Pay rate different in diff depts????

Where I work: none pays "better". New grads start out on the same pay level and it goes up by time/years' experience in grades. No "specialty" pay exists at all. Just a sign-on bonus for those areas that are desperately needy for nurses.

I once worked in a hospital where pay rates varied by department. It was a very backward facility, all policies and procedures were set by the medical staff and physician department heads. Nursing had virtually no leadership and certainly no voice. The pay scales were also set by the medical staff. The influental surgeons and ICU docs who held high opinions of their nurse colleagues pushed for better pay in their areas. The pediatricians, family practice, and medical docs were far less influental and less inclined to go to bat for the nursing staff in their departments. Therefore, those departments paid significantly less.

This was not too long ago, and it was not a small, rural hospital, but rather a large teaching facility in a major midwestern city!

Beware!

I once worked in a hospital where pay rates varied by department. It was a very backward facility, all policies and procedures were set by the medical staff and physician department heads. Nursing had virtually no leadership and certainly no voice. The pay scales were also set by the medical staff. The influental surgeons and ICU docs who held high opinions of their nurse colleagues pushed for better pay in their areas. The pediatricians, family practice, and medical docs were far less influental and less inclined to go to bat for the nursing staff in their departments. Therefore, those departments paid significantly less.

This was not too long ago, and it was not a small, rural hospital, but rather a large teaching facility in a major midwestern city!

Beware!

:eek: What's up with that???

Where I work there isn't a difference in pay based on what area you work in. Pay is based on the number of years you've beeen a nurse. However, I do think that there should be a pay ladder based on your qualifications, certifications and speciality. I think that paying based only on years worked is very "backwards" and think nurses should be compensated at different rates based on the level of their practice. I would like to hear if any hospitals are starting to recognize that not all nurses are equal and paying their critical care nurses a premium.

I don't get premium pay from the hospital I usually work at (as PRN staff) for working in critical care, but I do receive an extra $2 per hour from the staffing agency (at a different hospital) to work in critical care. I've never been on staff at that hospital, though, so I don't know if I would receive it as an employee.

There should be additional pay for additional credentials (higher degrees, certifications, etc) as well as for "years in" as a nurse. It is totally unacceptable for very experienced nurses to only outearn new grads by $2-3 per hour. It is just disgraceful - the lack of respect for experience and additional education/credentials. This "a nurse is a nurse" bulls*** infuriates me to no end. :angryfire

It is totally unacceptable for very experienced nurses to only outearn new grads by $2-3 per hour. It is just disgraceful - the lack of respect for experience and additional education/credentials. :angryfire

There should be additional pay for additional credentials (higher degrees, certifications, etc) as well as for "years in" as a nurse. It is totally unacceptable for very experienced nurses to only outearn new grads by $2-3 per hour. It is just disgraceful - the lack of respect for experience and additional education/credentials. This "a nurse is a nurse" bulls*** infuriates me to no end. :angryfire

I know exactly what you mean. After 4 yrs. experience as an LPN I am only making a DOLLAR AND A QUARTER MORE THAN BRAND NEW LPNs!!!!! :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire