salary increase

I work in a hospital (major hospital system) and have seen an increase of $1.14 an hour in 20 months since I started.

I am in my 5th year at my institution and am currently making $4.23/hr more than I made when I started. I snuck by with the standard raises for the first 2 years (which were somewhere in the 3-4% range) before they cut raises to 0-2% in 2010. I don't remember how much I made every year, but I know that I am making a grand total of 61 cents an hour more than I made last year.

I am the (very much needed) in house agency for a large metropolitan facility.

I received an outstanding ( 3 page) yearly evaluation.

My raise 0%... I won't spend it all in one place.

2% raise this year. None last year, but 2% the year before that. I think I make around 3 or 4 more dollars that when I started 3 years ago.

5 % and a bonus this year. Counting my blessings.

We get 1% a year, standard.

Ok so this is why I am upset..... I am now at 19.70 after 4 years....I huge 70 cents more than minimum they pay any brand new nurse that walks in their door that has already taken their nclex (if you are a new grad and don't take your nclex before your higher date but get it after, you start 18.10 and bump to 19 after)....technically I started at 18.10 but somehow my 19 raise was delayed 1.5 years and I didn't get it until I found out about it from talking with girl that started with me but on another floor...and then I brought it up to my manager...and I finally got bumped. Did not recieve back pay for it. Who knows, they might have bumped up the minimum starting pay at the hospital since then and I would never know. Anyway, I have asked for a raise because I am a good employee but my manager says she can't. I'm annoyed. A coworker said in passing to me the other week that she had to watch out with her hours because after a certain point it is not worth it to work overtime. I said, oh I never noticed. She said how have I not noticed....I said I didn't know....I don't pay that much attention I guess. Somehow, I blurted out that I only made 19.7/hr and her jaw dropped. She had been a nurse for 5 years and she was making nearly 10/hr more than me. I was bummed but she had worked one year in icu (we work med-surg now). Anyway, I sort of forgot about it but then I had a friend over last night. He sort of mocked a comment on the tv show campus pd about a stripper getting upset about not getting 20 bucks for her lap dance and pressing charges was ridiculous. I commented back that was more than an hours pay for me. He goes...what? your a nurse....I thought you made good money. I said well, tn is one of the worst paid states for nursing. He goes well...yeah but my sister who is a preschool teacher started at more than that an hour and she doesn't work decembers or summer. I sort of defended her and said well, teachers do alot of work they aren't paid for and it isn't always as easy as it is cracked up to be. He said yeah that's true but same thing for nursing and he said I should make more than that. Honestly, I agree....I honestly think any hospital nurse deserves minimum 20/hr starting no matter what city/state. Anyway, that is why I brought it up. I still feel underpaid after everyone posted it seems as though about 2% a year is normal. If I would have just waited 2 weeks to start so I would have started orientation with my rn, I should be making at least 86 cents more by my calculation with no additional raises. Anyway....like I said I'm bummed and feel like if I quit and came back I would make alot more.

Many nurses that I have spoken to have stated that they have had to move on to other jobs in nursing in order to get a decent raise. You may have to do that. You should just freshen up your resume, get copies of your performance reviews, and start applying elsewhere. Don't quit before you land a job elsewhere with the salary that you desire to make. I think that $19.70/hr is very low for a nurse with four years experience, even in your state. Good luck in getting paid what you are worth!

I live in TN...worked in skilled rehab started out with 2 years exp. as RN (was LPN for 5 years) making 24.65 base pay plus 1.50 shiff diff. I interviewed with major hospital in nashville and they start RN out at 18.50/hr!!! That is RIDICULOUS for what you have to do and the responsiblity you carry just because you are an RN! 24.65/hr is NOT enough for an RN in LTC/SNF/Nursing Home either!!! You have to deal with alot of drama, not just patient care. So, good luck. Have you thought about going into a nursing speciality like ICU, CCU, Acute/Chronic dialysis? You would mostly likely make a little more. If you have been a nurse 4 years, you have paid you dues don't you think???? 19.79/hr is NOT enought money for what you do and for the responsiblity you carry. But thank God for a job. God Bless whatever you deceide to do....