Hourly nurses are paid for every hour they work. Under federal law they earn time-and-a-half for overtime, and they often get extra pay for nights, weekends and holidays. Salaried nurses receive a fix
A clinical ladder is a hospital program that raises your pay as you build skills, earn certifications and take on unit leadership, while you stay at the bedside. You move up through defined levels, us
Most nurse sign-on bonuses are one-time payments that require you to stay for a set period, often one to two years. They are usually paid in installments, and you may have to pay back some or all of t
Ask for a raise by bringing pay data for your specialty and region, a short list of what you've added since your last increase (certifications, charge or precepting duties, measurable results), and a
Negotiating a nursing salary offer comes down to four moves: get the full offer in writing, compare it with local nurse pay for your specialty and experience, counter once with a specific number and c
Per diem nurses usually earn a higher hourly rate than staff nurses in the same facility. That premium exists because per diem roles typically come without health insurance, paid time off, retirement
A shift differential is extra pay a nurse earns for working less popular hours, such as nights, evenings, weekends or holidays. Most employers pay it as a flat dollar amount added to each qualifying h
Nurse pay starts with a base hourly rate set by your employer, usually tied to your experience, specialty and location. Shift differentials, certification pay, overtime and bonuses are added on top of
How overtime pay is figured for nurses: the federal 40-hour workweek rule, the 8/80 option hospitals can use, what goes into your regular rate, and the paycheck mistakes worth catching early.