Seeking out new employment opportunities is one possible solution to
an inequitable salary. But some respondents note that one's own person-
al circumstances or preferences might limit her ability or motivation to
pursue those opportunities. The prospects of traveling longer distances
to, or relocating for, work, or of considering a job switch with just a few
years to retirement, commonly cause hesitation to start again elsewhere.
"I considered a change, but while it would improve my salary, I would
lose 25 years of seniority and benefits," says one hospital manager.
Keep in mind, though, that no obstacle is insurmountable if the
opportunity truly appeals to you. Even when higher-salaried positions
exist nearby, many respondents — especially those at ASCs — say
they're unwilling to trade away their preferred work situations and
schedules. "I'm a nurse, aren't we always looking? But no nights or
weekends here," says a charge nurse at a Texas ASC.
Jackie Dayton, RN, the nursing supervisor at the Surgery Center of
Ophthalmology Consultants in Fort Wayne, Ind., recalls taking a pay
cut when she left her former hospital for the ophthalmic ASC in 1997,
but she also gave up working overnights, call, holidays and weekends.
"I traded a lot for that $8 an hour," she says. "I could easily make
more money at a hospital facility, but I'm sure my stress would
increase and my satisfaction would decrease. My happiness at my job
is everything to me."
Way back when, Ms. Dayton became a nurse in order to care for sur-
gical patients. Even as her career led her into management, patient
care was still at the top of the to-do list. Then the 3 physicians at the
Surgery Center of Ophthalmology Consultants became 5, and the baby-
boom generation's need for cataract surgery booked up the OR sched-
ule. The Fort Wayne, Ind., ASC outgrew its waiting room 10 years ago.
"I used to be able to do my role as a manager and also as a staff
member at the same time," says Ms. Dayton, the center's nursing super-
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