Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium Health said 9,000 nurses across the system will receive raises at the same time as a regional minimum wage increase to $12.50.
The nurse wage increases will range from 50 cents to $1 per hour, depending on the worker's role, and represent an overall $5.6 million investment by Atrium Health. They took effect July 22, the same day the regional minimum wage increase did.
Atrium Health first announced it would increase the minimum wage for employees on June 28, affecting more than 7,500 team members. The minimum wage increase and the nurse wage increases together represent a $7.7 million investment by the system in more than 16,500 employees, according to hospital officials.
"Recruiting and retaining the best nurses in this region is vital to Atrium Health's ability to provide the best care for our patients," Maureen Swick, PhD, MSN, RN, senior vice president and system nurse executive for Atrium Health, said in a prepared statement. "Competitive pay is one of many important factors that nurses consider when choosing where they work."
Atrium Health has more than 35,000 employees in the Charlotte area.
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