Cleveland-based health systems are offering incentive pay to nurses as they face staffing challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to cleveland.com, a news and information website.
At Cleveland Clinic, some nurses can earn a new $400-a-day bonus for selected 12-hour shifts through Nov. 6 as part of the health system's RN Shift Incentive Program, the website reported, citing a pay policy document. This means a nurse who normally earns a base rate of $35 an hour would earn nearly $1,400 a day for certain shifts with overtime and the extra bonus included.
Cleveland Clinic spokesperson Jenna Homrock Scotch, in a statement shared with Becker's Oct. 25, confirmed the incentive program and said nurses may qualify to earn a shift bonus if the area qualifies and it is extra above their expected work commitment.
"Currently, healthcare is facing an increased demand for services. This includes both patients with COVID-19 as well as an increase in other patients needing care," she said.
"We are continuously evaluating our workforce and looking at solutions to meet our caregiver needs while maintaining the highest quality care for our patients," added Ms. Homrock Scotch. "Like other health systems, we are experiencing staffing challenges for nursing and other positions and are offering incentive pay as needed, which can vary based on a caregiver's experience, shift, etc."
The MetroHealth System in Cleveland is offering incentives to nurses, too.
The health system is offering a "significantly enhanced premium pay schedule" to nurses in departments with large nursing shortages through early January, according to cleveland.com. The incentives are based on the worker's base salary as well as the number of extra hours worked per pay period, the website reported, citing paperwork distributed to employees.
One example from the report: An employee who works fewer than 8.5 additional hours in a pay period will make 1.5 times their base pay.
Read the full report here.