Okay yes I know this has been mentioned a million times before and yes I have looked at a few of the threads and none have helped me. But I have not gone through them all.
Anywho, my question is how do I negotiate salary as a new grad WITH hospital experience. I have worked in a hospital for the past 3+ years so I am not completely new to the health care field. I think I deserve more as a new grad with hospital experience compared to someone who worked for walmart until the day before graduation and the only hospital time they had was clinicals. So how do I bring this up when discussing salary?
I was offered a position in the ER once I graduate and I will be the first and only New grad they have ever hired in the ER so I don't want to ruin anythng, but I don't want to settle for less than I am worth. Please help if you can. Just trying to think of the right words to say or how to let them know I am worth more than someone that is completely new.
TIA
By the way, I do know some of you are frustrated with new grads wanting more pay. But if you don't stand up for what your worth, hospitals and everywhere else are going to offer you as little as possible.
:yeah:Good for you!!! It's about time nurses began seeing themselves as I-am-a-valuable-commodity-now-pay-me!!!
: The thing about negotiating money with employers these days is their budget ability not your skill. It used to be most health care facilities had a negotiable "window" for salaries and wages. But these poor economic times where places have dropped sign-on bonuses and given excuses for dropping 401Ks and raise benefits the rules of the game have changed. A salary position is the only thing really negotiable. Wages are fixed ranges.
The fixed ranges are based on education and experience for the large teaching facilities and mostly fixed ranges for just education in the small facilities. Of course already hired nurses were grandfathered, it just effects new hires.
But do make sure you are getting the most pay for someone in your position at your particular facility. If you are not then you really can negotiate (if not insist) on getting that maximum. So how do you legally find out? You go to the HR dept and ask to see in writing how compensation is awarded to someone with your background. Then compare that to what you are getting.
Good Luck to you and stay assertive which is an extremely valuable trait as an ER nurse!!!
Okay yes I know this has been mentioned a million times before and yes I have looked at a few of the threads and none have helped me. But I have not gone through them all.
Anywho, my question is how do I negotiate salary as a new grad WITH hospital experience. I have worked in a hospital for the past 3+ years so I am not completely new to the health care field. I think I deserve more as a new grad with hospital experience compared to someone who worked for walmart until the day before graduation and the only hospital time they had was clinicals. So how do I bring this up when discussing salary?
I was offered a position in the ER once I graduate and I will be the first and only New grad they have ever hired in the ER so I don't want to ruin anythng, but I don't want to settle for less than I am worth. Please help if you can. Just trying to think of the right words to say or how to let them know I am worth more than someone that is completely new.
TIA
By the way, I do know some of you are frustrated with new grads wanting more pay. But if you don't stand up for what your worth, hospitals and everywhere else are going to offer you as little as possible.
No, unfortunately for years Hospital do not count that as per say experience. They will be basing your salary as a new Grad. I worked 7 yrs in Ed prior to Graduating as a GN and I was told you are paid under the salary of a nurse w 5years or less. So imagine a Nurse w at least 3-5 yrs is making what you make or very close to that. And look at their years of experience as an RN. Congratulations on your Job offer. And Yes I have been in the field for 29 years with 22yrs as a Critical Care/ ER Nurse. ADKA
I worked as a certified medical assistant for five years before becoming an RN. It did not even cross my mind to ask for more money than the average new grad. If I was apply for a medical assisting job, then sure I would. In this economy I was grateful to get picked out of the 100s of other new grads that were interviewed.
You probably would not require any less training time than the average new grad needs; at least not enough for them to pay you more an hour...
Devils advocate ; I graduated with honors did you? Maybe my grades are much higher than yours so I would need less time to train so I should be hired over you...and I am not asking for more than the average new grad.
I use to work with an LVN of 7 years, she got her RN a few months ago and now makes the same amount as any other new grad RN...
I worked as a CNA for 9 yrs. and 1 yr in a hospital on the floor as a CNA that I wanted to get into as an LPN. I had a job offer from another hospital for $.05 more an hour than the hospital I was working at. The hospital refused to give me the nickel so I took the other offer. I had a good work record and also good evaluations. They refused to budge so I took the other offer. Be prepared to stand up for yourself if you feel that strongly about what you are worth and good luck.
Congrats on the job offer and in the area you wanted. I also just graduated from nursing school and was able to land a job right away due to already working at my local hospital. Now for the bad news.....it took me about two milliseconds to realize that the hospital experience I had really didn't amount to much. Yes, I know the computer programs, where supplies are kept, most of the other departments, and coworkers; but not the nursing side of patient care and the do's and don'ts of nursing care. Sure in school you are introduced to a lot of areas and diseases, but its depth is just to get you to pass NCLEX and get you started as a nurse. While I was working I learned patient care up to a point and can wipe a butt like no one's business; but don't forget.....A nurse can do a CNA's job, but a CNA cannot do a nurse's job. Bottom line.....you don't have any nursing experience and I believe it is out of line to think you deserve more than any other new nursing school graduate.
