Shift differential?

TazziRN, RN · May 7, 2006

Shift diff is the extra money you get paid for working an evening or night shift.

career180 · May 7, 2006

thanks! it obviously depends on setting, but does shift diff make a big difference $ wise?

RN2B07 · May 7, 2006

Yes it can make a difference depending on what % your facility offers. It adds up!

llg, PhD, RN · May 7, 2006

Some employers pay differentials for other things, too ... not just for evening shifts and night shifts. My employer also pays a differential for hours worked on the weekend and also for being the Charge Nurse or for being a preceptor.

Employers use differentials to reward nurses for either working an otherwise unpopular shift and/or for taking on extra responsibilities. And as RN2B07 said, they can really add up. It's important to take such things into consideration as you are looking for jobs and comparing one compensation to another. One employer may offer a higher base salary, but very small differentials. The other employer may have a slightly lower base salary, but actually pay more because of the higher differentials.

llg

purplemania, BSN, RN · May 7, 2006

If the differential is only $1 per hour (which is very low) and you work the average of 2080 hours per year, then you have earned an extra $2080. I earned about $500/month extra by working nights when I was a staff nurse.

military spouse · May 8, 2006

This is an abbreviated version of our shift diff (it's actually much more complicated): Weekday evening and nights 15%, weekend evenings and nights 30%. Last job I had only paid $1.65 for nights.

Larry77, RN · May 8, 2006

Another example for ya...at our hospital we are paid 2.60/hr for Eve and 3.30/hr for NOC's or something close to that.

Tweety, BSN, RN · May 8, 2006

thanks! it obviously depends on setting, but does shift diff make a big difference $ wise?

Yes. Our night shift makes $5.00 per hour more just for working nights.

We also have a $1.00 differential for working weekends, which doesn't add up to much, but is a nice thought.

career180 · May 10, 2006

Thanks for your input, everyone! sorry so long in responding......I had finals mon. and yesterday.....2 A's and a B!!!!! Yippie!

HappyNurse2005, RN · May 10, 2006

I don't do nights, so im not sure on the night diff, but we do get $4 extra an hour just for working ona weekend, regardless of day or night shift

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · May 17, 2006

I work weekend doubles and the hourly shift differential is only $0.50, but I am also paid for 40 hours when working 32 hours.