friend had great pay and decent experience

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Hello!

Had a few comments/questions regarding travel nursing. I'm preparing to start travel nursing this summer with the possibility of doing this long term. Fellow nurses of mine have had recent experience doing this and loved it. One just came back from Florida and was bringing home $1700-$1900/week. Now, from most of the posts on here I don't see anyone getting that kind of pay. Why? She had a few minor issues with the company but stated basically it came down to recruiter errors. Another nurse went to California a few years back and made major bucks. I would be lying if I said that money wasn't a major motivator in my decision, but also the chance to travel and all the new experiences. So what are your thoughts on pay? I have a handful of agencies I have been or will be in touch with: Aureus, Nightingale, Healthcare Seeker, PHP, and Expedient. A couple of these companies are the ones my friends used. Any thoughts???:nurse:

Im not a negative person.. I am a realist! Your the one that came on here asking whats what. I simply said FL typically pays lower than most states and that I have R.Ph and Mid-level travel buddies that have NEVER came close to that kind of chedder in FL. After your response of "theres money out there, You just have to know how to get it" I shut up and agreed with you supposing that I have known a few RNs making $50/hr.

You might grow some thicker skin before hitting the road.. If the other travelers dont eat you alive the perm RNs will...and I still would not be telling them what you make:)

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Specializes in ICU, forensics,.

I don't recall anyone saying 4hams is a liar. Many people quote figures and don't understand or opt not to share all of the information/options that go into that figure. If I recall she was trying to get information regarding the pay. Obviously some have better pay than others, but the point was to make sure the figures quoted by her fellow workers was wage only, not perdiem/M&I and stipend/housing. I can't speak for everyone else, but I would be happy for someone to be making a decent wage and have a good recruiter. It is often difficult to find both. After the economy took a turn for the worst, the wages did drop across the travel industry in addition to all the lttle extras we were receiving.

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Specializes in OB.

:banghead:

I'm not sure why I even bother anymore. A person comes on asking questions about traveling, I try posting an answer based on 14 years of traveling and if I don't tell them exactly what they want to hear, I'm negative, mean, lazy or unqualified.

If all you want is someone to agree with you that the world is rainbows and unicorns, and you are going to get rich just showing up, please state that at the beginning of your post and save us all the bother of trying to give you constructive answers.

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Renal.
doesnt happen. im traveling rt now in one of the most expensive cities NYC and bring home is about 1500 wk but that includes taking the housing stipened and my incidentals which arent really income per se. And im working an 80.5 pay period so 7 11.5 shifts! Trust me you cant find that in florida..shes lyin to ya:) I looked allll over for around 2 years before I took this assn.

This is the post I was referring to. Sorry to the other ladies. I am starting an assigment in one of the southern states in less than two weeks and I will gross around 2000/week. Now out of that I still have to pay for my housing. However, I claim more so the government takes less. I know what the next comment will be. 'Watch out you'll have to pay in.' I've been claiming higher for a while and know the tax brackets.

I have four years experience in an extremely busy medical/renal/tele floor. We get tx from CCU, DKA, dialysis, all the isolations, trach pt, vascular wounds, detox, cva,,,,etc. We are the dumping ground of the hospital. Currently I'm also a charge nurse and a preceptor on my unit as well. Our ratio is 1:5 and as a charge on night have to take up to 5pt AND be charge.

I didn't go with the first travel company that called me. I went on highway hypodermics and printed them all out and researched each company one by one. Then proceeded to weed them out. I picked my current company because my recruiter is awesome. I can't wait to start my new journey and wish everyone lots of happiness and success!:)

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" I know what the next comment will be. 'Watch out you'll have to pay in.' I've been claiming higher for a while and know the tax brackets."

No hating over here.. Just congratulating! Thats like $50/hr or $8000/month that is AWESOME! WOW..That's 96K if you stay for the year--Holler! Its sounds like you have done your homework and found yourself the best deal.

Im not sure what the rest of your post was about--Are you telling us what floor you will be working or just re-affirming your decsion to hit the road?

In any case.. Good luck and congratulations again.

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
Now I know why I quit my old account on this allnurses.com, because you all are so negative, why would she or I lie, it wouldn't benefit anyone....goodbye

And yet you returned and continue here.........

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Specializes in ICU/CVICU/ER.

I got this from a website thought it was good info:

Top 5 States

The best paying states for Registered Nurses to earn a salary are California $85,080, Massachusetts $81,780, Hawaii $80,020, New Jersey $74,990, and Maryland $76,330.

Top 5 Metropolitan Areas

The best city or metropolitan areas to earn a Registered Nurse salary are San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $110,080, Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division $97,280, San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division $98,900, Visalia-Porterville, CA $111,030, Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Roseville, CA $89,770.

I'm a seasoned traveler and I will say I'm on assignment right now in Rancho Springs, CA and my take home pay is $2100 a week. I'm a high risk L&D RN and I have the full stipen. So much money to be made out here in CA ( I'm from TX).....

It's about the Money, it's about the Location and most importantly it's about your Recruiter finding the right job for you!! If you have any questions let me know, I've been doing this for years!!! Good Luck!!!:nurse:

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4hams and Dina - what agencies do you work for? I am starting to research my travel options...

Thanks!

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Specializes in ICU/CVICU/ER.

I work with Flexcare Medical Staffing! It's by far the best company I've ever worked for! I have a great recruiter who listens to what I want not just what she needs to fill! I suggest avoiding the BIG companies they have big overhead, I've compared pay packages and nothing beats Flexcare.... I mean I'm the one working I want all the money I can get!! Good luck! Let me know if you have any questions:)

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I got this from a website thought it was good info:

Top 5 States

The best paying states for Registered Nurses to earn a salary are California $85,080, Massachusetts $81,780, Hawaii $80,020, New Jersey $74,990, and Maryland $76,330.

Top 5 Metropolitan Areas

The best city or metropolitan areas to earn a Registered Nurse salary are San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $110,080, Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division $97,280, San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division $98,900, Visalia-Porterville, CA $111,030, Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Roseville, CA $89,770.

I'm a seasoned traveler and I will say I'm on assignment right now in Rancho Springs, CA and my take home pay is $2100 a week. I'm a high risk L&D RN and I have the full stipen. So much money to be made out here in CA ( I'm from TX).....

It's about the Money, it's about the Location and most importantly it's about your Recruiter finding the right job for you!! If you have any questions let me know, I've been doing this for years!!! Good Luck!!!:nurse:

Dina, Im going to do some research and then take my 1st travel assignment in Sept. Do you have a reccomendation for which company to choose, or which to definitly not choose? Also any other pieces of advice would be much appreciated from such a seasoned traveler as yourself. Thanks in advance, Lindsey

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Hi, thanks to those who have experience in travel RN work. I, too, was curious of the pay. I already knew that travel RN's can get a good bit more money than those who don't travel. What I don't know is ... do you get benefits, too?

Generally in this world, I've observed two choices:

a) higher-pay / no benefit jobs

b) lower-pay / benefit jobs

Most of my family has done the lower-pay with benefits thing. (non-RN related).

Not sure I will follow suit?!

Interestingly enough, my sister has a Bachelor's in computers. Many of her peers earn only $15/hr in Alabama. She has gotten jobs with recruiters for $60,000+ per year. But she spends a lot of time hustling for those job offers. Now, if she can just KEEP one of those higher paying jobs!!! LOL !

Thanks again for the discussion on travel nurse pay.

Sincerely,

RNfem

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Dina,

Wow, I thought I was doing good with my agency until I read your post.

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