First travel offer in LTC

[strawberryluv, BSN, RN]

Hi guys,

I have one year and five months of experience as a long term care nurse.

I've recently decided to try travel nursing and this agency offered me an assignment for a long term care position in Santa Maria, CA.

I will be working in this facility on their subacute floor. 1 nurse to 20 patients on noc shift. It is 8 hours shift 5 days a week.

They offered me $41/hour and $820 weekly stipend. My net income after taxes will be $1435. Basically asking is this a good offer? What else should I consider when discussing my pay package?

[Wolf at the Door, BSN]

What was or is your weekly net income now?

[strawberryluv, BSN, RN]

It's about $1240 before taxes if I work only 40 hours per week

[NedRN]

Determining whether an offer is objectively good or bad depends almost entirely on getting quotes from other agencies. In addition, you have to include a good guess on what local short term housing is going to cost you. Check Craigslist for a quick assessment. California housing is expensive and your real net income can be higher in other states depending on the quotes you receive.

[Wolf at the Door, BSN]

It's about $1240 before taxes if I work only 40 hours per week

I am unfamiliar with Santa Maria C.O.L. For that specialty that sounds about right. Your gross would be $2400 right? Are you finding your own housing or taking the companies?

There are travel nursing job boards on facebook. called Travel nurse job opportunities and many others. You can search for that speciality and compare cities, states, and agencies. You will find current assignment info. That makes comparing offers faster than talking with agencies again and again on the phone or via email. That way you are able to determine if it is worth the hassle. Travel nursing is not easy as it sounds.

[strawberryluv, BSN, RN]

My base rate is $21 per hour

my weekly stipend is $820

meals are $220 per week

lodging is $580 per week

travel stipend is $500

When I accounted how much each variable cost per hour

it amounts to $41 per hour

net income after taxes is $1435

i have to find my own housing

[NedRN]

What about health insurance?

[Wolf at the Door, BSN]

My base rate is $21 per hour

my weekly stipend is $820

meals are $220 per week

lodging is $580 per week

travel stipend is $500

When I accounted how much each variable cost per hour

it amounts to $41 per hour

net income after taxes is $1435

i have to find my own housing

Thanks for clarifying.

Max stipends comes out to 1,666. I guess the bill rate won't give you more than that. Per Diem Rates Look-Up.

Finding your own housing is probably 500 a week. not worth it to me.

[Hello_Pretty, RN]

An LTC RN in Los Angeles should earn $35 MINIMUM. Santa Maria is a lower COL but still expensive when compared to the Central Valley. Remember, you should also not be spending more than 1/3 your income on housing. Check Craigslist or find a short term rental. Also, if you don't mind driving 1 hour to work each day you can look for cheap housing outside that area.

[nurse.ethel.RN]

Im more worried by the fact that its ONE RN to TWENTY patients????

[NedRN]

Im more worried by the fact that its ONE RN to TWENTY patients????

Any exposure to LTC at all? Most work is done by LPN/LVNs. State regulations require at least one supervising RN round the clock.

[nurse.ethel.RN]

LOL Ive been an LTAC supervisor for the past four years, so yea, a little exposure. Our entire unit is RN operated - no LPN's at all. We have a 2 and 3 to 1 ratio. Thats every LTACH in and around Memphis.