Are bonuses really important?

[sacbr1027]

****o,
I am a student nurse and will graduate in May of this year. I am applying at a pediatric hospital that does not have bonueses or moving expenses. How important is that. I really like the hospital but others, non-pediatric, have large bonuses that will help me to pay off school expenses and relocate.
Thanks for any replies and have a nice day.
S

[nursprl_onthego]

Hi there
For bonuses, you have to realize that they are taxed at a higher percentage then regular salary pay. Plus if you sign a contract, you have to fulfill that contract to keep obtain that bonus. Like if you get a sign-on bonus for being hired, you may be required to work at the hospital for a year or else you have to repay the hospital part or all of that bonus they gave you when you were hired. The hospital should at least offer a relocation/moving stipend, but I know some hospitals will try to skimp you on that too. How desperate was the hospital when they hired you? You can try negotiating for a little more pay in lieu of the relocation stipend or decline to work there unless they offer some sort of incentive to get you to work for them.

[nursinghumor]

My first nursing job in Texas offered a $3000 sign-on bonus, $3000 relocation assistance for a three year contract back in 1997. When I got there and started working, I found out they were chronically short-staffed. Had a great preceptor, but couldn't wait to get out of there.

Looking back, think I would have been better off for training purposes with a local hospital that didn't offer the bonuses, and did have an excellent preceptor program and better staffing levels.

Sign-on bonuses are a last ditch effort to find nurses when hospitals have no other options. They've been around long enough to show that nurses who take them, don't stay around after their contract is over.

As a new graduate, I'd take the hospital with the lowest nurse to patient ratio and best preceptor program. Once you've got a year or two or three under your belt, you can always shop around for the best sign-on bonus around (knowing what to expect in return for that bonus).

Hope that is helpful,

Andrew Lopez, RN
Nurses Views of The Nursing Profession
http://www.nursefriendly.com/views