RN Shortages & Bonuses in different states

Nurses Activism

Published

I live in Nebraska & in Omaha some hospitals are offering $10,000

sign on bonuses. Here in Kearney Ne the hospital in offering $6,000 to sign on (those bonuses are paid over a series of years).........I would much have a high wage than a sign on bonus that is taxed at 42%........the wages here have increased slightly $14 - 24 $/hr but most places still don't pay for experience & they use tons of agency nurses instead of paying their own nurses better to keep them. What is the shortage like in your states?

And what hospitals are payig the best?

0 Votes

I wish you could read the article about bonuses in the last edition of the PASNAP news letter. (not the one that came in the mail this week, the one before that) It is something everyone who is considering accepting a bonus should read before they make their decision. There are many pitfalls. Did you know that most employer have a clause in the bonus contract that allows them to revoke the bonus for any reason? I can't cut and paste but maybe there is someone else around who know how.

0 Votes
Specializes in Pediatric Rehabilitation.

My employer isn't offering one, but IS offering a recruiting bonus to current employees of $1500 after the recruitee completes 6 months. As said above, it's taxed at 42%, so it's futile. I don't understand why they don't pay the current nurses enough to keep experienced staff..but that's nursing.

Another hospital here is offering $5000 sign on bonus.

0 Votes

It is cheaper to offer a recruitment bonus than it is to offer nurses better wages. Giving a nurse a one time bonus is better financially than giving $1.00 to 5,000 nurses which repeats year after year.

In addition, I suspect that a one-time bonus is recorded differently for accounting purposes than an over-all wage increase. It would be interesting to ask a financial officer if this is true. I don't know the answer, just suspect it.

Moving expenses, etc. are accounted for differently within the hospital financial system, and is one the reasons I suspect the above to be a financial motive.

Like most of you, I would like to see increased wages rather than a recuitment bonus. However, I think a retention bonus would be the better option over-all, if bonuses are a wave of the future. The need to keep long-term employees, serve the healthcare system better than attempting to recuit new nurses and repeat orientation, plus probation.

These are good points to add to the next union negotiations and to the Hospital System Board.

In addition, the nurse union membership could ask for a one-time bonus at the time of negotiations to help "seal the deal" for contract approval. It seems like the hospital has accepted "bonuses" therefore it is not a new concept in negotiations. Maybe, we should capitalize on this compensation element rather than deter it.

Has any nursing union asked for a "one-time" bonus to help "seal the deal"? And if so, how did the hospital react and what was the final outcome.

Getting any ideas ?

0 Votes

Bonuses in my town range from $500 - $5000, only one large hospital offers them and they are paid over a period of time. One hospital doesn't offer a hire on bonus, but offers a recruitment bonus and requires that a new hire sign a contract for 2 years employment. If the contract isn't fulfilled, the hired nurse supposedly has to repay the hospital for orientation costs(whatever that comes out to?) I'm not sure how that is enforced. I don't work there.

I agree with nurs4kids in that if they paid enough to keep experienced staff, they wouldnt have to spend money on recruitment.

Happy Holidays,

Linda

0 Votes
+ Add a Comment