The job outlook in my area is pretty nice. I am recently certified and licensed NP and have already had 3 interviews with 2 of the opportunities showing great interest. I believe the next step would be an offer of employment, but the salary has not yet been discussed. I am not sure how to approach this situation, so it would be great if a seasoned NP could chime in for some guidance.
I don't want to get lowballed or short change myself as I know there are many jobs in the area and not enough NPs to fill them (as told by a local recruiter). A lot of these facilities/offices are using locum tenens.
I just have to ask..what areas do you all live in where a new FNP (I'm assuming this is FNP, not psych?) feels that asking for a 100K salary for full benefits is within reason?
I agree! While in NP school, I ASSUMED I would be paid over 100k, but upon graduation, the economy, lack of experience, location, etc. I realized it was not possible. I am over that hump now, and it did take some humble pie to realize it wasn't going to happen at the beginning of my career.
A possible reason is new grads expecting to come in where someone with 5-10+ years experience is, salary-wise, and not working their way up. IDK, just my thoughts!
Ok....So I did receive an offer today. It was on the lower end of the spectrum, which is to be expected, but now is my time to counteroffer. After the offer was made and sent in writing I said thank you and that I needed some time to look everything over....salary, benefits, etc and that I would get back with her to further discuss everything after the weekend.
What is the best way of going about making a counteroffer for the higher salary?
Thanks!
I was offered the 86,500 and countered 10k higher as that was the insight other NPs provided me. I did not expect them to accept that but thought they would meet in the middle. They originally said 86 was the highest they could do but I told them I had another offer and needed to think about it. They countered back at 88k and i accepted. It is still a little low for my area for new grads even with a comprehensive package of cme, malpractice, PTO, licensing etc. I am in a major metropolitan area on the east coast and my classmates are getting offers btwn 85 and 110k as new grads in family practice and urgent care.
Whatever you counter with, do your research, talk with others, be prepared to support your counter offer with why you are worth that much more money. You can do it!!!
BiotoBSN, just remember you aren't going to be new forever, and if it's at all possible, try and get an idea of how much you're bringing to the table. Knowing exactly how much you are worth will make it easier when renegotiating or looking for a new employer.
BiotoBSN, just remember you aren't going to be new forever, and if it's at all possible, try and get an idea of how much you're bringing to the table. Knowing exactly how much you are worth will make it easier when renegotiating or looking for a new employer.
Yes! And to FnP who is also negotiating the job offer, it doesnt mean we will be there forever! I am glad to have a job, especially when so many areas have limited NP options for new grads.
Its nice to know that someone is able to find a job....Congratulations.
I just passed my boards too but no luck finding a job.....I did my clinical in Louisiana and moved Miami recently....the job market for NP seems to be pretty bad here
Sorry, but I have yet to know of any new FNP who jumps in and is profitable for the office for at least 6 months. You actually cost the office for awhile. Any new grad coming in to most of the offices here and demanding 100k with zero family practice experience as an NP would hear crickets in the weeks to come after the negotiation. For an experienced FNP (I'm not talking psych or other specialties) that is a normal rate here. Also, smaller individual owned offices are probably not going to offer much in the way of health bennies etc.
Are new grad orientation and patient loads different in FNP vs psych etc? When I started I spent a few hours with a psychiatrist the week before I started and on my first day I was given a prescription pad and shown to my office. I had a full schedule from day one. If they thought I was going to take less than they were paying their experienced NPs for doing the same job they would have heard crickets chirping.
Seriously are there jobs out there that will keep an employee who only sees 10 patients a day? I guess they aren't worth that much but I really doubt those jobs exist.
Specializes in Cardiac, Home Health, Primary Care.
Sorry, but I have yet to know of any new FNP who jumps in and is profitable for the office for at least 6 months. You actually cost the office for awhile. Any new grad coming in to most of the offices here and demanding 100k with zero family practice experience as an NP would hear crickets in the weeks to come after the negotiation. For an experienced FNP (I'm not talking psych or other specialties) that is a normal rate here. Also, smaller individual owned offices are probably not going to offer much in the way of health bennies etc.
This!! I just finished my first full quarter and I cost the office $3k (as in they LOST money on my work). I have been there 5 months and only started seeing and billing for my own patients about 4 months ago.
I get RVU based bonus for any RVU's past what I cost the clinic each quarter - unlimited potential here.
Perhaps you can get a pay bump at 6-12 months?? Figure that into the contract?
This!! I just finished my first full quarter and I cost the office $3k (as in they LOST money on my work). I have been there 5 months and only started seeing and billing for my own patients about 4 months ago.
I get RVU based bonus for any RVU's past what I cost the clinic each quarter - unlimited potential here.
Perhaps you can get a pay bump at 6-12 months?? Figure that into the contract?
I wouldn't presume to ask you what your salary is, but can you share how many patients you see in a typical day and what level the majority are?
I'm getting excited reading these posts of advice. My potential package pays CMEs, malpractice insurance, RVU based bonus. As a brand-new FNP they tentatively offered 90k. No PTO, but my shifts are 7 on, 7 off. Essentially 26 weeks off a year. It's urgent care, exactly what I want and after a year bump up to more money. The medical director is already mentoring me in skills I'm not learning (yet or at all) such as suturing and incision and drainage. It's almost too good to be true.
What am I missing?
Sounds like a great, comprehensive offer! The 7 on 7 off sounds exhausting but I know its a common schedule.
