pay scale for boston RN's?

simonsez · Feb 16, 2010

Massachusetts nurses have enjoyed some of the highest salaries in the United States, which is typical of states with strong nurses unions. The average salary for a nurse in Massachusetts was $79,000 in 2008, up from $57,000 in 2003, and second only to California, said Judith Shindul-Rothschild, a nurse and professor at Boston College. Massachusetts nurses also enjoy some of the best working conditions in the country and are among the most highly educated, she said.

Boston Globe 2/12/10

surferbettycrocker · Feb 16, 2010

thanks pexmex. that's quite a jump in salary if this article is accurate. i also heard mass. is going to implement nurse/ pt ratios. anybody out there have any updates? i heard as early as summer of 2010..

surferbettycrocker · Feb 16, 2010

I just read the article from the globe and i was outraged at the justification given to increasing the patient ratio for bedside nurses in boston. hire more ancillary staff to 'free up nurses from duties that take away from pt.care is BS. not all ancillary staff are created equal, and RN's will ALWAYS be chasing down food trays and the like! i really hope MA RN's stay strong and block this.

coming from a teaching hospital with 5-6 REALLY SICK pts to each nurse is a nightmare.

kfarinato · Feb 16, 2010

After reading this article I really feel that I will never find a job as a new grad. Depressing for sure!

Massachusetts is barely hiring experienced nurses, let alone newer ones

surferbettycrocker · Feb 16, 2010

have you applied anywhere yet? if still in school can you work as a CNA? it seems that is

how many new nurses get hired.

kfarinato · Feb 17, 2010

I have worked at a hospital on the north shore (MA) as a CNA for 5.5yrs, and they are not hiring new nurses. Even at nursing homes they are looking for experience.

surferbettycrocker · Feb 17, 2010

i have some experience and i feel like doors are being shut left and right in boston and the surrounding towns. it's very disheartening

ivyleaf · Jun 22, 2012

Any updates on this topic?

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Jun 22, 2012

Any updates on this topic?

What kind of updates are you looking for? Pay scales in Boston depends on a lot of things. Nurses at many Boston hospitals (basically all but MGH, Children's and BI) are represented by the MNA and their pay scales are determined by the union contract. A new grad at any of the union facilities makes more than I made as a nurse with nearly 5 years of experience at the non-union hospital I worked at. I am making significantly more than I ever made in the hospital now working in home health (like my check today was $600 more than it ever was working in the hospital). Nurses in Boston are well paid but the cost of living is also pretty high out here.

Proverbs 16:3 · Jun 24, 2012

I'm also curious abut this topic as I've an interview at BIDMC and need to figure out what the salary is on average. I work in MD and have a base of $26+ with $4 night diff and $4 weekend diff. My hospital stopped giving raises.

The cost of living in MD is lower than boston. I've checked out apartments in boston and they seem expensive. I'm not sure how much parking costs?

What is the pay for an RN years of experience?

Is BIDMC a union hospital? I've heard union hospitals pay slightly more.

Do hospitals offer differentials? if so are they flat rates or percentages?

I'm trying to figure out what i can negotiate.

Does boston have a city wage tax like philly or nyc does?

how different is the pay for home health compared to working in a hospital?

Thanks.

What kind of updates are you looking for? Pay scales in Boston depends on a lot of things. Nurses at many Boston hospitals (basically all but MGH, Children's and BI) are represented by the MNA and their pay scales are determined by the union contract. A new grad at any of the union facilities makes more than I made as a nurse with nearly 5 years of experience at the non-union hospital I worked at. I am making significantly more than I ever made in the hospital now working in home health (like my check today was $600 more than it ever was working in the hospital). Nurses in Boston are well paid but the cost of living is also pretty high out here.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Jun 24, 2012

I'm also curious abut this topic as I've an interview at BIDMC and need to figure out what the salary is on average. I work in MD and have a base of $26+ with $4 night diff and $4 weekend diff. My hospital stopped giving raises.
The cost of living in MD is lower than boston. I've checked out apartments in boston and they seem expensive. I'm not sure how much parking costs?
What is the pay for an RN years of experience?
Is BIDMC a union hospital? I've heard union hospitals pay slightly more.
Do hospitals offer differentials? if so are they flat rates or percentages?
I'm trying to figure out what i can negotiate.
Does boston have a city wage tax like philly or nyc does?
how different is the pay for home health compared to working in a hospital?
Thanks.

Beth Israel is not a union hospital. They were sued a few years ago for illegal pay practices and I think they've gotten a little better since then:

Beth Israel, CareGroup settle overtime lawsuit - Daily Business Update - The Boston Globe

How much experience do you have? Your base should be more than $26/hr- new grads make more than that up here.

The way hospitals do their differentials varies by the hospital. I believe Beth Israel's differentials are similar to the other adult hospitals in the area - Brigham and Women's and Mass General - and that it's a flat rate as opposed to a percentage.

Boston doesn't have a city tax but Massachusetts has a fairly high state tax.

Parking is expensive. If you plan to live in the city, take the T to work. Nearly all of the hospitals will subsidize T passes and allow you to pay the remainder with pre-tax dollars.

I am making significantly more working in home health than I did in the hospital but this isn't necessarily true across the board. In general hospitals will pay more, it's just my hospital in particular didn't pay well when compared to other Boston hospitals.