Step pay effect on older nurses getting hired?

[Emergent]

I live in a part of the nation where most hospitals are unionized, with a step pay scale. It's rather extreme, with new nurses making $26 an hr, and the most years of experience making up to $45 or $46 an hr. I am currently at $40 an hr.

I've applied to a few Per Diem jobs with no response. I have a lot of varied experience. I'm worried that my years of experience may be interfering with my ability to change facilities down the road. After all, why should someone hire me when they can get a younger nurse with solid experience for much less? In this tighter job market, I think it may be hurting older nurses.

I remember, at my previous hospital, when the union fought to make sure incoming nurses were given credit on the wage scale for all their years of experience. Prior to that, HR would make an offer at a certain step, take it or leave it.

Now I'm feeling a little trapped, unless the job market improves. I'd happily take a lower pay for a job I might prefer, but I think a lot of these facilities now have their arms tied.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

It would be great if the systems were that efficient. However, many systems are not efficient and technology causes more headaches when it's not working properly. For example, we typically waste 2-3 hours every 2 weeks reviewing entries that were entered electronically where I work. There's a bug in the system that has yet to be fixed.

Also, many places still count narcotics and carry keys.

[Fiona59]

It would be great if the systems were that efficient. However, many systems are not efficient and technology causes more headaches when it's not working properly. For example, we typically waste 2-3 hours every 2 weeks reviewing entries that were entered electronically where I work. There's a bug in the system that has yet to be fixed.

Also, many places still count narcotics and carry keys.

"Keys to the desk, Please. Keys!"

Even better when the keys go on break

[Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN]

It would be great if the systems were that efficient. However, many systems are not efficient and technology causes more headaches when it's not working properly. For example, we typically waste 2-3 hours every 2 weeks reviewing entries that were entered electronically where I work. There's a bug in the system that has yet to be fixed.

Also, many places still count narcotics and carry keys.

I have not seen narcotic keys since the shift to Ominicell or pyxis which is over a decade ago. A well written EMR will fix the bugs you are reviewing. Where I work to transition from paper to EMR saves me so much time since either the data is there or not, the computer can search the data in seconds opposed to hours reading every line. We must be ahead of the curve blessed with good systems

[Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN]

"Keys to the desk, Please. Keys!"

Even better when the keys go on break

i have not heard that for the past decade, I am so blessed.

[Emergent, RN]

Update here: Got the job!

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

Congrats!!!

[nursel56]

Congratulations!

[Emergent, RN]

Update here, I start orienting on Sunday (They are working around my schedule) I got a call yesterday offering me a full time position! I told her that I would be more interested in a 0.6 position down the road, once I know I'm comfortable and happy there. For one thing, I'll be taking a significant pay cut there, plus the drive in the winter will be over a mountain pass. I let her know how much I love my manager where I'm currently employed, but that a lot of folks are leaving because of the policies and staffing matrix of the corporation that bought our hospital and that I'd eventually want to become only a Per Diem employee there.

She told me that they are adding a night supervisor position soon (this is a tiny hospital) and this will create more ER openings down the road. So, it sounds like the future may hold new possibilities for one over-the-hill RN!

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

I am SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!!

[tntrn, ASN, RN]

Im also going to point something out that the older nurses wont like to hear

But I think part of the reason why they would rather hire somebody younger (other than just the money which is important) is because older nurses are generally terrible with EMR.

Were still in a midst of a national transition to EMR, which I expect to continue to increase more and more every year.

And then you have nurses who are older (I have no interest in listing ages) that never grew up with computers or the internet. And frequently struggle or have trouble using electronic medical systems.

I cant even begin to tell you how many errors with billing/documentation/medication there are with older nurses who are in the ballpark of completely computer illiterate at my facility.

