Typical Raise Schedule

[RNemma]

Hello! I am a new grad RN and was recently offered my first job (yay!) and I start orientation next week. I am located in a large, Midwest city with a competitive healthcare/nursing job market. I was hired as a staff RN on a 40(ish) bed Medical Intermediate Care Unit (similar to a Progressive Care Unit). I am starting on day shift (12 hr shifts) at $23.15/hr. Having been a poor student for so long I am totally happy with this wage and have no intent of trying to negotiate but am just curious what the typical schedule is for wage increases? Is it usually based on time worked at the organization or on performance? Also, are hospitals usually upfront with their raise policies or do they make you take a 'wait and see' approach?

Like I said, I am so thankful to have been offered a job and am totally content with the starting pay rate. I'm just trying to plan short- and long-term budgets and would like to have a ballpark idea.

Any other tips for a new grad's first job would be great, too!

Thanks!!

[limaRN, BSN, RN]

Where I work it is based solely on length of time worked at the current facility. However, we did not get raises one year because other hospitals were laying off a bunch of nurses and our budget was tight. The biggest thing I've done to increase my salary is to take on more job responsibilities and start working night shift.

[Aongroup1990, CNA]

Couldn't you try to take on another part-time job or something.

[RNemma]

Thanks for the info! And I don't really need more money than this. I'm young, single, and don't have kids. I was simply curious. Thanks again! :)

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

My workplace issues annual wage increases based on one's yearly employee performance review. The wage increases never amount to more than a few cents per hour for most workers who are paid an hourly rate.

[aclark21]

I would say for a new grad that is pretty good! New grads in my area start about 22.00. And our raises are based on yearly evaluations. But I know the organization I work for didn't give raises for a couple years due to the economy....

[RNemma]

Great info, thanks again!

[Orange Tree]

I started at $21.00, before differentials, in south Texas. Our "normal" raises were yearly, based on evaluations, and very small (even for the highest evaluations). I got my biggest raise (about $4.something) when I graduated to Nurse II after two years of experience. They didn't even tell me I was getting it, or why I got it, so I was confused, but very happy! In competitive markets, you can bump up your salary faster by switching hospitals or negotiating with your current employer after receiving a better offer elsewhere. This only works if they want to retain you, though. I prefer to stay in the same place for a while, especially with my limited experience, but I've seen co-workers go on to make more by jumping ship.

[turnforthenurse, MSN, NP]

Where I work, we usually get a raise at the end of the year, but it depends on the hospital's budget, too. The amount we get also depends on performance. We have yearly performance evaluations and we are each put into different categories based on performance, which then equates to how much of a raise we will receive at the end of the year (if the budget permits). We are not told how much that raise will be because the managers usually do not know by that time.

I started out at $23.50 as a new grad (I live in Texas) before shift differentials, which were like $3.00 from 1900-2359 and then like $5 from 0000-0659. I had a 90 day eval and then the yearly eval and now I make $24.80 before shift differentials, but my shift differentials have also increased.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

It varies based on employer. When I worked in the hospital, raises were typically annually and were steadily decreased over my time there. When I left, raises were 0-2% and were not guaranteed. Any reason they could find to put you in the 0 category, they found.

[emmasuern]

It used to be that our raises were based on personal performance. They have now moved to unit based performance. They look at falls, budget, patient satisfaction, turnover, etc. Then they look at whether the hospital as a whole is doing okay financially. Yeah, we aren't getting raises. I haven't set a personal goal for the last three years. They they wonder why no one is taking part in the committees. I received a raise a couple years back when I transferred hospitals. I did receive a cost of living increase last summer. Performance based raises--No.

[billyboblewis]

I would think that you could have gotten a higher stariting rate in 2013. I would keep my eyes and ears open and start job shopping./