pay

Caliotter3,

I was offered the position, but have not formally accepted so as yet the hospital has not swept me into this position. Most would think as a manager you would actually get paid more like in other professions especially because you are managing others and making sure the day to day functions, budget, staffing, etc are adequate. But when the actual nurse is providing patient care, following the guidelines set forth by management and getting paid for OT and receiving differential for evenings, nights and weekends AND making more then the manager..it just seems crazy.

I personally do not want to work for hours that I am not compensated for. Nor do I want the added stress of "managing"..as for some that's all they want when becoming nurses. I personally like the "hands on" care that I can provide and do not want to be the head of anything at work. Just want to go to work, do my job and come home to my family.

Money is not everything, but when you have bills to pay, money is what can make the difference between staff nurse and management..especially for me!

In nursing, I just plain would not want to be in management, at all. I'm like you, to me, nursing is hands on patient care. If I wanted to be a desk jockey, I could have stayed doing what I was doing, or gone in other directions in the business world. However, I have met a nursing manager or two, that I am happy they chose desks over patients. I would not want them anywhere near me if I were sick or injured.

Ouch! That's a pretty harsh view of management!

After over 30 yrs as a "hands on" nurse, I chose to take a management position which will be my final job. I'm looking to take an early retirement and the extra pay I am getting now will enable me to do that. Plus, I had some medical issues that made lifting and transferring a problem for me. So for me, these were good reasons to go into management. I have been offered and turned down several management positions through the years because I just did not want the responsibility when my kids were young. My past experience has given me more wisdom and understanding of the staff I supervise since I have been where they are. I don't miss the hands on as I thought I might because as a 'desk jockey' I feel that I'm making a positive difference in my staff and client's lives.

Although I negotiated to higher than what was initially offered to me, I now realize in hindsight, I could have requested and gotten more than I did. They had already fired the previous manager and they needed me more than I needed them. They have since made up for it by giving me good raises each year w/ bonuses 2-4x/yr depending on our profit.

DO NOT settle for only $1.00 more an hour. You need to find out what kind of raises you can expect, bonuses, vacation etc and get it in writing. Right now I am making $6.00 more than the nurses I supervise and my boss (I found out quite by accident) is making $5.00 more an hour than me.

Kyasi

I'm sorry if I misunderstood but that is what it sounded like to me. I'm curious why if you have no interest in nursing management you read and respond under this management topic.

Kyasi

Simple. They just did it to you. I know someone who went to management and the pay scale was told to them as a range from X to Y with the hopes being that they would get well above the minimum. Well, when they got the position, guess what? The pay turned out to be X - Z, lower than the bottom of the range. And they work longer hours than their previous schedule which had ample OT; and they don't get shift differential, or weekend differential, or OT. Their take home pay is less for more hours worked. Screwed.

If you don't mind me asking, what is X to Y? Do they take a pay drop when first starting management position?