Pay Raise After Nursing Residency?

U.S.A. Texas

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How soon after completing nursing residency did you get a pay raise? We were paid 24.50 through our residency period which is soon about to end and I just got an offer from another hospital that I equally like for 4.50 more. The problem is that we have been told that there will not be salary increase this year and probably next because of the economy yada yada. But I really want to stay at my current job because they gave me a chance as a new grad and trained me so much. It will be good if they get return on their investment but 24.50 after residency is too small from my viewpoint, and 29.00 at this time is too sweet to pass up. I have a few days to make up my mind.

I love, love working here.

To me, that would be enough to stick with them for now since it hasn't really been that long.

Good luck with your choices!

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Great comments I must say. I appreciate what you all said. If money is all I cared about I won't even start this thread.

To the person that talked about cutting back to pay student loans I will say I am bone dry. There's nothing to cut. I don't even live up to my means. It is a great advice btw, it just doesn't apply to me.

While I may not know what I'm going to encounter in a new workplace, I am not afraid of whatever that may be as well. One's success or failure in any situation depends on her positive character and outlook, and I've got plenty of both. The only holdback is that I love, love working here. I may stay put for a year but if our neighboring hospitals keep wooing me and our management insists on salary freeze...I will continue to love them but from across the street.

Well said RNQueen!.. really.. I couldn't have said it better! Business is business for both the hospital & you!!... the fact that you are making the decsion to stay for at least a year shows maturity & professionalism in this kind of situation and still leaves doors open for the rest of us who are looking for the same opprotunites. Best wishes to you! :nurse:

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You need look at benefits and not just the actual dollars also and as a manager and you jumped ship after all those hours and dollars I spent training you I would hard pressed to think of a reason to want to rehire you if things don't work out at the 2nd place... There are new grads 6 or more months out of school that would LOVE to have 24.50 versus the nothing because they haven't found a job yet...:coollook:

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It takes atleast a year to get over that new grad hump. So I would stay with the hospital that trained you as they hopefully will support you better in that first year. When you started the program where you told your salary would increase after training? What are nurses with one year experience making at this hospital? Getting a raise vs your pay brought up to company standards is two different things.

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Specializes in Emergency, Critical Care, Pre-Hospital,.

In the 1960s it would have been the thing to do to stay out of loyalty. Today is a very different paradigm. If you have fulfilled your commitment (if you signed a contract saying you'd stay for so long), and you are ready to move on to other adventures then go. They know that they are paying a rate less than the market will bear. Feel free to express to your nurse manager that you would like to remain but the economic realities are as they are (they were honest with you in stating that they'd not be able to give you a raise. Before you leave, make sure that you want to go, the grass isn't always greener. Is your current hospital closer to home, non-union, more flexible with hours/vacation, provide you with more opportunities to grow, etc.? If not, a bird in the hand...

Just my 2 cents.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
If you're fairly satisfied with your current working conditions, be sure to take that into account. You've gotten a feel for where you're working now and if that's working for you, it might be worth hanging around awhile until you solidify your experience.

You might find the new place to not be as supportive to its' new nurses as your current employer and find yourself wanting to quit after a few months despite the better pay. Of course, it might be an overall better place to work. That's one of the many uncertain factors you have to weigh in making a decision. Good luck!

I completely agree, sometimes the extra $$$ really isn't worth the trouble if you leave to go somewhere that you end up hating, and then have no choice but to stay. I'm also one of those loyalists who believe in remaining where you have been trained for at least 1 to 2 years. I really don't like the thought of having short work periods listed on my resume (unless you are a travel nurse). Also, I have seen from experience that when things work out well with one new grad, employers are a little more open to hiring other new grads.

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Specializes in Telemetry; Stroke.

Wow, you wouldn't believe how many graduate nurses have come through the hospital I work for. They had about 100 that they hired last year and all have left but about 30. This was really tough because now the hospital has stepped back and doesn't want to offer new graduates a residency program. I have worked here for 1-1/2 years and feel that I have fulfilled my resposibilities to them for the residency program and training. $24.50 for a new graduate is very good starting pay. I think you owe atleast a year to your current employer.

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Specializes in Cardiac care/Ortho/LTC/Education/Psych.

I am hearing here different perspectives and generation issues. Yes, we should be loyal ( I AM ) to my family , my kids and my friends- ALWAYS!! When comes to work depend on everything as people say how much is difference (a few bucks will not pay off on long run because it just does not), if you feel distressed and ill treated. On the other hand if you feel that they do not pay you how much you worth and that you could get - then go for it. Stay in this hospital as PRN and then add some different floor with new employer , if you do not like you still have some kind of employee relationship with first hospital and can always pick shifts here and there.

So everyone is happy. I maintained my PRN always just in case I do not like new color of grass LOL.

Good luck to you .

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I am guessing you are working at a hospital that cares about its nurses. That is why they have a residency program. This program is worth something, that is why a lesser hospital wants to lure you away for good money. I am also guessing you have not spent more than a year in this hospital. That is why you are not getting a raise.

Let me tell you straight up. It is not the hospital's problem your income is not enough to cover your expenses. They have probably spent thousands of dollars giving you marketable skills, and now it is your time to show some loyalty and class. Believe me it is easy to jump ship in nursing, but at the end, it will go against you if your resume does not show consistency, or if you jump ship on your first job even before a year.

The smarter thing to do would be to stick around and find a prn job at another facility where you could pick up shifts at higher rates. In that case, you would know how green the grass is on the other side, before you jump the fence.

I work at a major hospital. We did not receive a raise for 2 straight years. It dd not make me happy, just grateful I still have a job.

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Specializes in LTC.

I used to totally believe in loyalty! Until my employer decided to take me off the schedule b/c our needs didn't match. That's when I realized that while loyalty can be a beautiful thing, if the situation isn't working for both parties, then why stay in a situation that isn't working. For the record I didn't feel angry w/my employer b/c she had to look out for the facility's best interest. But I now feel that if the situation wasn't working and benefiting me I'd move on to greener pastures. W/that said I've been at the same place for 6 years. I'm being loyal b/c it works for me and b/c it works for my employer.

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I'm still a student, but this will be a third career for me. I've been painfully loyal to companies, only to be totally taken advantage of. Companies make decisions about staffing and salaries based on their bottom line, not loyalty to employees. That's exactly how I will be making decisions about my employer from here on out.

That said, make sure you do your homework about the hospital making the higher offer. Sometimes employers pay more because they are so poorly run, it's the only way to attract good people. Interviews work both ways. Ask your potential boss what his company does to keep employees happy on the job. If it's hard to come up with an answer, it's because their administration hasn't given it much thought or made it a priority.

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For one thing, I am happy to se members of my profession showing integrity and some loyalty. I may stay for a few months more just because it's the right thing to do, but I don't see myself letting potential 15k per year extra go by because I want to stay with an employer that hasn't demonstrated enough that they want to keep me.

I started the thread yesterday because I just got a notification from fin aid that my first bill should be in the mail pretty soon. I had much hope on the raise we're supposed to get but sure it's not coming this year, and may not come next year. I am a little desperate. 24.50 after taxes isn't just my idea of RN paycheck.

I will let you guys know my decision later. thanks for the replies.

I already fought this fight on another thread so I was going to stay out of this one...until I read this post.

In my opinion, the only reason you posted was to get support for what you already have decided to do in order to assuage a guilty conscience.

You employer took a chance on you, paid you a fair and competitive wage, spent tens of thousands of dollars training you, and you have the nerve to say that they haven't demonstrated enough that they want to keep you??? That just blows my mind!

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