Sign on bonuses

Nurses General Nursing

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I know in Las Vegas a lot of the hospitals do a lot of sign on bonuses and have a lot of incentives to come to their hospital. Do you see a lot of that where you live?

There's a local chain of nursing homes that offers a $3,000 sign on bonus for new LPNs. (and more for RNs or experienced LPNs) But the hourly pay sucks, the benefits suck and the nursing homes are infamous for being hellholes. I knew this place was bad news long before I entered healthcare. It was in the news constantly. Frankly, in this economy, I'd be highly suspicious of any facility anywhere offering new grads a sign on bonus..... they likely have skeletons in their closet and are desperate. Research carefully before signing on....

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

In FL, sign-on bonuses are offered for specialty areas like E.R, ICU, Oncology, & NICU. However, there are lots of strings attached. Committment could be anywhere from 24-36 months. I am not sure if it is true or not but I have heard that some hospitals fire the employee who is nearing completion of the contract just to avoid paying them the bonus.

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which hospitals please:)!!!

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They will then pressure our elected officials to water down the Nurse Practice Act, to allow a larger scope of practice for Unlicensed Assistive Personnel.

We will see nurses aides working in ICU, managing drips, caring for patients on vents. This, by the way, is what they have been planning for all along. They want to be able to staff hospitals with minimum use/need for nurses. Period.

If anyone disagrees with me, just step back and look at the big picture of what has transpired over the last decade. Nurses aides passing medications in Nursing Homes and ALFs. Aides doing fingersticks, dressing changes, PTs and RTs taking over our professional practice of PICC line insertions and dressing changes, just look around you.

We are sitting back and allowing this to happen folks. Wake up before there is no longer a nursing profession to save. We must unionize en masse to have a united voice to fight this.

We cannot do this alone.

JMHO and my NY $0.02.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Somewhere in the PACNW

did you see how in WA they are trying to pass to allow MA's to start IV's and give IV meds?

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They will then pressure our elected officials to water down the Nurse Practice Act, to allow a larger scope of practice for Unlicensed Assistive Personnel. We will see nurses aides working inICU, managing drips, caring for patients on vents. This, by the way, is what they have been planning for all along. They want to be able to staff hospitals with minimum use/need for nurses. Period.If anyone disagrees with me, just step back and look at the big picture of what has transpired over the last decade. Nurses aides passing medications in Nursing Homes and ALFs. Aides doing fingersticks, dressing changes, PTs and RTs taking over our professional practice of PICC line insertions and dressing changes, just look around you. We are sitting back and allowing this to happen folks. Wake up before there is no longer a nursing profession to save. We must unionize en masse to have a united voice to fight this. We cannot do this alone. JMHO and my NY $0.02.Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRNSomewhere in the PACNW
It really is shocking how apathetic most nurses are to all the bedside nursing tasks that are increasingly delegated to UAP. You'd think there'd be more outrage. I firmly believe there's an element of the nursing community that is *glad* to see more and more of this kind of stuff handed off to UAP. Namely, the "RNs need to be seen as professionals" crowd. The ones who dismiss passing meds, hands-on care, fingersticks, whatever as "tasky" stuff unbefitting a highly educated professional. What on earth do they think is going to happen if this is achieved? Hospitals won't need such a "highly professional" RN for every 5 pts. More like one or two per unit to supervise the tech squad.
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Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.
When I graduated in 2011, I heard of a hospital in McAllen, TX offering $15,000 sign on bonus. Still not enough to make me move that close to the border lol
In 2005, my wife accepted a position in McAllen...4 year contract, $50000 bonus. I went to nursing school while she was doing the contract. By the time I graduated, all the bonuses were a thing of the past. Now they have nurses graduating from school and unable to find a job.
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OC and Linda, I think there is cheapening the labor market, but I think there will be a line drawn somewhere at some point. Think about it, you cheapen it too much and people will just go work at McDonalds or retail vs a dollar or two more to do drips and vents. Plus, there's a huge liability with it. You would have nurses running to leave the profession if assistants and such worked under the nurses license. I think there will be that line drawn and I think in about a year or two, the tide will turn again and there will be an easier time finding a nurse job and perhaps sign on bonuses.

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OC and Linda, I think there is cheapening the labor market, but I think there will be a line drawn somewhere at some point. Think about it, you cheapen it too much and people will just go work at McDonalds or retail vs a dollar or two more to do drips and vents. Plus, there's a huge liability with it. You would have nurses running to leave the profession if assistants and such worked under the nurses license. I think there will be that line drawn and I think in about a year or two, the tide will turn again and there will be an easier time finding a nurse job and perhaps sign on bonuses.

You have a point there. But, I think the cheap thing wins out because it is being done on purpose in order to make a permanent change. It's happening to doctors too - they don't believe it though - no matter how many times I remind them of the comparison to what's been going on for nurses. You have millions needing healthcare, and a very few profiting immensely from it. Those few can navigate their "purpose" and win no matter which side of the healthcare debate they choose to be vocal in their marketing, as the wind changes direction - it's still all good for them. Cheapening the profession only makes them more money.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

There are bonuses in my area right now $2,500+ and $20,000 for CV OR nurses. I've see bonuses for the OR personal on and off over the years. Right now there seems to be a shortage of experienced OR nurses in my area. I have never seen so many OR job postings.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
OC and Linda I think there is cheapening the labor market, but I think there will be a line drawn somewhere at some point. Think about it, you cheapen it too much and people will just go work at McDonalds or retail vs a dollar or two more to do drips and vents. Plus, there's a huge liability with it. You would have nurses running to leave the profession if assistants and such worked under the nurses license. I think there will be that line drawn and I think in about a year or two, the tide will turn again and there will be an easier time finding a nurse job and perhaps sign on bonuses.[/quote']

Agreed.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

You have a point there. But, I think the cheap thing wins out because it is being done on purpose in order to make a permanent change. It's happening to doctors too - they don't believe it though - no matter how many times I remind them of the comparison to what's been going on for nurses. You have millions needing healthcare, and a very few profiting immensely from it. Those few can navigate their "purpose" and win no matter which side of the healthcare debate they choose to be vocal in their marketing, as the wind changes direction - it's still all good for them. Cheapening the profession only makes them more money.

I think the combination of what Wish and you will happen...healthcare is a service where I think little profit or breaking even really should prevail. Competent care should be rewarded as well as educational component in order to increase competency will be rewarded...Too much evidence based practice on mortality and decreasing liability, continued to prevent the permanency of cheapness...they people who want to profit may try to bend, however, they can't try to break what we are capable of doing, especially when their are survey driven. A hospital in my area is attempting to phase out unlicensed personnel due to the demand of patients to see their nurses more...the hospital did the research, ran by nursing-a collaboration of research nursing and staff nurses, and the results cane out...some units already have RN-only run floors.

The demand for nursing care done by licensed staff WILL increase again, and so will bonuses..either through significant wage increases, pt satisfaction, or in response in increasing competency...and maybe through sign on bonuses to continue to attract and keep competent licensed nurses.

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Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.
Even if you do get one...those puppies are HEAVILY taxed!!!!!!!
This is the truth. Wife was owed 40k at the end of her contract...after taxes, she got 26k.
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