Ballad Health is increasing pay rates for nursing staff at hospitals across the organization, a spokesperson for the Johnson City, Tenn.-based health system confirmed to Becker's.
The pay increases will begin April 7, according to information from Ballad.
"This is a major investment in nursing and other targeted positions, which is truly necessary for us to be able to meet the needs of our patients going forward," Ballad CEO Alan Levine wrote in an internal email, according to CBS and ABC affiliate WJHL.
Direct patient care registered nurses at Ballad's three tertiary facilities — Bristol (Tenn.) Regional Medical Center, Kingsport, Tenn.-based Holston Valley Medical Center and Johnson City Medical Center/Niswonger Children's Hospital — will see a starting rate of pay increase from $27 to $32 an hour (19%), Ballad said.
Direct patient care RNs at Ballad's community hospitals will see a starting rate of pay increase from $24 to $30 an hour (25%). The community hospitals are Clintwood, Va.-based Dickenson Community Hospital, Johnson City-based Franklin Woods Community Hospital, Greeneville (Tenn.) Community Hospital, Sneedville, Tenn.-based Hancock County Hospital, Rogersville, Tenn.-based Hawkins County Memorial Hospital, Kingsport-based Indian Path Community Hospital, Mountain City, Tenn.-based Johnson County Community Hospital, Abingdon, Va.-based Johnston Memorial Hospital, Pennington Gap, Va.-based Lee County Community Hospital, Big Stone Gap, Va.-based Lonesome Pine Hospital, Norton (Va.) Community Hospital, Marion, Va.-based Smyth County Community Hospital, Elizabethton, Tenn.-based Sycamore Shoals Hospital, Lebanon, Va.-based Russell County Hospital, Bristol, Va.-based Ridgeview Pavilion, Erwin, Tenn.-based Unicoi County Hospital and Johnson City-based Woodridge Hospital.
Additionally, other nursing positions will have increased starting rates, according to Ballad. These include licensed practical nurse, nurse intern, nursing assistant, certified nursing assistant, behavioral health technician and "other targeted nursing-related positions impacting patient care at the acute care bedside." The health system said pay for long-term care bedside nursing positions will also be adjusted.
The base wage will increase for current workers in these roles at these facilities to account for compression created by increasing the starting wage, Ballad said. Adjustments will occur on a sliding scale based on the person's current role and pay.
More than 5,600 team members will receive pay increases.