One stop wages shopping....

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All right Californians, I am wondering if anyone can tell me the wages in San Diego (from new grad on up). A friend and I are considering it, because I can't seem to save any money here.... I know Karen works down there and so did premnrs right? If you can help me out I would appreciate it.... even though you are all sick of the question!@

The University of California San Diego (UCSD) salaries for CN !! (staff RN with at least a years experience) range from $21.68 to $31.74. Most are 12 hour shifts with time & ½ after 8 hours. There is a $2.50 /hr weekend differential, $3.00 night shift, $2.50 for charge nurse. On call is $6.50 per hour. Nurses are placed on the salary step based on years of experience as a registered nurse. They have two campuses, I think.

I don't know the pay for the other facilities. Kaiser has a contract so should be easy to find out. Perhaps nurses from other facilities can tell us the pay ranges.

Below is all I know about Palomar.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20030521-9999_1mi21pph.html

Palomar Pomerado contract includes 22% raise in 1st year

By John Berhman

UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

May 21, 2003

ESCONDIDO - Nurses in the Palomar Pomerado Health district will vote today and tomorrow on a contract that would make them among the highest-paid nurses in the county, district and union officials say.

The contract would give district nurses a 30 percent increase in salary over the next three years, including an average 22 percent increase the first year.

Experienced clinical nurses would earn $37.91 an hour, or about $73,000 a year, in the first year of the contract. Jan France, a nurse and member of the bargaining team, said veteran nurses make slightly more than $32 an hour now.

Beginning nurses would make $25 an hour, or about $48,000 a year, in the first year. France said they are paid about $21 an hour now.

The contract, which includes other provisions favorable to nurses, is the first negotiated since Palomar Pomerado nurses voted last year to join the California Nurses Association.

CNA spokesman Charles Idelson said the contract will make nurses at the district's two hospitals the highest paid in the county. Michael H. Covert, Palomar Pomerado's chief executive officer, said beginning nurses would be the county's highest paid, and more experienced nurses among the highest paid.

Members of the union bargaining team said yesterday that they are pleased with the proposed contract and are confident the district's 725 nurses will vote overwhelmingly to approve it. "I think we have done very well for our first-time contract," France said.

Palomar Pomerado, a public district with an elected board, operates Palomar Medical Center in Escondido, Pomerado Hospital in Poway and smaller facilities in inland North County. The seven-member hospital board is scheduled to consider the contract at its next meeting June 2 and is expected to approve it.

"We believe that this agreement with CNA is not only fair and generous for our nursing staff, but is one that will protect the financial and operational strength of PPH in the future," Covert said. "I am confident that the result will be a recognized win-win agreement of which we can all be proud."

Nurses gained CNA union recognition from the district last July. Negotiations began the following month, said France, a critical-care nurse at Palomar Medical Center, and the tentative agreement was reached late Friday.

"I think the majority of the nurses will be very pleased with an average increase of 22 percent in their wage this year, no increase in their health care premium for 2004 and an enhanced pension plan," said Donna Johnson, an emergency room registered nurse at Palomar and also a member of the bargaining team.

The contract was negotiated by a team of nurses and CNA representatives and district managers. District administrators estimate the contract would cost the district between $20 million to $22 million over its three-year duration.

The contract's guaranteed raises will replace a merit-pay system, the CNA's Idelson said. "This is one of the items we are most proud of because the merit system is so subjective and open to cronyism," he said. "Years of experience will now be recognized."

Other benefits include a ban on mandatory overtime, a commitment to guarantee pension benefits through the California Public Employees system, a restriction on "unsafe floating," referring to nurses working in areas where they do not have the proper expertise, and input on staffing issues with arbitration for resolution of disputes required.

Much of the country is dealing with a severe nursing shortage, and Palomar Pomerado and many hospitals had been losing nurses because of pay and job demands.

Covert and Lori Shoemaker, Palomar Pomerado's chief nursing officer, said they believe the higher salaries will encourage more nurses to stay with the district.

"In taking this step, Palomar Pomerado is recognizing the invaluable contribution of registered nurses to the quality of care, as well as responding to the realities of the current market," Shoemaker said.

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John Berhman: (760) 737-7577; [email protected]

Thanks spacenurse!

If anyone else has any info, feel free. We should have a wage thread for each state so that we aren't always asking the same question a dozen times:)

Specializes in ICU, home infusion.

San Diego RNs earn less than RNs in LA or Northern California. I know because I've lived, worked, and organized here in San Diego for 30 years.

Good for these nurses. It's about time that SoCal RN wages catch up with that of Northern California. It has always amazed me that although the cost of living seems much higher in SoCal that the wages have never caught up. Good Luck to these nurses and all of SoCal. Hopefully one day wages throughout the state will be similar so people such as myself that have stayed in Northern California for the pay can come down South.

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