Pay grade: experienced nurse vs new grad

[rehric00]

Guys & Gals...

I know we are "not supposed to talk about pay"... but we all do. That being said, my hospital recently did a market analysis and raised base pay for all hospital employees. I got a small increase (50 cents I think)... However- the base pay for new grads (BSN) was also raised.

I have been at the hospital for 6 years, 3 of those an a BSN prepared nurse. I have med surg and peds experience, and currently work in ICU as charge nurse/preceptor (and have done extensive training since I started there 2 years ago). I am also pursuing my master's degree. I've always rated the highest level on my yearly evals, have never been wrote up and have called off 4 times in six years.

I recently found out that new grads are now starting out making a wage that is only 50 cents less than what I make per hour.

The big question: Am I wrong for being slightly upset about this?

I realize I will be done with school in a few years and be making double what I make now anyways.. But I cannot help but to feel like I'm getting jipped. Don't get me wrong- I do not think the new grads should be making less.. but I also have a hard time justifying that I have all this experience and am basically getting the same wage as someone who doesn't even know how to start an IV or complete an admission history assessment.

Thoughts on this? Am I just being a negative Nancy? Should I just suck it up? Or do I have a valid point here?

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

All experience is valuable in terms of transferable skills, and may help you advance. However, non-nursing experience won't amount to a higher wage.

[Rnwaymack]

I have had an MSN for 4 years. I did not get a raise when I got my Masters degree and was in the same position as before. Please.tell me how you are going to be making twice what you make now?

[sarose611]

Yes, you are getting screwed. this is one of the reasons I am leaning toward

unionization

just like coal miners and telephone people, we are expected not just to.do our work, but to.do it perfectly in the eyes of administration, and patients! we work weekends, holiday, family event anreceive no extra par for that. I am sorry, getting an extra day off on De. 27th does not make up for working on Christmas. we are required to do continuing ed to.maintain our license, but we pay out of pocket for those courses, and have to take vacation days to.attend. new hires are seduced by hiring bonuses, while current staff is getting little or nothing. Nurses literally save lives. They should be paid appropriate to that responsibility!

[cinnybug]

I was with my previous employer for 5 years. During that time I consistently received the highest pay increases that the company would allow. I know this because part of my responsibility was to do evaluations and suggest the percentage of pay increase for my CNA's. I was told that the company would not allow more than 1.6%. I was never late and never called off. I worked extra hours when needed (which was frequently due to staffing challenges). During those 5 years, the company increased the pay for the CNA's by $1 an hour twice and the RN's by $1 an hour twice. The LPN's received nothing. In fact, at one point the LPN's were told that the company would be phasing us out and only hiring RN's (that lasted about 1 year and they went back to hiring LPN's). The new RN's that were hired had to be trained by the LPN's to perform everything from glucochecks to straight caths. I found this amazing as my school had trained me to do everything including IV's (we had to train on dummy arms and had to pass starting and discontinuing IV's as part of our clinicals). In my state the only things LPN's can't do that RN's do is pronounce and push IV meds. I worked at a skilled facility so I received plenty of experience with all manner of sub acute processes. After 5 years, I was making about $1 more an hour than when I started but my responsibilities had increased at least tenfold. I heard through the grapevine that the CNA's were possibly going to get another $1 an hour raise so I began applying at other facilities to check my worth. My present employer offered me $3 more per hour to start as a Personal Care nurse. I went to HR and tried to negotiate a raise with them. They offered me all sorts of non-monetary incentives to stay but stated that corporate would not allow them to match my offer. I am much happier in my new position and the saying that you have to leave a position to get a decent raise is very true. My previous employer still calls me and tries to offer me to come back ( at a higher starting rate of course) but I know where I will be with them 5 years from now so no thanks.

[Whull1, BSN, DNP, RN, APRN, NP]

I am a relatively new BSN. I started out making base pay doing regular nights. Stayed for a little over a year. Took on a nights weekender role, got a significant pay increase (almost $10). Stayed there for 6 months. Went to another hospital and they honored my pay. I jumped around and gained experience. I know some RNs say it's bad to do that, or that your resume will look terrible but it works for me. But I can tell you that I make more now than the loyal RNs that stayed 5yr+.

[Bob Loblaw]

The most effective way of raising your salary I've seen lately is become a traveler @ the place you currently work. You need to setup an address 50 miles away from the hospital. I work with a couple RN's that do that. They get same, if not better benefits, and $8 more per hour doing same thing they were doing. I cant figure out how the hospital justifies it but must be an accounting or tax benefit somewhere.

[nancy welch]

Someone once told me that if you want a specific thing at work, like shift or pay, the only way to get it is to quit and return later on down the road..isn't that sad..I feel you were wronged. Years and years ago I worked at a skilled facility and we found out the LPNs were getting paid more than us new RNs that were hired. Even tho we did all their cvp line ivs and blood draws, we had to monitor their patients if they got ill and had to send them to the ER, do their admissions plus have our own 30 patients on day or afternoon but 60 on night shift..trust me we did not take that one with a grain of salt. In other words I had 60 of my patients but still was held responsible for her 60 too..

[Andy 12, MSN, NP]

Been in a similar position. Started as new grad. Got a 1 dollar raise 2yrs later, because the new grads I was training were starting off making $1 more than I was. Then got $0.60 another year later. Then I went from nights to days I lost my $2 differential. So I left 3.5 yrs later making $0.40 less than I did when I was a new grad.

It's sad to say but these days some hospitals would rather pay someone more to start than keep good employees. My advice is apply to another job. When u get an offer, tell your manager what it will cost to keep you. I know personally that ppl aren't jumping to be charge in a busy icu. Most nurses would rather have their 2-3 pts than deal with the headaches of being charge. The key is not being afraid to say goodbye. I left a unit where I had been with the hospital longer than everyone but the charge (who trained me) and I'd trained about half the staff. It wasn't easy leaving.

[scissors2RN]

Just wondering how many times have you asked for a raise? Sometimes, that is all it takes. When you work for a big corporate place, like a hospital, unless you request a raise you will most likely only receive the "cost of living" increases, etc. Good luck!

[icjkt]

I definitely feel your frustration. I spent 20 + years in an organization where I worked as an LPN, RN, got my BSN, med surg certification...only to see younger, inexperienced.nurses being advanced to higher grades and getting placed in poaitions that I was "unqualified" for even though I had more experience, more education, etc. I have yet to figure out what "is wrong with me" but I left the organization last year for a higher paying position at an outstanding facility and haven't looked back. I spent 25 years at the bedside, and I guess they thought this old dog couldn't learn new tricks. I feel your pain, but don't let it hold you down or back. It wasn't the money thing that bothered me, it was the principle.

[Bob Loblaw]

Once employers eliminated retirement pensions there is no incentive to stay one place your entire career. A successful strategy where I live is since there are 10-15k sign on bonuses prorated for 2 years, one changes jobs every 2 years. You get your full bonus, you are always on top of the market rate, plus you don't get fall into the soul crushing rut of politics, workplace drama etc. You get in, get your coin, and get out.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Once employers eliminated retirement pensions there is no incentive to stay one place your entire career. A successful strategy where I live is since there are 10-15k sign on bonuses prorated for 2 years, one changes jobs every 2 years. You get your full bonus, you are always on top of the market rate, plus you don't get fall into the soul crushing rut of politics, workplace drama etc. You get in, get your coin, and get out.

Thanks, Bob. That is the perfect example/explanation as to why sign-on bonus are a bad from a hospital's perspective. They provide incentives for nurses to change employers frequently -- and no incentive to stay in one place. I much prefer retention bonuses for the people who stay.