There’s a nursing shortage nationwide – but it’s a $100,000 job in York County

Collen Risley, a nurse at WellSpan York Hospital, stands inside the main entrance. Risley works in the North Tower. The need for nurses has never been greater. There are about 3 million in the U.S., and more than 1 million new nurses will be needed by 2022 to meet the country’s needs. (Photo: Paul Kuehnel, York Daily Record)

(York) — Colleen Risley could have gone anywhere.

She was fresh out of York College in 2015 with a degree in a field that had thousands of openings.

But she passed on all those opportunities, including in her hometown of Philadelphia, to start her nursing career in York.

The “friendlier, supportive staff” at WellSpan drew her in, Risley said. “I chose the place where I was going to fit in and grow.” 

That growth includes her paycheck.

Risley’s wages have increased $7 an hour within three years, thanks to a mix of raises tied to annual evaluations, a step up on the clinical nursing ladder and an increase to stay competitive with other regional hospitals.

She recently advanced to a clinical nurse II position, working three 12-hour shifts a week with four days off.

But the perks extend beyond wages, promotions and flexible schedules. Risley is currently enrolled in a program at York College to graduate as a nurse practitioner in 2020, and WellSpan is helping her pay tuition.

The hospital reimburses 50 percent of her tuition if she maintains a B average or higher.

“I’ll take my career as far as they’ll let me,” Risley said.

If she stays at WellSpan for four years after completing her nurse practitioner training, the company will pay 100 percent of her tuition.

Six figures

In York, it doesn’t take long for nursing to become a six-figure job.

A nurse might have to work all nights and some overtime to receive $100,000 or more, but “six figures is not uncommon,” according to Kris O’Shea, vice president and chief nurse executive at WellSpan.

Nursing salaries vary at WellSpan, generally starting at $56,000 to $58,000 for a new nurse, she said. It increases based on the number of hours worked and differentials, such as an extra 10 percent for working the night shift.

WellSpan nurses can also receive 8 or 9 percent increases in one year because of annual evaluations and clinical advancements.

The hospital system recently had 64 nurses earn clinical advancements in May.

WellSpan has 3,800 nurses throughout its system, with about 1,800 at York Hospital.

“We’re trying to create a culture where we have strong development of our nurses,” O’Shea said. “We hope to retain our nurses and attract more to us.”

High demand, big perks

Flexibility is attractive to Risley, who works three 12-hour weekday shifts and every third weekend.

“I have enough time for me and my family,” she said.

Risley, who did not disclose her annual income, lives in Denver, Lancaster County, with her husband.

One day it might make more sense for her to transfer to WellSpan’s Ephrata hospital to be closer to home, she said.

And she probably wouldn’t have any trouble transferring or keeping perks because it’s the same employer. 

The high demand and short supply of nurses is now forcing employers to offer numerous perks to attract nurses: double-digit sign-on bonuses, flexible schedules, tuition and housing reimbursement and more.

“Nurse recruitment is hot and popping,” said Kim Brister, director of talent acquisition for WellSpan.

About a year ago, the healthcare system ramped up its perks, including offering “PTO bridging” to seasoned nurses. That meant nurses, who had worked several years for another hospital, could transfer to WellSpan and keep the same level of paid-time off they had earned with another employer.  

They also started a program at their Gettysburg hospital to have a “draft day” for nurses, allowing them to pick which departments they’d like to work in, such as labor and delivery or intensive care. That same practice is used