So with older nurses you have

-higher pay

- more difficulty/errors/time consumed with EMR

- more likely to have an associate degree (when hospitals prefer BSN +)

- more medical costs (if your hospital is self insured)

- less likely to work for you as a long as a younger person (since you assume people are going to retire) increasing turnover costs

At the same time older nurses can bring a wealth of incredibly valuable experience, but I think it makes more sense for organizations to just retain their own "old" nurses, instead of overpay someone elses.

How sad that the older nurses' experience is last on this list does the older nurses' experience and knowledge and memory of how things can be done without a computer come into play. When the priority for hiring becomes the computer, we are in serious trouble. And I believe we are dangerously close to that.

Aside from a couple of studies that wanted to prove that all BSN staffs produce better outcomes, I would bet that the older ADN nurses can wrik rings around newer BSN (but computer savvy) nurses. And that is why I believe strongly in having both very experienced and older nurses working alongside the newer ones. They can help each other learn skills.

I had dinner last night with a friend who has over 30 years experience. She was relating how, as the only RN in the Cath Lab plus two techs she is supposed to be charting in real time while doing her actual job. She said, "I will be the one who has notations on sticky notes and will chart on OT because "my patient is my focus." Well, hoorah for her.

Before I retired two years ago from 35 years in Labor and Delivery, I felt the same way. Do they really think that charting about a full-on hemorrhage WHILE that hemorrhage and the attempts to stop it are ongoing is even possible?

Young and computer-savvy nurses may be quick on the keyboard, but do they realize how much body language they miss by having their nose to the computer screen instead of a face-to-face admission interview? And worse yet, doing the admit from the patient's office record (in our case the pre-natal record) while sitting at the nurses' station and maybe before the patient even arrives?

As much as nursing is an honored profession and as much as I loved doing what I did, I will make my own assessment about when and if I will leave the bedside of a family member or close friend when they are hospitalized. Much of this is due to hospital policies and yes, the EMR system, which doesn't make nursing any quicker or easier or better. And until Nurses start crying Foul over it, it won't improve, and the term "bedside nursing" will become obsolete.

[Emergent, RN]

Update here. I'm really enjoying my new side gig. It's a very personal, community centered environment. I really love the folks I've worked with thus far. I'm hoping to eventually cut my main gig down to part time. It's assembly line, corporate, obnoxious, but well paid, great benefits, reliable, plus I have a good manager and rotation.

I encourage my colleagues here to take opportunities that present themselves. Get a side job in you back pocket. Nursing is a broad world with many opportunities.

[firstinfamily, RN]

We have left out a very important group, the immigrant nurses who are imported to protect our system from nursing shortages. I'm sorry but I do see them as part of the problem. If the nursing market was left to balance itself out most likely it would make wages better. I certainly expect to be paid for my years of experience, it is what makes me an outstanding nurse. Yes, the computer is a pain, not that I am incapable of learning it or "trouble shooting" it, but that things could actually be done in a more timely manner without it!!! I also hate messages coming up and telling me that I did something a few minutes early or late---duh, yeah I know! Computers may have helped keep more accurate records(which I would argue with as I have seen errors that continued to haunt patients every time they enter the healthcare environment), they mostly helped the billing/reimbursement aspect of healthcare and unfortunately, it is all about money. The seasoned nurses are not going anywhere anytime soon. With all the cut backs in government reimbursements etc. none of us will be able to afford to retire. Plus, we should have as much control over our careers as younger nurses. It is not as if we stop learning as we get older, we have adapted more than any other generation to multiple changes. Hey, I was a nurse before managed care came in----how many changes do you think I have seen in the healthcare environment and been able to adapt to??? As long as we are able to be productive and give the insight we have into the problems that all of us are facing we will not be fading away!! Yes, it would be nice if the power in numbers would make some changes, but I suppose that is what the ANA is for. A CHF patient is still a CHF patient, no matter how the medications, procedures, documentation, reimbursement has changed, they still need about the same type of care. We can just monitor, document, provide for them more than we could before. Hopefully, someday we will get around to educating our patients more and encouraging them to take better care of themselves------oh yeah, that might affect my job too!!!