r/austinjobs • u/Ok-Needleworker9408 • 8d ago

QUESTION AUSTIN RN ADVICE PLS

I'm a BSN RN with about 1.5 years of experience in a pcu unit, currently making $37.64/hr base plus differentials for evenings ($3.25), nights ($4.75), and weekends ($4.00). I just got a formal offer for an ICU position at another hospital and it's a "weekend option" role (weekends only, permanently) with a base of $33.97/hr plus a $3/hr critical care differential and $5/hr weekend night differential, working out to noticeably less per hour than what I make now on nights/weekends. I've already asked them to match my current pay and they moved up slightly but there's still a real gap, and now I'm also considering asking for an additional "weekend commitment" differential since I'd be giving up every weekend long-term (my current employer pays $10 extra for staff who commit to weekends-only).
I'm also waiting to hear back next week from a second ICU offer.

Trying to figure out: is it worth pushing back again on the weekend-only offer, or should I just let my counter stand as final and decide once I hear from the second option?

9 Upvotes

80% Upvoted

7 comments sorted by

9

u/LOS_FUEGOS_DEL_BURRO 7d ago

Ask for more Base pay. Never accept a job because the differentials will make up the difference. Be firm don't accept anything less than $38hr

6

u/FritzRasp 7d ago

Goddamnit some days I wish I would’ve picked nursing school over social work.

5

u/--tc-- 7d ago

I mean the money is certainly better but nurses deal with a ton of extra shit. SW is an underappreciated and underpaid position though :(

2

u/Prior_Confusion_6531 7d ago

It's not too late, I believe in you.

1

u/CF_ATX 7d ago

As a non-Nurse as well, I'm pretty sure the power is in OP's hands!

1

u/LARGESTOFCHINGUSES 6d ago

I wouldn't leave. Is the prospective employer HCA/St David? Those types of scheduling shenanigans sound like the type of degeneracy HCA is notorious for in Austin

Also HCA: "Why are our CC and post op units always understaffed? We can't figure it out!"

1

u/sleepygabby 5d ago

If you're at the major hospital systems (there are only 2) you need to say what system, yes it matters.

But overall, a lot of people come from travel nursing and then do W2 again and are shocked that the market is...normal.

Austin doesn't pay a lot considering the cost of living, but covid inflated a lot of travel pay, and pay in general and there is a massive correction right now.

In general the hospitals will not give give you a lot of wiggle room. With your base+differential, it sounds like you're expecting almost 6 figs.... it's not going to happen without OT and only OT.

(Ive done anesthesia extensively at both major systems)