By the way, asking how to negotiate salary, is not saying I need to be paid more. Uhhh, that is exactly what it says. Just because you don't say the words "I need to be paid more", it means the same thing by negotiating. And this post is worth
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
I've been thinking a lot about this thread for the past few days. The thing is, right now it's a "seller's" market ("seller" being the hospital). Five years ago you may have been able to make a case for paying you a higher wage, in the era of 5-10 jobs available for every new grad. Right now, there are about 20 new grads for every job, and hospitals are in it to save as much money, and cut as much expenditures as possible. Why would they pay you more when there are 20 other new grads in line right behind you, willing to do the job for less?
Calixan, I would think any job offer would follow with the employee negotiating wages. Sell your credentials (experience). No harm in putting a number out there, the most HR can say is no. When I applied for my first LVN job after retiring from the Air Force, my employer offered me a higher wage than I expected, based on my military experience. When I interviewed for a position in a hospital for my first RN job, I was offered entry-level wage. My experience (as Air Force Medic, NREMT, LVN 5-years) wasn't considered. Good luck in your future in nursing
No harm in putting a number out there, the most HR can say is no.
Actually, no, esp. in this v. tight employment market -- the worst HR can say (and is likely to say, IMO) is "Well then, thanks for your interest and good luck with your future career," and they drop you from consideration and move on to the next candidate on the (lengthy) list, who is more than happy to get their standard "new grad" wage offer.
If there was ever a time for new grads to be able to possibly negotiate a higher starting wage, this is not it.
Well, this one is kinda up my alley. Before coming a nurse a few years ago, I was a human resources (HR) executive in several hospitals. In my former role, I was VERY involved with setting RN rates of pay for my facility, and had extensive knowledge of the salary administration practices for most NJ hospitals.
First, I commend you for "looking out for yourself"!! Absolutely NOTHING wrong with that, at all. That said: in many facilities, be they with unionized RNs or non-union RNs, RNs are hired on a "salary scale", based on years of experience as a RN. Now there are SOME places that will give you SOME "experience credit" if you have LPN experience, usually on a "half-time" or "2 for 1 yr credit basis". For example, if you were an LPN for 4 years before becoming an RN, some places would give you 2 years of RN experience credit. '
However, since you didn't mention "LPN" experience, I'm assuming your experience was "unlicensed" or ancillary experience. Most places, in fact the VAST majority, will not give you "experience credit" for that kind of work. Understanding the reason why (not), might help you "swallow" this a bit, and I hope makes some sense.
RNs at a facility, who have been there for YEARS, have likely been hired all along on an "experience scale". For example, if you have/come in with 5 yrs of experience, you are usually hired at a "5 year rate" and then progress up a scale each year. Sometimes merit pay is added in, but usually merit pay is so minor in a healthcare setting, it's almost irrelevant. But think about it. If a hospital (where ~60% of RNs work) paid you now for some "unlicensed" experience, and MOST LIKELY HAD NOT done that for RNs hired a few years ago, you would be coming in "above" RNs who have been there for 2-3 yrs. It would be "inequitable" for those RNs already employed.
Additionally, RNs DO COMPARE base hourly rates ("base" meaning without shift differential, any educational diff, certif diff, etc), and non-union hospitals want to keep unions "at bay" (or out). One of the ways to ensure unions don't get a foothold is to pay RNs in a consistent manner. Think how "******" a hospital's RNs would be, if all of a sudden, the place started paying new RNs with additional experience dollars, for Nurse Aide/Patient Care Technician work experience?......especially when that was not their salary administration practice?
So, I agree with some others....there is NOTHING wrong with asking "if there might be any consideration, when setting my hiring rate, for my previous 3 years of xyz/nurse aide experience"? It can't hurt, can only help, but just don't be too disappointed if they decline to pay you more. And don't worry, they won't "rescind" the job offer......IF they do, that's not the kind of place you'd want to work anyway.
Hope this helps!! And good luck!! Let us all know how you make out!!
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Uhhh, that is exactly what it says. Just because you don't say the words "I need to be paid more", it means the same thing by negotiating. And this post is worth 
Seasoned
65 Posts
Hi Calixan,
:yeah:Good for you!!! It's about time nurses began seeing themselves as I-am-a-valuable-commodity-now-pay-me!!!
The fixed ranges are based on education and experience for the large teaching facilities and mostly fixed ranges for just education in the small facilities. Of course already hired nurses were grandfathered, it just effects new hires.
But do make sure you are getting the most pay for someone in your position at your particular facility. If you are not then you really can negotiate (if not insist) on getting that maximum. So how do you legally find out? You go to the HR dept and ask to see in writing how compensation is awarded to someone with your background. Then compare that to what you are getting.
Good Luck to you and stay assertive which is an extremely valuable trait as an ER nurse!!!