Atlanta hospitals offer signing bonuses to lure nurses: 4 things to know

Metro Atlanta hospitals are trying to attract new nurses by offering signing bonuses upwards of $10,000 to $20,000, according to WSB-TV.

Here are four things to know about the bonuses.

1. Piedmont Healthcare and WellStar Health System are now offering signing bonuses, relocation packages and more to lure experienced nurses.

2. Industry leaders say the incentives were prompted by a major nursing shortage, according to the report.

3. At WellStar, nurses must agree to stay for two years to qualify for the bonus, which is up to $10,000 for most of the health system's specialty areas, said Megan Groover, assistant vice president of talent acquisition for WellStar, according to WSB-TV.

4. So far, according to the report, WellStar leaders say the incentives appear to be working. They've hired 500 nurses in the past year.