Travel nurse without the travel?

Specialties Travel

Published

I'm not too sure of how unique or common this situation is, but I figure someone out there may have experience with it. My question is, has anyone worked as a travel nurse in their own hometown in a hospital they are all ready familiar with?

I was fired (was a mass firing) a few years ago from the local hospital, and even though a recruiter from there called me a couple months ago I just can't bring myself to work for them because I don't trust them. Since that time they have been using travel nurses. I've seen a lot of positions posted through travel nurse companies. I heard that some nurses had resigned from the hospital and then got hired by a travel company because the pay was better. I've been a school nurse since then, but all of the school nurses were laid off on the last day of school, so I'm jobless. I really want to stay local because other hospitals are about 40-45minutes away, but I may change my mind. I'm just at a loss at what to do.

Also, as a travel nurse are you in communication with your company boss often? Can you be floated to other units? Do you get any orientation? If you like your position, do you just keep renewing your contract? Sorry for all the questions. I know little to nothing about travel nursing. Thanks in advance for any help or advice.

NedRN

1 Article; 5,773 Posts

An agency is an employment agency. Your contact person is your recruiter. Talk to them as often as you wish. They can help you with contractual issues. But you will be contracted to the hospital and they are your "boss". If you have clinical issues, you will have to deal with it yourself.

Yes, you can be floated to other units if you are competent to practice and with unit orientation. If not you must refuse. Sometimes hospitals are willing to promise no floating. It can be a negotiating point for you.

As long as all parties are willing, you can extend your contract.

Hangin'On,RN

25 Posts

An agency is an employment agency. Your contact person is your recruiter. Talk to them as often as you wish. They can help you with contractual issues. But you will be contracted to the hospital and they are your "boss". If you have clinical issues, you will have to deal with it yourself.

Yes, you can be floated to other units if you are competent to practice and with unit orientation. If not you must refuse. Sometimes hospitals are willing to promise no floating. It can be a negotiating point for you.

As long as all parties are willing, you can extend your contract.

Thank you. That clears things up for me.

Bob Loblaw

124 Posts

Where i work we've had a traveler for years. Just has to have a mailing address 50 miles away from work. I suggest setting up residency in a state without state income take. She extends with yearly contracts and in the end makes alot more than the rest of us with higher rate, incentives and stipends and having address in next state which is tax free.

jive turkey

677 Posts

Specializes in A variety.

You want to be a travel nurse at a facility that is close to where you live did I understand you correctly? And you're asking if anyone else has ever done that

NedRN

1 Article; 5,773 Posts

Where i work we've had a traveler for years. Just has to have a mailing address 50 miles away from work. I suggest setting up residency in a state without state income take. She extends with yearly contracts and in the end makes alot more than the rest of us with higher rate, incentives and stipends and having address in next state which is tax free.

That's deliberate tax fraud subject to potential criminal prosecution. Big risk for her as anyone can report her to the IRS for a percentage of the back taxes, penalties, and interest. She is cheating all honest taxpayers.

Dafabb, LPN

123 Posts

Specializes in Med/Surg/.

As I have been an agency nurse since 1992 this is how I did it. For many years I stayed in West Texas and did most in surrounding area. It could be 40 mi- 600mi+(RT) You will not get a contract with much of stipends if you stay within your State. You agency might help you with a little of your housing if you are going there and have to stay but it will be nothing like you get out of State. You might find an agency who is a little more generous but that will be it. I will share that I did a job about 185 mi. from where I lived. No help really on the housing as I do roommates and found a great little grandma to stay with. She charge $500/exempt with her for some help with her as she was in a WC but walked with walker. Her GD also was there to do most of that. They paid me almost $27/hr and taxed minimum wage of 8.25(?)TX.and the rest of the $27 was free money. I went home 2 xs in those 3 mos. On my $600(rt) would do 3/4 days come home,stay at a very generous reduced rate at hotel and on occasion my boss might swing for a day or 2....(back in 90s) My paid would be taxed as if a regular job and the only thing I took off yearly was my mileage. She did tho pay me quite well for the 90s($27-28). So you can go a ways from your home get a good salary and maybe some help in the housing but it wont be much and take off all the mileage you drive from the time you leave home and back....That's how in state works unless of course like Texas it's 900 miles across the State.

Dafabb, LPN

123 Posts

Specializes in Med/Surg/.
Where i work we've had a traveler for years. Just has to have a mailing address 50 miles away from work. I suggest setting up residency in a state without state income take. She extends with yearly contracts and in the end makes alot more than the rest of us with higher rate, incentives and stipends and having address in next state which is tax free.

Actually the only problem in that is if you borrow a friends address you had better put some of those utilities in your name. I also would not write this on an open forum too much as you know the IRS will monitor some of these type places and what better one than a travel nurse. ( It pays to be paranoid) They will not except a PO Box and if you know anyone who has done this and they ever come up on their radar they will be in for a rude awakening.

Bob Loblaw

124 Posts

As with all things in life let your conscience be your guide. The difference between working people and rich people is, working people are taught they need to pay taxes, the rich are taught you don't need to pay taxes. Don't use a mailbox forwarding company in tax free states because they are always on the IRS list for suspect addresses.

NedRN

1 Article; 5,773 Posts

There is a big difference between taking legal loopholes (more of which are available to the wealthy) and fraud. No matter how much you make. Consequences include jail.

Bob Loblaw

124 Posts

The only way I know to pay the right amount of taxes if for them to prove to me I owe more. There are tax friendly states and there are tax unfriendly states, whatever anyone decides to do is their own business, not yours. I'm not going to get into an argument about taxes, its like politics and religion, sounds like you like paying taxes and I don't. I'm still waiting for the President to release his taxes and to find out which state he is a tax resident of NY and NYC or FL (tax free). I remember George Busch SR had a tax address of an empty lot in TX (tax free) while he basically lived in ME (tax brutal)- that's right I forgot that's just a loop hole, that's acceptable.

NedRN

1 Article; 5,773 Posts

Who likes paying taxes? But it is the law and it sure sounds like you are breaking it on purpose. I'd be happy to help you know if you are paying the correct amount. Just give me your contact info and I'll make sure it gets to the right authorities for an audit.

Effectively, tax cheats increase the burden on all other taxpayers.

Notice that nowhere in this post am I arguing with your posts. So far. I will say that clearly personal conscience does not work. That is why we have laws.

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