Salary troubling

woody62, RN · Aug 23, 2007

Hi all,
I have been an RN for over 5 years and I just got offered a job. Coming to find out my salary appears to be atleast 2-3 dollars lower than the going rate that other nurses are telling me. I am having Second thoughts but i wanna be cautious I still have ample time to look for a job. I don't want to start out feeling left out any advise

Is the salary you are being offered, $2-3 lower then a nurse in the same position, with the same expereince? If all things are equal, except the salary, I would ask for a meeting to discuss it. In the meeting I would t4ell them it is your understanding that nurses, in a like or similar position are paid xyz. And that you feel, given your experience and education you are worth the same. See how it goes.

Woody:balloons:

vivicaq · Aug 23, 2007

I just found an ad affiliated with that hospital posting a starting salary for RN much greator than what i was offered

Ms Kylee · Aug 23, 2007

Doesn't hurt to ask for more money, especially when you say "I saw this ad, and it's paying X amount. As you know, I have X years experience, and I feel this experience is worth X amount of dollars." All they can do is say no. I used this technique twice in other jobs and I got the raises.

Jo Dirt · Aug 23, 2007

Get a load of this...I am working for the same staffing agency doing private duty and after 3 yrs. I am making the same thing I started out with.

To add insult to injury, they are starting LPN's out at more than nurses who have been with them for years.

No wonder they are fighting a class-action lawsuit as we speak.

vivicaq · Aug 23, 2007

I was starting to have second thoughts about Unions but I think they are fair when it comes to wages. Everything is spelled out.

BBFRN, BSN, PhD · Aug 23, 2007

I agree with Kylee45. I have done this as well, and got what I asked for.

llg, PhD, RN · Aug 23, 2007

I just asked my boss to take a look at my salary yesterday. It's OK to ask, just do so in a polite and friendly way. Express your concerns and the reasons for it (e.g. that you have evidence that indicates that RN's at your level usually are paid more) and ask for your salary to be reviewed. Don't make a big ugly fight out of it -- just ask for a review and explanation. Then, if you are not satisfied, you can decide whether or not the difference is enough to change your opinion about the "fit" of the job for you.

Keep in mind that SOMETIMES it is worth accepting a lower salary in exchange for better benefits and/or better working conditions. SOMETIMES, it is not.

SOMETIMES, a poor salary is an indication that the management does not value you and will treat you badly in other ways. SOMETIMES, it means only that the employer is a non-profit organization that doesn't over-charge the patients and runs on a shoestring.

SOMETIMES, a poor salary is an indication that the job is so terrific that they have no trouble finding people who want the job and no need to offer the highest wages in town.

You kind'a have to look at the big picture to make a decision about what it means. But it is OK to ask for a salary review and explanation to help you assess the situation.

Good luck.

James Huffman · Aug 23, 2007

Get a load of this...I am working for the same staffing agency doing private duty and after 3 yrs. I am making the same thing I started out with.
To add insult to injury, they are starting LPN's out at more than nurses who have been with them for years.

Of course they are. They are paying the experienced nurses less because they can. They have gotten the message that those nurses will not leave. It's (from their perspective) an intelligent business decision.

The bigger question is why nurses stay in positions like that. Moving frequently (or at the very least making companies know that you will if they don't treat you very well) is the key to making more money, and being treated well.