manager said it would be a lateral transfer. I want to call her back and bring it up again but I just don't know how without sounding like an idiot or if I even should bring it up again since I've already accepted the spot. I have friends that are new grads in nursing homes making $32/hr.

I already know their computer system and their own ICU MD is one of my references and recommended me. I've worked with the staff that peer interviewed with me when they float to tele so that could not have gone better.

Other than bringing up those points, I don't know what else to say. Any advice?

[Double-Helix, BSN, RN]

Most larger hospitals use some form of pay scale or bands based on the title of the position (staff nurse, charge nurse, nurse supervisor, etc.), overall years of experience and length of employment with the facility. Unless you were moving to a position with a different job title or significantly different responsibilities, it makes sense that you would remain the same on the pay scale (lateral transfer). You could potentially make a case for increased pay if you can prove that you come with additional skills or expertise that an average nurse on your same pay scale does not have. In my experience though, negotiating an increase in pay when you're already an established employee moving from one unit to another, working with the same job description, will likely be pretty difficult. Can't hurt to ask, though.

[Sour Lemon]

Hello there, I'm looking for help negotiating pay for an ICU position that I am transferring to in the suburbs of Chicago. I currently have 1 1/2 years of tele/medsurg experience and 2 years of psych before that. Our ICU is extremely short staffed and every ICU nurse is on mandatory 12 hours overtime per week.

I did great in my interview and was offered a spot in the ICU, but at the same pay rate of $28.50/hr. I rushed into it and said yes right away but am now second guessing myself. I did ask about pay and the hiring manager said it would be a lateral transfer. I want to call her back and bring it up again but I just don't know how without sounding like an idiot or if I even should bring it up again since I've already accepted the spot. I have friends that are new grads in nursing homes making $32/hr.

I already know their computer system and their own ICU MD is one of my references and recommended me. I've worked with the staff that peer interviewed with me when they float to tele so that could not have gone better.

Other than bringing up those points, I don't know what else to say. Any advice?

At this point, you have no ICU experience. Seems like it would be a tough sell.