What to make of this, with today's economy?

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.

Got a call from the recruiter today. I've finished my orientation at my new assignment and on the floor now. I'm yet to work alone though. So, its pretty early in the 13 week assignment. Very early actually.

Recruiter called me. Renewing came up. A bit early, but why not? He actually sounder excited when he mentioned it. Made me think the offer is already on the table or something. He warned me though, we will be taking a paycut.

Obviously, its too early to worry about this. Heck, I may not even want to stay. If things pick up in the travel industry, a pay cut is out of the question. On the other hand, I think its not the time to be picky right now either. Lots of people reporting job losses (in and out of the nursing field) and hiring freezes.

Who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth anyway. This board is cramped from corner to corner with people who would love a decent opportunity for employement. I'm not blind to that. It would be, somewhat........oh, arrogant to stick my nose up in the air at people being very decent to me over a dollar deduction in pay from one contract to another.

I guess I'm just posting this to share the info. Maybe it'll help someone make decisions for themselves. I was ignorant to the effect the economy is already taking on the nursing jobs. Thought I was on cloud 9 when I landed this position, its the best paying I've ever had. I guess I thought everyone was as lucky.

Eh, I'm rambling now buy you get the point. People are still in need of us even though they are not hiring right thsi second. Hope that gives someone hope.

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Specializes in Telemetry, CCU.

I'm confused.... are you a new grad? If so, I'd be very leery of taking any travel assignment until you are AT LEAST a year out, if not more. While taking a paycut at the beginning of your career may seem harsh, yes, there are more people out there who are struggling to find a job right now. If I'm misunderstanding your post, forgive me. Either way, best of luck to you no mattter what position you are in.

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I'm still a nursing student, who works at a hospital currently in a non-clinical support role. Trying to get through school and become an RN as quickly as I can. Money for me and my family is very tight - we live on a shoestring literally paycheck to paycheck. The hospital that I work at just laid off a lot of people last week. No doubt about it - we live in somewhat scary and unsettling times. Nobody where I work is really sure what will happen next. We just have to take things one day at a time, and remind ourselves that no matter what the economy is doing, there is a need for what we provide.

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Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.
I'm confused.... are you a new grad? If so, I'd be very leery of taking any travel assignment until you are AT LEAST a year out, if not more. While taking a paycut at the beginning of your career may seem harsh, yes, there are more people out there who are struggling to find a job right now. If I'm misunderstanding your post, forgive me. Either way, best of luck to you no mattter what position you are in.

No, I was a staff nurse for 2 years before becoming a travel nurse. This month was my one year anniversary of being a travel nurse.

I dont know of any travel nurse companies that will even interview you until you have at least a full year under your belt. And for CC, they want 2 years.

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I'm not a nurse but I've been a contractor in a different field. I'm assuming the travel nurse is a similar situation to contractor. Well I've seen contractor demand ebb and flow with economic tides so not every offer will be higher than the last one it just depends on the market. Nothing goes up continually. So if the travel nursing market is on the slow side right now then it makes sense that your next offer could be lower than the one you have now. If you're happy with the job and they want you back then you have nothing to worry about. Nothing goes up continually, nothing goes down continually either.

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Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.

Yeah. I wasnt sure how to say it, but this is my problem.

I've been in WA a long time. almost to the day 6 months in Tacoma and then I'll be here in Seattle until mid April. I'm ready to see more of the country. If I am going to stay here in WA, it will be as a staff nurse working in ICU or OR or Oncology, not as a med/surge traveler.

Thats the "perk" of travel nursing I'm missing, seeing more of the country. Its not that I dont appreciate the offer or like the facility, I just dont want to spend any more time in WA as a travel nurse. If I'm going to remain a travel nurse at this point, I want to go to other places on my with list (CA, NC, AZ, NM, TX, MA, MN, and a few others).

But, hey, its rough on a lot of people right now. Why leave a place that appreciates me? To add to the confusion, the hospital I'm at now is.........very well run. That makes a huge difference.

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recruiter sounds like a snake....switch company's for your re-sign.

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Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.
recruiter sounds like a snake....switch company's for your re-sign.

OMG, I had forgotten about this thread. A couple days ago, I was talking to other travelers on the unit and this place IS NOT offering extensions at this time. My recruiter was just trying to see if I would accept the pay cut. Not sure what he was going to do with that info..........1. The contract from the hospital was actually the same (if there was one, at this point, there is not an extension being offered) and he was keeping more money for himself/the company or 2. He knew the hospital was getting tight on extensions and was going to say "Hey, I have someone that'll extend for less money".

Either way, yeah, we are pretty much done with that complany. I am being offered a staff position, interview Thurs. and they have made it clear they'd really like to have me aboard. I'm probably done with travel nursing.

I just think its funny you saw the flaws in the recruiter. I had to find out the whole "extension" was a phantom before I put the pieces together.

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What company were you working with - so you can warn the newbies!

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