Pay raise incentivizes nurses to stay local

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ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- Amid the nationwide nursing shortage, Beacon Health System is offering up to a $20 an hour raise to keep local nurses on staff, long-term.

“Nurses work really hard, they’ve been working hard even before COVID, but even more so now during COVID,” said Sharvon Robinson, the Dean of the School of Nursing at Ivy Tech Community College.

As a partner with the Beacon Health System, Robinson said she would like to see more graduates stay local, but, in a nation-wide nursing shortage, nurses could make more if they leave Michiana.

“It’s so important that our students here that we educate stay here because they are able to help our community hospitals and clinics during their shortage during this time to help remedy the shortage,” said Robinson.

Robinson said nurses can earn up to three times typical pay as a travel nurse.

One of the reasons why Beacon Health, which partners with Ivy Tech, is nearly doubling their pay is to keep the nurses local.

Under its new incentive program, a registered nurse licensed in 2011 has the option to choose a three- or five-year agreement with Beacon, which could allow them to make more than $47 or $57 an hour versus the current base rate of $33 an hour.

Robinson said she believes incentives like these will not only help combat the shortage, but also encourage their nursing students to stay in the community. 

“A lot of our partners, our clinical partners, are giving incentives to their employees and I think that’s good as well,” Robinson added. 

Now Beacon Health is also holding open interviews through October 14 to fill available nursing positions.

Interview information can be found on Beacon’s Facebook page.

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