Landed a great job... Now what?

[ruralccnurse]

So after quite a while looking, I just got offered a position I'm really happy with. It's a 13 week ICU contract at a regional hospital in a fairly rural area. I am familiar with the hospital chain so the computer charting will be no problem, and they use the same pyxis, pumps, vents and all that that I'm use to.The thing is, I told my recruiter I wanted day shift from the beginning when we started talking about assignments. The way he phrased this one, I thought it was day shift. During the phone interview with the manager I found out that it's nights. Given the fact that every other aspect of this assignment is perfect, that wasn't a deal breaker for me. The other thing is that they want me there Thursday (10/25) and I gave them an available date of 11/1. This will be a pretty darn big inconvenience for me, but I could do it. I'm suppose to talk to my recruiter first thing in the morning and let him know if I can do it. The pay package they are offering amounts to $1460 take home a week with me providing housing. I also have my own insurance. I was wondering, given the above circumstances would it be fair for me to ask for a little more money? Say $2 an hour more? I haven't even seen a contract yet so it's not like I'm changing my mind after I signed it. What other things should I ask about? I'm planning on staying in an extended stay hotel that has special pricing for travelers from my company, any advice there? No children or pets coming with me...Also, the unit I'm going to has a very specific dress code and I don't have any scrubs that meet the requirements. On such short notice I can buy a set or two at WalMart (no local scrub shops!) but then will the hotel accept a delivery for me if I order some more?Any other words of wisdom would be appreciated as well...Sorry about formatting and typos, I'm on my phone.

[sheronep, MSN, RN]

Does that include your housing and meals stipend?

[ruralccnurse]

Yes, its $25/hr with $2500 a month housing stipend.

[NedRN]

There is never any harm done in asking for more money. You are jumping over at least two hoops that were not bargained for, nights and an earlier start. Personally, I wouldn't do nights for $10 more an hour, so $2 is nothing, and not a big hit for the agency either, unless they already run on a lean margin.

[BluntForceTrauma]

You might want to start checking out extended stays/hotels in the area. They may be more than $200 weekly.

[ruralccnurse]

Well... No luck on more money. Bah. Oh well, next time right?So I'm sitting in my hotel as we speak. Its not really an extended stay at all, it's a pretty nice hotel actually. Its costing me $110 a week so that's not too bad, thanks the the hospital having a negotiated rate. I'm going to head in for my first shift in a little bit. I'm nervous!

[sheronep, MSN, RN]

Have a good night!

[dar115]

How did you set up the negotiated rate from your hospital with extended stay? Did you tell the front desk you work at X hospital or did you tell them you work with Y Agency? Please help. Thanks

[karma765]

I would like to know about the negotiation of extended stay or hotel rates as well. Can anyone speak to this?

[NCmcMan]

1460 a week??!! and YOU pay for housing?? That sounds like a rip off. I was under the impression that Travel nurses were getting upwards of 40 dollars an hour for their inconvenience. Also, I thought that the agency or hospital paid for the place to stay. Maybe that's just California, though. I don't know, it doesn't seem like that "special" of a deal. ALso, are you getting a 4k bonus at the end or anything? I'm trying to find the goodness in this deal your talking about. Please give me something.

[PRNketamine]

1460 per week is 40$ per hr....

[NurseRies, BSN, RN]

1460 a week??!! and YOU pay for housing?? That sounds like a rip off. I was under the impression that Travel nurses were getting upwards of 40 dollars an hour for their inconvenience. Also I thought that the agency or hospital paid for the place to stay. Maybe that's just California, though. I don't know, it doesn't seem like that "special" of a deal. ALso, are you getting a 4k bonus at the end or anything? I'm trying to find the goodness in this deal your talking about. Please give me something.[/quote']

That's about the average going rate these days. Completion bonuses don't seem to happen too often from what I read. I have yet to see anyone that makes much more then that, only if you work overtime. But it is still a lot better then most staff positions in the country, maybe not California, but for people that are from the south or Midwest, this take home pay is amazing! As a staff nurse in South Carolina, I was only taking home about $800 a week, so nearly double!