Unless you’ve been hibernating during the winter, you’re probably aware that there’s a nursing shortage going on. With the populating continue the grow, and get older, healthcare facilities are desperate to fill their staffs with adequate nurses. While this certainly hurts some healthcare communities, it should be great for those in the industry, right? A shortage of jobs equals a bigger demand, which in turn equals a bigger salary to attract potential nurses. Well, not exactly. While many health facilities would love to raise the wages for nurses, sometimes it’s just not financially possible. As budgets and financial assistance from the government often varies, many of these facilities simply can’t afford the raise wages. This is where nursing benefits can come in. If a potential employer can’t increase your wage, maybe they can throw in some benefits. Here are a few nursing benefits to ask for!
Nursing Benefits to Ask For
401k Match
While a potential employer might not be able to give you additional financial help right now, they might be able to provide some help in the future. Saving for retirement can be stressful. Some employers can help ease this burden by offering a 401k match plan. This plan will usually match up to a certain dollar amount how much you’re willing to stash away in a 401k account. According to a 2015 Aon Hewitt study, the most popular matching plan is currently dollar-for-dollar up to a certain percentage of an employee’s salary—with 42% of employers currently offering this formula. If your employer is willing to invest some money into your retirement, that could be a great benefit to take advantage of.
Housing Subsidy
Out of all the nursing benefits to ask for, this is especially important for travel nurses. Since you’ll already be spending money to travel to a specific location, one of the best benefits you can ask for is a housing subsidy. Living expenses can vary from state to state and city-to-city, so having some financial help in the housing department can certainly make an assignment look more appealing. If they don’t have a subsidy program, ask if they have a program that might match you up with a fellow nurse to share an apartment with.
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Insurance Perks
With the healthcare and insurance landscape on unsteady ground, one of the best nursing benefits to ask for is some insurance coverage. It’s no secret that healthcare can be incredibly expensive, which is why employer coverage can be one of the most attractive perks they can offer. Whether it’s health, dental, vision, or a combination of both, having your employer pick up the tab on your insurance is a great benefit to have. However, it’s always important that you compare private insurance plans as well. It can often be cheaper to join a spouse’s insurance plan or find a private insurance plan of your own.
Tuition Reimbursement
We all know how grueling, and more importantly, expensive nursing school can be. That’s why one of the best nursing benefits to ask for is some form of tuition reimbursement. Reimbursement can often come in two different forms. They might offer to pay for some of the schooling that you’ve already completed. Student loans can be a heavy burden to bear, so any financial relief can go a long way. Another option that’s worth looking into is whether or not they’d be willing to pay to for continued schooling. Plus, this request signals to a hiring manager that you’re conscientious about doing well and growing professionally. Some employers will be willing to invest time and money in their employees so they can grow professionally. Nursing benefits to ask for like these are a great way for you and your employer to invest in each other.
If you’re looking to find a great travel nurse company that will provide the benefits you’re looking for, make sure to check out the thousands of jobs we have available!
