What retention strategies do your hospitals use???

Gotalovethekids · Oct 31, 2002

My hospital has wonderful recruitment stratigies but not much for retention! The hospital provides a FULL scholarship (books, room & board, Tuition) to nursing students enrolled in Nursing classes if you agree to work for them for 1 year for each year of the scholarship....WELL, sounds good but there are a lots of strings attached OF COURSE! This also means that this May the healthcare system (hospital, nursing homes, home health, and other clinics) hired 30+ new grads. I WAS ONE OF THEM!!!! :) However I have already noticed that they aren't doing much to keep the others on an administration level. My unit manager is an exception though, she's wonderful!!! Plus they hired an RN with almost 20 years experience at almost the same pay as the new grads on our floor. I feel horrible for her!!! So, needless to say most of the grads work off thier scholarship, get a year or two of experience and HIT THE ROAD...I may be one of them when my two years are up!

Just my hospital's program!

Sarah

llg, PhD, RN · Oct 31, 2002

At my hospital, nurses with seniority get preferences in their scheduling than more newly-hired nurses. Also, the pay gradient is signifant in that there is an approximately $15.00 per hour difference between the bottom and top of the pay scale. Preceptors and Charge Nurses get a $1.50 per hour differential (which is not as much as it should be, but at least it is a step in the right direction). Finally, there are retention bonuses (as opposed to sign-on bonuses). Every two years or so, bedside nurses get a bonus on their anniverary date -- the amount depends on the number years worked here. The amount of the bonuse starts small ($500 after the first year, I think) ... but it increases steadily to a maximum of $10,000 per year with 25 years seniority.

Our basic salary and benefits package (insurance, shift differentials, etc.) is about average for our region.

We are starting to talk seriously about increasing our tuition reimbursement benefits and helping nurses re-pay student loans. I would be real interested in learning what other hospitals are doing about these 2 benefits. Anybody able to share?

llg

llg, PhD, RN · Oct 31, 2002

At my hospital, nurses with seniority get preferences in their scheduling than more newly-hired nurses. Also, the pay gradient is signifant in that there is an approximately $15.00 per hour difference between the bottom and top of the pay scale. Preceptors and Charge Nurses get a $1.50 per hour differential (which is not as much as it should be, but at least it is a step in the right direction). Finally, there are retention bonuses (as opposed to sign-on bonuses). Every two years or so, bedside nurses get a bonus on their anniverary date -- the amount depends on the number years worked here. The amount of the bonuse starts small ($500 after the first year, I think) ... but it increases steadily to a maximum of $10,000 per year with 25 years seniority.

Our basic salary and benefits package (insurance, shift differentials, etc.) is about average for our region.

We are starting to talk seriously about increasing our tuition reimbursement benefits and helping nurses re-pay student loans. I would be real interested in learning what other hospitals are doing about these 2 benefits. Anybody able to share?

llg

Uptoherern, RN · Oct 31, 2002

You would think that even a dim bulb could figure out that it is easier to keep the best, than to find the best.

At our hospital, they tried paying $60/hr (registry rate) to "staff" who worked over 36 hrs/week. (Why do they always ignore the prn pool staff???? Just because my base salary is higher? I take no benefits!) Anyway, this didn't last too long. They were still using registry cuz staff was burned out with the high acuity/staff ratios. The nurses were too tired:o Now, they have decided to stop the $60 rate, and have lowered it to $49 (non-specialty units) and $55 (specialty units.) I don't think this is even, really, a retention issue. They are so desperate for nurses, this is just to try to overwork the nurses that they have. I also wonder why the er is not considered a specialty unit.... could a med-surg or ob nurse float to the er?

The last time management offered a retention bonus (again, of course, only to "real staff nurses", not us peon pool nurses who've been with the same hospital for over 10 years), they offered a $1000 bonus for rns to stay. This was after they dismantled our med-surg floor, fired the best nurse managers, and divided us up between tele and ortho. The rn's took the bonus, and then 42 of them quit! Take them apples, you idiot management people!:rotfl:

Uptoherern, RN · Oct 31, 2002

You would think that even a dim bulb could figure out that it is easier to keep the best, than to find the best.

