At Duke Medicine, we want only the best and brightest. That's why we provide an attractive pay structure for nurses, as well as annual pay-for-performance increases. We also offer a unique Clinical Ladder program that recognizes excellence in patient care, teamwork and leadership.

In addition to competitive salaries, Duke Medicine provides our nurses and health care professionals with comprehensive benefits that include:

• Group health insurance
• Life and disability insurance
• Paid pension retirement (for non-exempt employees)
• Tax-deferred annuity and mutual fund options
• A voluntary defined contribution retirement plan (for exempt employees)
• Access to an employee credit union
• Voluntary dental, long-term care, supplemental life, personal casualty and short- and long-term disability plans at competitive group rates

The total compensation package Duke Medicine offers nurses also includes such value-added components as:

Shift Premiums
Work-Life Balance / Paid Time-Off
Loan Forgiveness

Shift Premiums

Duke nurses typically work 12-hour Day/Night shifts (7 a.m. – 7 p.m. or 7 p.m. – 7 a.m.), with holiday premiums paid at a rate of time and a half, and shift premium applicable as follows:

• $4.00/hr nights (7am-7pm)
• $4.50/hr weekend (Sat/Sun)
• $3.50/hr evenings

Work-Life Balance / Paid Time-Off

Duke Medicine provides a paid time-off (PTO) program to all eligible employees, which compiles available vacation, sick leave, holiday and funeral leave time into one, easy to manage program. Available paid time-off is accrued by eligible employees as follows:

• Less than 5 years service = 30 days PTO
• 5-9 years service = 35 days PTO
• 9 years or more of service = 40 days PTO

Loan Forgiveness

Duke Medicine provides opportunities for loan forgiveness (up to $10,000) for nursing professionals who meet the following criteria:

• Currently carrying outstanding, qualifying loans acquired specifically for nursing education – BSN, Diploma or ASN
• Currently working at least 36 hours per week
• Currently working at one of the acute care hospitals