What do hospitals pay for a travel RN?

Specialties Travel

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Hi, My name is Chris and I'm a 35 year Psych RN

Just curious if any one has worked for a travel Nurse agency and knows how much we cost the hospital?

This info might help us travel nurses negotiate better contracts.

Thanks in advance

The biggest difference between us and our patients is that we have the Keys! :wink2:

$15 an hour is crazy! We pay at least $30 plus housing, travel, rental car.

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Which Agency ?

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Hi Everyone,

I was just wondering, I will be a new grad May 2012, plan on taking the NCLEX June or July of that year and plan on commissioning in the air force after that, but can be a 4-12 month wait for the air force, so I was wondering if travel nurse assignments might be the way to go until I'm in the air force, if so I currently reside in Wichita Falls, tx but wouldn't mind the travel, anybody have any good agencies they worked with from Texas?? Oh and as a new grad I wouldn't have a specialty yet, what do I put in that section, thanks...

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Specializes in OB.
Hi Everyone,

I was just wondering, I will be a new grad May 2012, plan on taking the NCLEX June or July of that year and plan on commissioning in the air force after that, but can be a 4-12 month wait for the air force, so I was wondering if travel nurse assignments might be the way to go until I'm in the air force, if so I currently reside in Wichita Falls, tx but wouldn't mind the travel, anybody have any good agencies they worked with from Texas?? Oh and as a new grad I wouldn't have a specialty yet, what do I put in that section, thanks...

Sorry to say that travel nursing is not a viable option for a new grad. Most agencies won't consider you with less than a year of experience and many hospitals are requiring 2 or more (some 5) yrs. of experience. Remember as a traveler you get usually 1-2 shifts at most of orientation. This is not "how to care for patient" orientation but "here is where we keep supplies", "here are our policies" etc.

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My brother is currently looking for a nurse agency. Hi a.caroline, I think you have a great agency and I would be delighted to refer my brother there. I'd like to know how to contact you.

Thanks in advance!:)

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If you don't think every day is a good day, just try missing one. ~Cavett Robert

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Hey there I am planning relocating to san Francisco area I am already working with HRN travel agency and I am about to try emerald health services, does anyone know a good travel agency and what would be a good rate for a travel nurse going to san Francisco area because I have no idea.

Any help will be appreciated.

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Hey there I am planning relocating to san Francisco area I am already working with HRN travel agency and I am about to try emerald health services, does anyone know a good travel agency and what would be a good rate for a travel nurse going to san Francisco area because I have no idea.

Any help will be appreciated.

Hi,

I heard American Mobile is good agency in that area. Check them out, I dont know any more details but they are supposed to be good there. Give them a call.

Good luck!

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I'm shocked at the lack of knowledge of some of you giving responses. I have been traveling for about 6 years. Hospitals are billed by your agency. Everything you get or get paid on a contract is paid out of that money. THAT IS YOUR MONEY! Nothing from a contract is "free". You think the agency is going to cover the cost of your housing, rental car, insurance etc? THINK AGAIN! Presently in California, the bill rate is $65-$80/hour. You are paid EVERYTHING out of that amount. If you get paid $40/hour and take housing, the agency gets the difference PER HOUR! After everything, they take about 25 % of YOUR BILL RATE! Think about it. They get 25% of the bill rate EVERY HOUR! To do what, exactly? Sure, they know where the gigs are, and they act as the middleman in a contract, and they process your paycheck each week. But other than that? They get paid, when YOU get paid. If you don't work, they don't get paid. You travel nurses are actually creating jobs and wealth by working............AND YOU SHOULD BE COMPENSATED FOR IT!

I take a lower hourly rate, I'm only taxed on about $12K/year.....and the maximum perdiem offered, which is tax free money. I'm pretty sure that smarter nurses make better money, but I only work contracts that pay $500-$600 per 12 hour shift AFTER TAXES! And agencies REALLY push the OT because then they jam the hospital for 150% of the bill rate, while you get to pay 100% taxes on your OT wages. Is it worth it? maybe.....but not to me.

I would love to find (or start) an agency which only takes a flat rate of say, $20/hour and gives me the rest. At $75/hour bill rate, I'd be compensated at a rate of $55/hour after taxes. I think it's fair enough. The agency (for doing almost nothing) would be making $720/week for my 36 hours of work. Imagine how many nurses you'd have to have work for your agency to earn good money....10 nurses ($7200/week to your agency)? 5 nurses $3600/week for you?

Anyhow, I see the last post was long ago, but maybe someone is still searching for this information. Yeah, I'm happy with my take home pay, but if the rate is way higher than I'm making, let the Market decide and pay me!

And by the way, the bill rate varies widely from region to region. Everybody knows the best pay is in the San Francisco Bay area. New grads make $55/hour, and generally the travel wages are much better there too, compared with Los Angeles or San Diego, or anywhere in the South. The bill rate is a reflection of the wages of the staff nurses. I loved working near friends in Dallas, but I take home $600/week working gigs only in California.

NURSES! Inform yourselves! Make hay while the sun is shining. This situation won't last forever and you should be paid BETTER for your hard work!

Always looking for a good deal....................................

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sorry.......I take home $600/week MORE than when I worked in Dallas!

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Specializes in OB.

Just a note to be careful of these agencies purporting to pay very low hourly with huge "tax free" money. First of all ridiculously low earnings for the position listed are a red flag to the IRS. Remember that you need to meet specific qualifications for ANY of your money to be "tax free". No - a p.o. box or parent's address will not do it. Check with a travel tax specialist.

Remember also that if you take a very low hourly any unemployment compensation or workman's comp would be based on a percentage of the low hourly rate as would your social security earnings. If you need a loan, that figure would be used as your income.

The above poster was correct that everything comes out of the money paid by the hospital for your services, but it is a few more things than listed there: In addition to your housing, there may be utilities, furniture rental if not included, cleaning fees. Your insurance, malpractice (if your company supplies it), travel money. Pay for recruiters, ancillary staff such as housing coordinators, clinical liasons, accountants, administrative staff all comes out of the pool of money for contracts. The physical location of the agency and all the things within it come out of this. And of course somewhere in there has to come a profit - they aren't running a charity.

Of course, if you don't want to have them do all this you can always try the Independent Contractor route and do all of the contracts with the hospital yourself, but remember how many hours you will need to spend doing all the things the agencies are doing for you. Personally, I'd rather pay someone to do it all for me.

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