At our hospital, they tried paying $60/hr (registry rate) to "staff" who worked over 36 hrs/week. (Why do they always ignore the prn pool staff???? Just because my base salary is higher? I take no benefits!) Anyway, this didn't last too long. They were still using registry cuz staff was burned out with the high acuity/staff ratios. The nurses were too tired:o Now, they have decided to stop the $60 rate, and have lowered it to $49 (non-specialty units) and $55 (specialty units.) I don't think this is even, really, a retention issue. They are so desperate for nurses, this is just to try to overwork the nurses that they have. I also wonder why the er is not considered a specialty unit.... could a med-surg or ob nurse float to the er?

The last time management offered a retention bonus (again, of course, only to "real staff nurses", not us peon pool nurses who've been with the same hospital for over 10 years), they offered a $1000 bonus for rns to stay. This was after they dismantled our med-surg floor, fired the best nurse managers, and divided us up between tele and ortho. The rn's took the bonus, and then 42 of them quit! Take them apples, you idiot management people!:rotfl:

lee1 · Nov 1, 2002

Originally posted by llg
At my hospital, nurses with seniority get preferences in their scheduling than more newly-hired nurses. Also, the pay gradient is signifant in that there is an approximately $15.00 per hour difference between the bottom and top of the pay scale. Preceptors and Charge Nurses get a $1.50 per hour differential (which is not as much as it should be, but at least it is a step in the right direction). Finally, there are retention bonuses (as opposed to sign-on bonuses). Every two years or so, bedside nurses get a bonus on their anniverary date -- the amount depends on the number years worked here. The amount of the bonuse starts small ($500 after the first year, I think) ... but it increases steadily to a maximum of $10,000 per year with 25 years seniority.

Our basic salary and benefits package (insurance, shift differentials, etc.) is about average for our region.

We are starting to talk seriously about increasing our tuition reimbursement benefits and helping nurses re-pay student loans. I would be real interested in learning what other hospitals are doing about these 2 benefits. Anybody able to share?

llg

Wow, can you give us a hint about where you work???

Sounds great.

At my hospital the starting salary is about $9/hr less than mine, BUT, I am an experienced critical care nurse knowledgeable in IABP/CVVH/LVAD. My critical care experience is very expanisve having been doing almost every kind of ICU over the last 30 years.

If I am in charge I get $1/hr more, maybe, generally they forget to pay you and you have to grieve it.

I get nothing for precepting. I have precepted the last 3 years every spring semester to high GPA senior BSN students doing a critical care rotation.

I have to work every other weekend and every other holiday unless there are too many people scheduled then and only then do I get seniority.

NO retention bonuses, only yearly raise based on union contract

NO pension other than 6% match to my 403K

NO retirement medical benefits

NO incentive not to call in sick

I have to pay for parking

My tuition reimbursement is limited to $3000/year

Only allowed 2 seminar days per year and have to fight to get them

My dental insurance is not as good as it used to be

No vision insurance

lee1 · Nov 1, 2002

Originally posted by llg
At my hospital, nurses with seniority get preferences in their scheduling than more newly-hired nurses. Also, the pay gradient is signifant in that there is an approximately $15.00 per hour difference between the bottom and top of the pay scale. Preceptors and Charge Nurses get a $1.50 per hour differential (which is not as much as it should be, but at least it is a step in the right direction). Finally, there are retention bonuses (as opposed to sign-on bonuses). Every two years or so, bedside nurses get a bonus on their anniverary date -- the amount depends on the number years worked here. The amount of the bonuse starts small ($500 after the first year, I think) ... but it increases steadily to a maximum of $10,000 per year with 25 years seniority.

Our basic salary and benefits package (insurance, shift differentials, etc.) is about average for our region.

We are starting to talk seriously about increasing our tuition reimbursement benefits and helping nurses re-pay student loans. I would be real interested in learning what other hospitals are doing about these 2 benefits. Anybody able to share?

llg

Wow, can you give us a hint about where you work???

