Independant Travel Nurse Pay

NedRN · Jun 1, 2016

I would recommend posting similar questions in https://allnurses.com/entrepreneurs-in-nursing/

In short, bill rates can vary from under 40 to well over 100 depending on location, specialty, and urgency of the need. Typically the bellcurve falls in 55 to 80 range.

Going out on your own generally means you are operating as an agency - thus you would charge the same rates. There are some hospitals (and agencies) that will employ you on a 1099 basis, which at a minimum, means you are an independent contractor adding a Schedule C to your personal tax return (if you don't alternatively start an LLC or corporation).

Bill rates are all inclusive per hour. Agencies have to cover all costs of the traveler and their own operating expenses and profits out of that single bill rate (which is usually adjusted for overtime, not the same flat rate).

The only cost plus contracts may be strike contracts but I have no direct knowledge, only scuttlebutt from HR personnel.

guest769224 · Jun 1, 2016

I wonder if it's more lucrative to be an independent agent with your own agency, compared to utilizing established travel companies.

Julius Seizure · Jun 1, 2016

I wonder if it's more lucrative to be an independent agent with your own agency, compared to utilizing established travel companies.

Yes but it also means you take on the work of the agency....you have to be able to set up your own contracts. And some hospitals won't work directly with you, period.

guest769224 · Jun 1, 2016

Yes but it also means you take on the work of the agency....you have to be able to set up your own contracts. And some hospitals won't work directly with you, period.

Have you done it?

NedRN · Jun 1, 2016

I wonder if it's more lucrative to be an independent agent with your own agency, compared to utilizing established travel companies.

Of course it is. The agency has to pay for marketing, recruiters, management, benefits person, owner/shareholder profits, and offices. The industry average gross profit margin is 24% currently. That is the amount not paid to the traveler. Which if you look at the other way, you will get about 33% more money just by capturing the entire bill rate.

Julius Seizure · Jun 3, 2016

Have you done it?

No way! I don't have the skills to handle that aspect of travel nursing. I'll take my $60/hr and let my agency handle the details :)

guest769224 · Jun 3, 2016

No way! I don't have the skills to handle that aspect of travel nursing. I'll take my $60/hr and let my agency handle the details :)

Which specialty do you travel in?

I ought to consider specializing. I am in general ICU. That's an awesome pay rate.

May I ask which agency you travel with?

NedRN · Jun 4, 2016

Which specialty do you travel in?
I ought to consider specializing. I am in general ICU. That's an awesome pay rate.
May I ask which agency you travel with?

A general ICU with a mix of surgical and medical patients is excellent grounding. If you can switch gears from neuro to cardiac to pulmonary patients, you will be able to work just about anywhere. Yes, super specialized ICUs at academic centers may not take you, and perhaps without open heart some CVICUs may not, but just about anyone else where. If CVICU interests you, there is enough demand to work steady as a traveler with higher rates. I might suggest shadowing in the cath lab for a day and see if that might be up your alley. If so, get some CVICU experience first (open heart recovery not required or really that useful for cath lab), and then cath lab is a specialty that will always pay well and be in demand (and perhaps less of a burnout).

You have lots of time to really consider how you might want your career to go unless you have super itchy feet and want to travel now. The cool thing is you can always travel, and then go back staff for specific experience. So you can do both, but if you enjoy steep learning curves, it is really better to specialize now while you are still more adaptable and motivated. Both fade for most nurses as they age - completely natural. The other side of that is enjoying life while you are young and settling down later.

guest769224 · Jun 4, 2016

Thanks for always helping me with questions, NedRN. I will be training to CVICU in not too long. It's off limits to new grads at my hospital, and I now have 6 months ICU experience. I am a big nursing nerd so I'm open to the possibilities. I just have a huge desire to get out and see the nation, and make some real money instead of the pennies I make now. I would love cath lab, but I need to stay in ICU to be competitive for CRNA school down the road. Well, I am still debating between traveling as a life career, as it seems you have done, or going to grad school and doing locum tenems afterward.

Will you be at the LV traveler's conference this year? I think I will be.

NedRN · Jun 4, 2016

I'm no expert but I don't believe CRNA schools (which have differing requirements anyway) require recent ICU experience. I have met CRNAs whose previous specialty was ED. In any case, having a year of more of ICU experience will help tremendously when actually in CRNA school. I doubt that ICU experience that is from several years ago is going to hurt you in school, or in applying.

I have a cath lab buddy, who formerly was CVICU, describe cath lab as CVICU on steroids. You might be able to describe most cases as an extended real life ACLS algorithm. True, I don't think propofol, ketamine, or anesthetic gases are used, but every other pharmaceutical intervention is available to you. The nurse is keeping the patient sedated and alive in a very similar manner that an anesthesia provider might. You are monitoring patients rhythm in real time as PVC runs can be triggered at any time. That would certainly be a one on one situation in the ICU.

Try having a discussion with a real admissions person at a CRNA program to find out the real criteria and variability of successful applications. Don't run out cath lab until you find out.

Going to the Travelers Conference is always a last minute decision for me and depends on where I happen to be location wise. A bigger factor for me is the bicycle trade show in Vegas either overlapping the Conference or on adjacent weeks. I try not to go on long trips just for one thing, cost shared between several things adds value in my mind. I was at the first, second, and the last one (tenth?) and the bike show each time.