Average hourly pay for per diem agency RN?

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Hi,

I jst recently became a per diem agency RN in LA. I have a BSN, work tele/ms, and have two years experience in a acute care teaching hospital. I know we really don't discuss numbers here, but I can't help feeling like I'm being ripped off. I won't mention the agency I'm with but I will say that I am making $36/hour + time and a half for every 4 hours I work over 8 hours during a 12 hour shift. I typically work 3-12's/wk. I don't have benefits or any other incentives. I love working for my agency, but feel that I should be making a bit more. It would be great if you guys could disclose some known rates/hr!

Thanks,

Victoria

secondcup said:
does anybody know what is the going rate of agency nurses in NJ & NYC? Fulltime or per diem.

Just moved from NJ....As a new nurse, started pay was $31 which i found out was the low end of the spectrum. NY pay as much as 35-40 but it all depends where, your experience, and specialty

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I just started with an agency in the Baltimore, MD area. I do MS and L+D/MB. The pay all depends on the hospital. Its about 35-38/hr for MS and 38-45/hr most places. No overtime until you hit 40 hours a week. Someone told me that if you go to some of the less than desirable hospitals in the city you can make more like 48-50/hr.

Honestly, I sometimes wonder if I wouldn't be better off in a float pool somewhere. There is a community hospital in the suburbs, 10 minutes from my house- they pay 35/hr for the first three 12 hour shifts per month then it jumps to 45/hr. Too bad they aren't hiring right now!

In response to the question about NJ- I met a seasoned nurse who did agency there for years. She jsut came to MD because she had been making 50/hr doing PICU/NICU but they just recently CLOSED DOWN FIVE HOSPITALS in that area.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

You are being ripped off. You are in a large urban area where many nurses make that much as staff nurses.

I make $46 hourly for agency per diem working tele on days. You are being soooo ripped off!

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Ive been doing agency nursing in Chicago for about 2 years. My current chicago agency nursing pay is:

$48 weekdays

$51 weekends

I do work nights and do either icu or tele.

You have to watch out when you do local per diem agency nursing. Some of the nursing agencies that pay the most cancel the most. I have heard it on more than one occation while working that they are canceling nurse nurse that cost the most. Normally if a nursing agency is paying you more then most of the other agencies in your area they are billing the hospital more.

The Chicago nursing agency I am working for now is called Healthcare Personnel Inc. They always seem to have a lot of agency work avaialable in Chicago.

Good luck to all.

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Hey Meriposa--I treid to PM you but your box is full! --Here is my question:

"Honestly, I sometimes wonder if I wouldn't be better off in a float pool somewhere. There is a community hospital in the suburbs, 10 minutes from my house- they pay 35/hr for the first three 12 hour shifts per month then it jumps to 45/hr. Too bad they aren't hiring right now!"

Hey question for you! What hospital are you talking about? I'm a pre-nursing students and I'm all over the place when it comes to what specialty area or type of job I want. What exactly is a float pool? You just float around in a hospital as needed? Oh and what hospital are you talking about in the above quote? Do you know anything about AAMC? I live 10 minutes from it. Thanks so much!

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I worked Per Diem in the L.A area before moving to Chicago. Initially I made $35/hr for the first 8 hours and time and a half for the last 4 which came out to about $41/hr. I then worked for another agency that paid $43/hr and a year later, I made $45/hr. I realized the differences with agencies when I moved to Chicago because my current company pays $42-44 for M/S and $48-52 for Tele. I called and signed on with Maxim only to find that they were paying $35-38 PERIOD. I chose not to work for them. You definitely need to shop around when it comes to finding a good Per Diem agency. It seems like L.A. agencies typically pay $500-$600 per shift.

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deb123 said:
I am looking for my first RN job. Is it possible for me to work for an agency? I am asking because wouldn't I need orientation? When working for an agency is it by the day, week or month? Is working for an agency the same thing as working per diem?

No- agencies require 1-2 years of experience in a speciality before you can work for them. If you find one that doesn't require that experience, they are putting pts' lives and nurses' licenses in danger.

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Cali said:
I worked Per Diem in the L.A area before moving to Chicago. Initially I made $35/hr for the first 8 hours and time and a half for the last 4 which came out to about $41/hr. I then worked for another agency that paid $43/hr and a year later, I made $45/hr. I realized the differences with agencies when I moved to Chicago because my current company pays $42-44 for M/S and $48-52 for Tele. I called and signed on with Maxim only to find that they were paying $35-38 PERIOD. I chose not to work for them. You definitely need to shop around when it comes to finding a good Per Diem agency. It seems like L.A. agencies typically pay $500-$600 per shift.

What agencies did you work with in LA? I'm thinking about first class or 24/7. Any info on those?

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snowbiggie said:
What agencies did you work with in LA? I'm thinking about first class or 24/7. Any info on those?

Sorry, haven't heard of either one of those. There are SO many agencies. I worked for Excellent Nursing Registry, NurseCore and Access. (NurseCore only does work in Santa Barbara/Santa Maria surrounding areas) I have a friend who works for Supplemental, Readylink, MSN and I think 24/7. I'll check with her and see if she has anything to say about 24/7 and let you know. She doesn't like MSN too much because according to her, they don't pay well.

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Specializes in OR, ER, TRAVEL, SURGICARE, WOMENS HOSP.

Supplemental is a travel company and i worked for them and was very pleased.

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Specializes in ER, Step-Down.
secondcup said:
does anybody know what is the going rate of agency nurses in NJ & NYC? Fulltime or per diem.

Here in Northeast PA I work 48 hours a week with 12 hours of overtime at time and a half. My rate is $45/hr and $67.50. I pay for my benefits through the company. I get 40 hours of vacation paid and a $500 bonus every 13 weeks. Let me know if there is anything else I can let you know. I have heard of higher rates but not with guaranteed contracts.

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JoAnna McNurse said:
I have heard that nurses working in LA hospitals are making $65 to $75 per hour as REGULAR nurses and agency nurses make much more.

Is this correct or Folklore

No. That is too much. Unless you are a nurse practitioner or nurse anesthetist.

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