Sounds great.

At my hospital the starting salary is about $9/hr less than mine, BUT, I am an experienced critical care nurse knowledgeable in IABP/CVVH/LVAD. My critical care experience is very expanisve having been doing almost every kind of ICU over the last 30 years.

If I am in charge I get $1/hr more, maybe, generally they forget to pay you and you have to grieve it.

I get nothing for precepting. I have precepted the last 3 years every spring semester to high GPA senior BSN students doing a critical care rotation.

I have to work every other weekend and every other holiday unless there are too many people scheduled then and only then do I get seniority.

NO retention bonuses, only yearly raise based on union contract

NO pension other than 6% match to my 403K

NO retirement medical benefits

NO incentive not to call in sick

I have to pay for parking

My tuition reimbursement is limited to $3000/year

Only allowed 2 seminar days per year and have to fight to get them

My dental insurance is not as good as it used to be

No vision insurance

susanmary · Nov 1, 2002

Educational reimbursement of up to $2,500 for full-time RNs. Nothing else that I can think of.

What WILL work: Safe/supportive working conditions where RNs know they are giving safe, expert care and not putting their license in jeopardy AND respectable benefits (salary, insurance, available day care) are what WILL retain RNs.

susanmary · Nov 1, 2002

Educational reimbursement of up to $2,500 for full-time RNs. Nothing else that I can think of.

What WILL work: Safe/supportive working conditions where RNs know they are giving safe, expert care and not putting their license in jeopardy AND respectable benefits (salary, insurance, available day care) are what WILL retain RNs.

lisamct · Nov 1, 2002

Sometimes it seems that my employer actively seeks to lose experienced nurses rather than retain them. We have a yearly wage increase but its governmently regulated, nothing to do with employers, however this only happens for the first 5 years on a certain grade and then it stops till you get a promotion. Study time is generally only granted for manditory training, anything other than this has to be done in your own time and paid for yourself. We have no extra payments for co-ordinating the service or for preceptorsip duties. We always work short staffed and with an unbearable workload with no support or acknowledgement from management. We have an active union however the last nurse who attempted to air some grievences through them was ''unofficially'' disiplined by management for not going through appropriate line management first.

Why am i still working for them, well, its the NHS and unfortunately in the UK theyres not many other options,Im always looking though.

Lisa:rolleyes:

lisamct · Nov 1, 2002

Sometimes it seems that my employer actively seeks to lose experienced nurses rather than retain them. We have a yearly wage increase but its governmently regulated, nothing to do with employers, however this only happens for the first 5 years on a certain grade and then it stops till you get a promotion. Study time is generally only granted for manditory training, anything other than this has to be done in your own time and paid for yourself. We have no extra payments for co-ordinating the service or for preceptorsip duties. We always work short staffed and with an unbearable workload with no support or acknowledgement from management. We have an active union however the last nurse who attempted to air some grievences through them was ''unofficially'' disiplined by management for not going through appropriate line management first.

Why am i still working for them, well, its the NHS and unfortunately in the UK theyres not many other options,Im always looking though.

Lisa:rolleyes:

llg, PhD, RN · Nov 1, 2002

Originally posted by lee1
Wow, can you give us a hint about where you work???
Sounds great.

Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters in Norfolk, Virginia. (web address is chkd.org)

We only get 4% contributed by the hospital in our 403B plan and we have no post-retirement benefits. Also, as I said in my previous post, our tuition reimbursement program is weak and is currentl being discussed. At the moment, they pay a maximum of only $1000 per year. However, the basic pay and insurance coverage etc. is competative for our region, our in-house education is extensive, and we don't pay for parking.

In other words, we are not perfect ... but I think the hospital is doing a reasonable job. In particular, I think they are on the right track with those significant retention bonuses. They are trying to reward the people who STAY -- not those who jump from job to job. With the charge nurse and preceptor differentials, they are also trying to reward those who take on the extra responsibility.

llg