The return of the sign on bonus

[NurseEmmy]

I saw a local employer list a $7,000 sign on bonus for RN's and a $3,500 sign on bonus for LPN's. I worked at this facility before and let me tell you, a $10,000 bonus wouldn't be enough to get me back.

All I can say is, if an employer is offering a nice sign on bonus, there is a reason why. Sometimes it is because you live in a rural area and they don't have a large pool to hire from (or a true area of nursing shortage), it could be they have a very specialized position they are trying to fill, or it could be that the place is a dump and staff turnover is so bad they are desperate.

Just beware when you see these large amounts, there might be a not to pleasant reason behind it. Do your research, as a lot of questions, and don't be wooed by the $$$$.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I concur with you for the most part...

I started a new position away from the bedside three months ago and received a smallish ($2,500) sign-on bonus that was paid upfront. So far the job has not been intolerable or bad, so there are some exceptions to the rule.

My workplace has been paying the sign-on bonus to reduce new employee attrition. Again, this job is flexible and tolerable, but I suspect some nurses have left in the past because they perhaps cannot handle the disorganization here.

[NurseEmmy]

I concur with you for the most part...

I started a new position away from the bedside three months ago and received a smallish ($2,500) sign-on bonus that was paid upfront. So far the job has not been intolerable or bad, so there are some exceptions to the rule.

My workplace has been paying the sign-on bonus to reduce new employee attrition. Again, this job is flexible and tolerable, but I suspect some nurses have left in the past because they perhaps cannot handle the disorganization here.

I don't think that's a huge bonus based on your education. I think that $7,000 is however for an RN.

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

I don't think that's a huge bonus based on your education. I think that $7,000 is however for an RN.

She's an RN with a BSN, working on MSN, and 10+ yrs experience. Didn't mean to like. Was trying to quote

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I don't think that's a huge bonus based on your education.

I didn't say it was huge...my original post indicated that $2,500 is 'smallish':

I started a new position away from the bedside three months ago and received a smallish ($2,500) sign-on bonus that was paid upfront.

[nutella, MSN, RN]

I had a job once that came with a 10 000 bonus to be paid in increments. I left because it was not worth it and not tolerable.

Another job I left now offers sign on bonus for RN because people are leaving left and right and the revolving door is terrible. Instead of fixing what makes the job intolerable they just try to get people into this job with $$$ - they will also leave if the system is not getting fixed.

[calivianya, BSN, RN]

There is a relatively prestigious teaching hospital right up the road from me that is offering between $6,000-$10,000 if you have at least two years of experience, depending on your specialty.

From what I hear their working conditions are better than mine, other than the having to deal with residents part. They are a private hospital so they get to do what they want, I suppose - including turfing patients with inferior insurance to us. Their ICU nurses never get three patients, they just close beds - I guess that's something else you can do as a private hospital. I imagine the same happens on the regular floors. Working for the slightly larger public hospital, we don't get that luxury - our door is open to everyone; the only way we don't get patients is if we don't have beds, regardless of what our staffing looks like and regardless of the patients' insurances.

Sometimes the places with the sign on bonuses are not the worst places to work.

[Pheebz777, BSN, RN]

I took a $25,000 sign on bonus for a 3 year contract and paid travel expenses up to $2,500. 10 years later I'm still here! lol!

Another hospital a few miles from where I work was offering $50,000 for 4 years but I just missed it by a few months. They were offering only $10,000 for a 2 year deal.

[NurseEmmy]

I didn't say it was huge...my original post indicated that $2,500 is 'smallish':

I was agreeing with you. That size bonus is nice, without warning bells going off in my head.

[NurseEmmy]

I took a $25,000 sign on bonus for a 3 year contract and paid travel expenses up to $2,500. 10 years later I'm still here! lol!

Another hospital a few miles from where I work was offering $50,000 for 4 years but I just missed it by a few months. They were offering only $10,000 for a 2 year deal.

Wow! That's a huge sign on bonus. Congrats to you for snagging that. Things must not be that bad if you've been there 10 years.

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

10 years ago, sign on bonuses were normal. In 2008, when the economy tanked, it became a sign that something is wrong, usually. Not always. Sometimes just used to attract best and brightest

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I took a $25,000 sign on bonus for a 3 year contract and paid travel expenses up to $2,500. 10 years later I'm still here! lol!

I see you're in McAllen, TX. Hospitals near the Texas/Mexico border have traditionally had difficulty attracting nurses to work in the region. Hence, huge sign-on bonuses were offered as a way to get nurses to work there as recently as a few years ago.

I'm pleased you enjoy the hospital and the region enough to still remain there after 10 years. However, South Texas border town living is not for everyone.