[fronkey bean]

Originally Posted by nurseaboveboard

Hey, if any have experienced the premium weekend, two twelves in a row, with Mon.-Fri. off, please post the highest pay you've seen, anywhere USA. Thanks. P.S. I'm looking into a weekend job.

A true Baylor? Man, I haven't seen one of those in about 12 years (they stopped them here the year after I was hired). They have a weekend contract on somefloors here (work 11 of 12 w/e in a row and receive $2000 bonus) but they can be hard to get.

[nurseaboveboard]

Thanks Fronkey for posting. I've worked a few of these weekend programs because I have to drive quite a distance, so it cuts down on driving. Also, weekends worked so well when I was still going to school. I was free during the week. I am curious as to who has worked this program and the highest salary. Currently I'm just working casual. The weekend programs I've worked also had benefits. Anyone else doing this?

[LilgirlRN]

I don't know what the new grads make. I do know that when looking at salary you gotta factor in the cost of living. Alabama has very low taxes on property, some of the lowest in the nation. Everything is less expensive here than say NYC, SF, Miami etc.

Also consider this, after California, Alabama is the most geographically diverse state in the union. We have mountains, we have plains, swamps, beaches. AL does have a really bad rep. People expect to step off the plane and hear Dueling Banjos or fear for their lives if they are black. It's just not like that here, I live close to Birmingham. Now, if you got wayyyy out in the country I can't say that I would feel safe, no matter what color I am. I work in an ER in an area close to B'ham but still considered rural. I still have a few people come in who can't read or write, very few and far between biggoted old ladies who do not want anyone who is African-American caring for them.

I mived to CA for a while lived about 100 miles north of SF, made good money but the cost of living out there was so high I had to come home. When I was married, this was 6-7 years ago I had a 2600 sf house here, brick, 4 bedroom, master suite, beautiful kitchen, full basement with 2 car garage. When I was in CA, my BF house was built in 1970, had zero lot line (houses small lots, close together) he had about 1500 sf. His house was worth 3 times what mine was. It makes NO sense.

Go wherever your money is going to go the furthest.

[healingtouchRN]

Hey LilgirlRN!
Thanks for telling it like it is. I totally agree about what you say about our state. It has it's good & not so appealing aspects like all the other places in the world. My best friend is in CA contracting lomg term to take care of some debt, but her houses remain in AL & FL & her residence in AL since she couldn't afford a house in Santa Rosa the size of the ones here. She loves the CA lifestyle, beaches, redwoods, pay...but in AL we have the lovely beaches with white sands, gentle mountains of North AL, a space center, arts, music, festivals...& a lovely southern drawl &.... with a hopefully slower pace that allows one to stop & smell the magnolias or cotton blossoms.
I've visited many other states, worked as an RN in GA (Fulton Co. is so expensive-Dunwoody!). I loved Alaska & Washington State. Some of the nicest people around are from Tennessee. I think it just boils down what is important. Every place needs good nurses. Money is not always the key to hiring them. I'd like very much to earn more (like the next person) but my home & private practice are here. This is the culture to which I am accustomed (Southerners). I'll be here quite a while longer.
I'd love to earn a living in Alaska some day in the summers as a RN/LMT. & then spend winters in Bermuda! Talk about beautiful! Just a short flight from NC. Wow! Take a trip & check out St George's & Tobacco Bay. just as pretty as Orange Beach & Wolf Bay, AL. Just different!

Originally Posted by LilgirlRN

I don't know what the new grads make. I do know that when looking at salary you gotta factor in the cost of living. Alabama has very low taxes on property, some of the lowest in the nation. Everything is less expensive here than say NYC, SF, Miami etc.

Also consider this, after California, Alabama is the most geographically diverse state in the union. We have mountains, we have plains, swamps, beaches. AL does have a really bad rep. People expect to step off the plane and hear Dueling Banjos or fear for their lives if they are black. It's just not like that here, I live close to Birmingham. Now, if you got wayyyy out in the country I can't say that I would feel safe, no matter what color I am. I work in an ER in an area close to B'ham but still considered rural. I still have a few people come in who can't read or write, very few and far between biggoted old ladies who do not want anyone who is African-American caring for them.

I mived to CA for a while lived about 100 miles north of SF, made good money but the cost of living out there was so high I had to come home. When I was married, this was 6-7 years ago I had a 2600 sf house here, brick, 4 bedroom, master suite, beautiful kitchen, full basement with 2 car garage. When I was in CA, my BF house was built in 1970, had zero lot line (houses small lots, close together) he had about 1500 sf. His house was worth 3 times what mine was. It makes NO sense.

Go wherever your money is going to go the furthest.

[Atl_John]

I just got a true weekend job (Baylor) Sat/Sun nights and as a new grad I'm getting base plus 65% which equals out to 33/hr. This is at St. Vincents in the SICU.

[fronkey bean]

Originally Posted by healingtouchRN

Hey LilgirlRN!
Thanks for telling it like it is. I totally agree about what you say about our state. It has it's good & not so appealing aspects like all the other places in the world. My best friend is in CA contracting lomg term to take care of some debt, but her houses remain in AL & FL & her residence in AL since she couldn't afford a house in Santa Rosa the size of the ones here. She loves the CA lifestyle, beaches, redwoods, pay...but in AL we have the lovely beaches with white sands, gentle mountains of North AL, a space center, arts, music, festivals...& a lovely southern drawl &.... with a hopefully slower pace that allows one to stop & smell the magnolias or cotton blossoms.

And you can actually swim in our oceans. In Ca the water is so cold you can't go in it w/o a wet suit. I've lived in about 10 of our wonderful 50 states, inc. CA and Hawaii, but I choose to live in Al. b/c I haven't found anywhere better when you factor in weather, scenery, lifestyle, and costs.

Originally Posted by Atl_John

I just got a true weekend job (Baylor) Sat/Sun nights and as a new grad I'm getting base plus 65% which equals out to 33/hr. This is at St. Vincents in the SICU.

Hey Alt, Congrats on the job. You make more than me and work less, I'm jealous. Where is St. Vincents?

[Bamanurse1]

New nurse grad. RN's start out at 18-19.00 an hour at Huntsville Hospital, plus receive a 4.00 an hour shift diff. for working third shift. It is a great place to work with wonderful schools, but traffic is heavy and housing is a little higher than some surrounding areas. I live in Decatur, and it is a wonderful place to live. The population is 55,000. The school system is okay, and the cost of living is relatively low. Plus, the people here are very friendly.

[kjack87]

Congratulations Atl Jon! So, do you work an 8 hour shift or 12 hour shift over the weekend?

[Atl_John]

I work a 12 hour shift Sat7p-Sun7a, Sun 7p-Mon7a, then off for the rest of the week which works well for me with school. And St. Vincents is located in Bham I believe they are needing more Baylor Night folks in the SICU, so if you are wanting to move to bham.

Also, I have passed NCLEX, so now I am officially....RN. Felt really weird writing my name with RN on the back of it yesterday (first day on the unit). It was like holy hell.....I'm a nurse.

[ecat81]

Medical Center in Dothan finally went up to 18.50 with still 8%/16% diff. ACLS is .50, Certification in area 1.50, Charge 1.50. Only unit diff in hospital is ED took .50 away down to 1.00.