[healthyone]

agency pay for new RN's? Post #1

does anyone know what the approximate pay rate is for agency hospital work in GTA (for a new RN)? also is there premium pay if you are called in last minute and if so what is that? can someone please advise.

thanks
healthyone

[nightingale]

healthyone:

what is GTA?

I would suggest, considering AGency Work with at least one years' experience. Two may be more appropirate. The nurse needs to stand on their own with little if any expectation of help from staff.

In Denver, CO, you could expect to make $ 30 to $ 37 for an Agency Med/Surg Nurse. I am sure rates vary with the local and need. As far as late call extra's.. not usually but it is all supply and demand, if you can get more, great but do not count on it.

Hope that helps.

[healthyone]

GTA--greater toronto area

...thanx for info!

[fergus51]

If you want to work in the SARS units you'll be getting about 70$ an hour. I think the more regular rates are in the 30s and 40s, but I don't know any new nurses who do agency.

[healthyone]

i'm only interested in doing agency nursing home work for now--no hospital acute med/surg. the agency i've contacted gave me the impression that many new grads start there (or casual work)

do you know of any new grads who have done that?

[fergus51]

No, I only work in the hospital setting, which is probably why the agency doesn't have new grads staffing our unit (It's a specailty area). Has the agency not mentionned their pay scale to you? I would imagine if it's good that would be their main selling point!

[healthyone]

yes, they have...its under $30 per hour. so i wasnt' overly impressed by that, but i like it because it's not as 'big' an agency as some of the other big ones in t.o.--ie., SRT, VHA, carecor. a bit more laid back, and so i'm hoping that that will translate into slightly "lower" or shall i say, more realistic expectations from a new grad. she conveyed to me that a lot of other new grads work at this agency, so i figure if they can manage i should be able to aswell.

i'm just a little hesitant because of the pay...its "okay" for now, but i think i'll have to move on when i get more interested in doing agency work on a hospital floor. if i'm going to go into that kind of a fast-paced environment with so many more responsibilities, i certainly want more than $30/hr as an incentive. for now, the experience of working in a nursing home and doing med-passes and getting used to how this whole thing works will be good experience at a pace i can handle. i just wish the pay were better.

healthyone

[fergus51]

Considering you would only make 22 as a regular staff new grad (no matter how acute the area), just under 30 doesn't sound bad at all, at least for a while. I hope you enjoy it.

[Nurse Ratched]

I agree with those who noted that "new RN" and "agency nurse" aren't two phrases that fit really comfortably together. We bargain with our skills for higher pay. As you gain more experience, you may have more ground to maneuver on for pay increases. Good luck!

[healthyone]

thanks fergus,

i think i will enjoy it. for me making mid to high 20's is good money esp. considering my new grad skill level and the fact that i can learn at a more realistic pace. i'm hoping to agency mainly at one facility so i can really learn what i'm doing.

wish me luck and good luck to all new grads out there!