Pay for hospital nurse vs LTC nurse

Dalla · Mar 26, 2011

I don't know about PA, but here in central WI, they are pretty equal. My last job was LTC/rehab (with a $2 PM shift differential) for $24.65. Last job I interviewed for at a hospital was offering me $22.30 for a day shift. Pretty similar. Go with the area that you prefer, or will it not be worth the few extra dollars you make. Also need to consider chances for overtime and how much they will take out for your share of insurance.

josinda421 · Mar 27, 2011

As a new graduate with a need to pay off your loans, I would go with LTC, being that they would pay more as opposed to hospital pay. But as far as your skills, I would do PRN or one or two days a week at the hospital to pick up some skills in varies areas.

evolvingrn, BSN, RN · Mar 27, 2011

As a new graduate with a need to pay off your loans, I would go with LTC, being that they would pay more as opposed to hospital pay. But as far as your skills, I would do PRN or one or two days a week at the hospital to pick up some skills in varies areas.

I could be wrong but i don't think ltc pays more in our area. i think you have to do a cost analysis of your particular area. I work acute care and make a base of about 30 per hour (not including differentials) but my understanding is that ltc around here starts with a base around 25 per hour. My base is actually 2 dollars and hour less than one of the hospitals but competetive with the other three. I find that our city is pretty open about their salaries but if you dig around you can find out from nurses in the area the going rate.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 27, 2011

I am in the Dallas/Fort Worth area of Texas. Nursing homes will pay a new nurse significantly more than the major hospitals around here because many people do not like working with the elderly on a daily basis. However, the hospitals in this area tend to have better benefits even though the starting pay is lower. Many of the nursing homes around me pay competitively, but have expensive health insurance (or no health coverage at all) and other crappy benefits. So I suppose it is a wash.

rainbowsandsunshine · Mar 27, 2011

I started last year as a new grad RN in LTC. I think I made about $2 more per hour than the hospitals... but the benefits are TERRIBLE!!!!

Note to self: next time, instead of accepting a job out of desperation, look at the bigger picture (i.e health insurance, disability, life insurance, paid holidays, shift differential, etc).

Now I am on the fast track to a mental breakdown from the stress of my job... and I dont have any health insurance to pay for my future in-patient psych evaluation.

FML

Just remember, money isnt everything... even if you are making good money and paying the bills, it wont bring you happiness if you have no energy left over for relationships/family or maintaining your own well being.

prinsessa · Mar 27, 2011

I work LTC and just got a job in a hospital. The hospital pays a little less (shift differential makes it more since we don't get that at my LTC facility) but the benefits are much better at the hospital. We start getting PTO right away at the hospital. I have worked at the LTC facilty for almost a year and still haven't had any PTO. You have to work there a year to get one week vacation. Plus health insurance is less than half. The nurse patient ratio is horrible at the LTC facility and you always feel like you are struggling to stay afloat. I really love my residents so it upsets me that they don't get proper care. If you have the chance I would start in a hospital. It is easier to go from hospital to LTC instead of the other way around.

hopefulwhoop · Mar 27, 2011

As a hospital RN, I make about $4 less than I did in a LTC (north central Florida). The hospital pay is less, but I like my job a lot more, so the pay cut was definitely worth it.

schantzy143 · Mar 28, 2011

thanks so much for all the responses. It is so stressful trying to find a job right now. I don't graduate until May but so many of my classmates already have a job lined up. I started to apply online but everywhere I want to apply for requires at least a year of experience and the only experiences I have are clinicals and my preceptorship that I'm doing in the PACU. It's really stressful when people ask if I job yet and I say "no" and they give that look like "seriously?"