Will you be practicing as the sole provider at a site? I work at an urgent care as an RN now and we hire many new grad FNPs and PAs. They get about a month or so orientation and then they get sent to their own sites-- Typically a slower site so the time pressure is not there. There is always a physician on call to call however many of the new grads flounder and are not prepared to be at the practice
solo.
It sounds like you are already getting some training which is good! Did they talk about the orientation period and if/when you will be alone? Make sure you are comfortable with those terms :)
Specializes in Cardiac, Home Health, Primary Care.
I wouldn't presume to ask you what your salary is, but can you share how many patients you see in a typical day and what level the majority are?
I work in two clinics. One of them has 5 docs who are used to seeing an INSANE amount of patients. I am at this clinic to see walk ins but since the docs see a crazy amount the patients often want to see their doc (understandable) so I have been slow these first few months sometimes only seeing 7-10. When any are on vacation I usually see 10-15. I also do chronic care management visits here which take longer but aren't worth as much RVU wise but I love the program. Usually here I am upstairs as well (since all groups of rooms are taken up by MD's...but there is a MD upstairs with me) and per office staff some people don't want to go up the elevator for some reason so decide to stay downstairs and wait up to a couple of hours for their docs (none of us know what the problem here is lol). Me and the MD upstairs are the newest providers here and they are trying to see how to get all of us downstairs since going upstairs seems to be a nuisance for patients.
At another clinic I am the sole provider the 2 days I'm there. Some days I only see 10 or so. This week I was there all week (doc on vacation) and saw anywhere from 10-25.
Anyway I see a good mix of 213 and 214. In the larger clinic I also get to get credit for labs and x-rays. In the smaller clinic we don't do x-rays. I don't do a lot of procedures.
I expect to get a bonus this quarter since I am finally comfortable with my charting, the EHR, and don't have to look stuff up so much. It doesn't hurt patients are finally meeting me and feeling okay with me as I am the first NP in both clinics.
Sorry it's long but it's complicated. Take away is it might not hurt to take a lower salary but re-evaluate a few months in for a good raise when you are profitable to the clinic. I get bonus for anything over 850 RVU each quarter if that helps.
I work in two clinics. One of them has 5 docs who are used to seeing an INSANE amount of patients. I am at this clinic to see walk ins but since the docs see a crazy amount the patients often want to see their doc (understandable) so I have been slow these first few months sometimes only seeing 7-10. When any are on vacation I usually see 10-15. I also do chronic care management visits here which take longer but aren't worth as much RVU wise but I love the program. Usually here I am upstairs as well (since all groups of rooms are taken up by MD's...but there is a MD upstairs with me) and per office staff some people don't want to go up the elevator for some reason so decide to stay downstairs and wait up to a couple of hours for their docs (none of us know what the problem here is lol). Me and the MD upstairs are the newest providers here and they are trying to see how to get all of us downstairs since going upstairs seems to be a nuisance for patients.
At another clinic I am the sole provider the 2 days I'm there. Some days I only see 10 or so. This week I was there all week (doc on vacation) and saw anywhere from 10-25.
Anyway I see a good mix of 213 and 214. In the larger clinic I also get to get credit for labs and x-rays. In the smaller clinic we don't do x-rays. I don't do a lot of procedures.
I expect to get a bonus this quarter since I am finally comfortable with my charting, the EHR, and don't have to look stuff up so much. It doesn't hurt patients are finally meeting me and feeling okay with me as I am the first NP in both clinics.
Sorry it's long but it's complicated. Take away is it might not hurt to take a lower salary but re-evaluate a few months in for a good raise when you are profitable to the clinic. I get bonus for anything over 850 RVU each quarter if that helps.
I think a lot of new grads, myself included, have a tendency to down-code because of all the charting and documentation requirements for the higher codes. It frustrates me that there isn't more time devoted to learning documentation and coding in school and there doesn't seem to be a consolidated test that is available to learn this stuff. I think too many new grads have to struggle to piece together snippets of knowledge various providers are willing to share in order to get up to speed on this. Lack of knowledge really does inhibit new grads from understanding their work, or even calculating their contribution to the practice. Thank you for sharing - perhaps I will start a new thread for Coding Tips and Tricks so that we can better educate one another on how to avoid some of the more common pitfalls.
Specializes in Cardiac, Home Health, Primary Care.
I think a lot of new grads, myself included, have a tendency to down-code because of all the charting and documentation requirements for the higher codes. It frustrates me that there isn't more time devoted to learning documentation and coding in school and there doesn't seem to be a consolidated test that is available to learn this stuff. I think too many new grads have to struggle to piece together snippets of knowledge various providers are willing to share in order to get up to speed on this. Lack of knowledge really does inhibit new grads from understanding their work, or even calculating their contribution to the practice. Thank you for sharing - perhaps I will start a new thread for Coding Tips and Tricks so that we can better educate one another on how to avoid some of the more common pitfalls.
I actually do my notes and the coder looks at our notes to see what we qualify for. I get a good chunk of 214's but there are times you just can't really get to that. I tried a different routine of charting when I started and the coder came and talked with me because I wasn't hitting the criteria for 214's as often so I changed up how I was using the EHR to get back up there coding wise.
EDIT: I would still love some tips and tricks though!! Lol. I wish they did talk about it more in school!!
amberusky
9 Posts
I agree! While in NP school, I ASSUMED I would be paid over 100k, but upon graduation, the economy, lack of experience, location, etc. I realized it was not possible. I am over that hump now, and it did take some humble pie to realize it wasn't going to happen at the beginning of my career.
A possible reason is new grads expecting to come in where someone with 5-10+ years experience is, salary-wise, and not working their way up. IDK, just my thoughts!