$$23.8/hr...is this a fair rate for an RN in L.A?

U.S.A. California

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Hi! I'm a foreign nurse with 6mos experience in my country. Just would like to know the going rate for RN's in L.A. I'm being offered 23.8/hr. Is this fair enough? I would highly appreciate your comments.

Hi! I'm a foreign nurse with 6mos experience in my country. Just would like to know the going rate for RN's in L.A. I'm being offered 23.8/hr. Is this fair enough? I would highly appreciate your comments.

Are you a new grad? That is low. LA cost of living is very high. What facility are you working in?

I really know very little on the subject but my hospital (I am in northern california) where I work as a ward clerk (I am also a nursing student) hired 2 new grads from Canada on a long term 2 year travel contract and trained them in our new grad program(8-10 weeks) so good deals are out there, if you like 2 years of night shift in a foreign country.

double that

:p I am a new graduate too, and I just got hired in the Emerency Room. I am working in a hospital in Woodland Hills, California.

:idea: In order to get more money, I cashed out my benefits when I got hired in August, and I am now making $33.25 an hour plus night differential. When my Nursing Orientation is over in December, I will be making $36.15 an hour plus night shift differential.

hi im so overwhelmed by ur story, im interested coz im abt to start to work..so what hospital is this again and what it is meant to cashed out your benefits? thanks i appreciate..goodluck

I'm going to start in a PICU in February, and I've been hired on at $25.36 an hour w/full benefits and after the first 6 months it jumps to $30/hr as a new grad....

Specializes in Outpatient/Clinic, ClinDoc.

I work in Los Angeles -- been an RN for 15 years, but they only counted 6 in my salary (took a long break to work as a computer programmer) -- my salary is $32.25 on days with full benefits. I do know others who make more in the same city area (different hospitals), but as my job is a nice clinic job (M-F, 8:30-5), I am very happy with my salary. :)

Specializes in SICU-MICU,Radiology,ER.

Some other thoughts,

Insurance will like cost more than 500-1000/year, more like 1200 for a newer car especially after sacramento decided to punish taxpayers for wanting lower taxes.

Make sure you have a very good car driving in Los Angeles or anywhere else for that matter. Also for sure purchase AAA RV plus. That gives you 100 miles of towing, lock outs, gas etc.

I paid about 2000/month rent for my house by Disneyland surrounded by gang members. Long nights of rap music and 40 oz beer bottles cast over the fence. Complain and get a gun shoved in your face. That house sold for 449,000.

With three 12 hour shifts per week, and one more at double time I was making almost 90,000/year which wasnt enough to keep me in CA. And I grew up there.

We had people there that were from the PI, Korea, Japan, England you name it. Dont buy any BS that they dont want eneperienced RN's in CA. They are desperate for warm bodies. The problem is you will be facing dangers you cant percieve. Like the RN from Japan that bolused a pt with versed and norcuron by mistake. Think it cant happen to you?

I would heed the advice above. Work for a year so, frequent forums like this one, gain some experience, then move here on your own.

You dont need an agency to help you. To heck with them do it all on your own. Just talk to others that have walked the path for before you and learn from them.Perhaps talk to an immigration lawyer once or twice.

Find all the hospitals in LA and OC, mark them on a map of the area and rate those areas with a website such as city-data.com and learn all you can. Then you can try to make an educated decision balancing area with job. Try not to live too far from your work. And above all keep in mind LA is not all its cracked up to be. It can be much more but has many many pitfalls too. Keep in mind that the beach cities can have gangs too. Ask anyone from venice which wasnt bad during the truce.

Many ppl in CA are transplants so its easier to move from one group to another. That is my perception anyway having lived and worked in a few different states.

There are other beautiful places to live in the states.

FWIW

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Hey new foreign nurse!

Did you submit the passport or any other original documents to the employer (sponsor) until the contract is over! I am foreign nurse who came to United States thru an employer sponsored immigrant category visa. I passed all required exams like CGFNS and NCLEX- RN etc. How ever my employer is demanding my passport for an hourly rate of 23.5 including all benefits including night diff for the contract term. I believe this placement agency is taking advantage of me. I already received my GC as a result of my CGFNS and immigrant visa. If I go forward and inform the higher authorites, whether my sponsor can cancel my GC and deport me back to India. Or what are the other consequences I may face. I am a foreign nurse and legally came here. However my legal visa papers and legal fees were borne by the sponsor.

Any comments highly appreciated

Deepika

Hey new foreign nurse!

Did you submit the passport or any other original documents to the employer (sponsor) until the contract is over! I am foreign nurse who came to United States thru an employer sponsored immigrant category visa. I passed all required exams like CGFNS and NCLEX- RN etc. How ever my employer is demanding my passport for an hourly rate of 23.5 including all benefits including night diff for the contract term. I believe this placement agency is taking advantage of me. I already received my GC as a result of my CGFNS and immigrant visa. If I go forward and inform the higher authorites, whether my sponsor can cancel my GC and deport me back to India. Or what are the other consequences I may face. I am a foreign nurse and legally came here. However my legal visa papers and legal fees were borne by the sponsor.

Any comments highly appreciated

Deepika

I would get an attorney.

I remember an article posted here on ALLNURSES.COM about registered nurses held in slavery in Scotland. The nurses union found out and helped those nurses. It began with the company taking their passports for "processing".

Don't all foreign nurses start at grad level? Or is it based on contract?

Specializes in Medical-Surgical.
Hey new foreign nurse!

Did you submit the passport or any other original documents to the employer (sponsor) until the contract is over! I am foreign nurse who came to United States thru an employer sponsored immigrant category visa. I passed all required exams like CGFNS and NCLEX- RN etc. How ever my employer is demanding my passport for an hourly rate of 23.5 including all benefits including night diff for the contract term. I believe this placement agency is taking advantage of me. I already received my GC as a result of my CGFNS and immigrant visa. If I go forward and inform the higher authorites, whether my sponsor can cancel my GC and deport me back to India. Or what are the other consequences I may face. I am a foreign nurse and legally came here. However my legal visa papers and legal fees were borne by the sponsor.

Any comments highly appreciated

Deepika

As an immigrant, you have all the rights of an American citizen except the right to vote.

At most they can do is to charge you their expenses in bringing you here or let you buy your contract. Holding your passport and visa is illegal. I think you should report this to the proper authorities. Good luck!

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