What are you worth as a NICU nurse?

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I am new here and was wondering, what kind of salary are you worth? I live in Alabama and have been a NICU nurse for over 5 years and am due for a raise. My base is $19.55/hr and I get $4/hr for night shift. I have now found out that new grads make about $1/hr less than I do so I am a little upset. I think I deserve a raise. Anyway, I was wondering what other NICU nurses make in other areas. I currently work in a level III nursery and love it, but I have applied for a position in a private hospital for a well baby nursery with around 10 beds. I am not sure if I would like well baby, I just love intensive. What do you think? Do private hospitals pay more?

Thanks

Specializes in Critical care.

Is Nicu A Good Job For A New Grad?

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Specializes in NICU.

Our starting pay for new grads is $31.00 per hour. It's hospital wide, doesn't matter where you work. Eval at 6 months, and then annually with raises of 2-4%. Nobody in my knowledge has ever got 4%, for that you have to give your life to the hospital, and also do community projects. We also get occasional raises to bring us up to par with other places.

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Just got hired in Newport News VA (new BSN grad) in the NICU, 20.09 base pay and 4 dollars shift dif for nights.

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Specializes in ER, NICU.

We are awarded raises based on performance, tenure, career ladder progression "points", cost of living.

If nurses in your NICU are not getting opportunity to progress in their career and make more money someone needs to talk with administration about how they plan to keep their nurses' morale up.

Talk to someone about "Magnet Status". If you are not working in a Magnet Status hospital or the place you work is not working on Magnet Status it is

time someone mentioned it.

Medical payments in the future are going to be based on quality of care given in facilities and one of the "qualities" that count is NICU nurse training, advancement, and education. The money follows. Therefore if a hospital wants to be paid top dollars for services, they need to have top "dollar" nurses in the critical care areas.

Being a magnet facility allows nurses to be paid more and trained better.

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Our starting pay for new grads is $31.00 per hour. It's hospital wide, doesn't matter where you work. Eval at 6 months, and then annually with raises of 2-4%. Nobody in my knowledge has ever got 4%, for that you have to give your life to the hospital, and also do community projects. We also get occasional raises to bring us up to par with other places.

What part of California are you in Mimi? Just curious.. the hospital I work at (as a Labor Coach) pays $31/hour as well for new grads. I'm in the Central Valley.

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