Let's Talk Pay: Med-Surg

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Took the job offer. I'm not too too worried about the pay because I'm doing this for exposure and because I want to explore a bit. But I want to make sure that if this is low, that I don't accept this again. Here's the offer:

Hourly pay: 15.75

Overtime and Holiday (starts after 40hrs): 45.00/hr

On call: 3.50/hr

Call back: 45.00/hr

Housing Stipend: 2300/monthly (or $76.67/daily)

Per Diem: 850/month

Travel reimbursement: $600.00

What do you guys think? According to my recruiter, it'll be about 1200 a week after tax. But I'm not exactly sure. I like the offer because the nurse to patient ratio will be 1:4 or 1:5 with 3 PCTs on day shift (which is what they want me for). It's also a really nice area from what I've heard with lots to do.

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I am a travel nurse on a contract in Chicago, this is my second assignment, I have almost 2 years experience in medsurg/tele, and I end up with about $1225 weekly after taxes. My housing stipend is also $2300 monthly.

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Is that good? I have less than 2 years at this point and will still be less upon completion of my assignment. I always figured it would be 1500 or so after taxes and housing was paid for. But guess not

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Bump for more responses. This is in Texas.

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if i may ask...what company do you work for and do you like it there?

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It's medical solutions. I haven't started the assignment yet but I will update when I know. So far, it's been okay. My recruiter responds very quickly to me via text or phone call or email whichever I prefer. Hes quickest with texts tbh. As a new travel nurse, I like that. But I'm very particular. I want flexible spending accounts and a 401k and retirement and extremely good benefits, good staff/patient ratios, etc as well as a cushy place to stay because quality of life is as important to me as money. Hes been good in trying to answer as best he can but I have to do a lot more homework than if I was a staff rn. I guess that ought to have been expected. I didn't expect it. Lol

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I wouldn't take a taxable hourly rate less than $18/hr which is pretty standard "thinking" in the travel world. The hourly pay needs to be a little closer in line to what staff makes, which for Texas nurses is on average $25-30/hour. Your recruiter should be able to reconfigure the pay package with an hourly of $18 while keeping take home pay close to what you've been quoted. If you get audited the tax man won't be happy seeing your base pay at almost half what staff RN's make. Not good.

With a lower base pay that benefits the travel company A LOT bc their payroll taxes are lower, etc, etc. See if you can research previous threads concerning this because I know it's been discussed. I'm not usually up at this hour so I hate to go into further detail and it be confusing.

A take home of $1200 for Texas (M/S/Tele) is pretty standard. Might be a little harder in the larger cities though to make any kind of money because rent will be higher. I'm currently at a small hospital in TX and $1200 is close to what I take home. But rent for my RV site is very reasonable compared to other areas of Texas I'd looked at.

Good luck to you! Hope this all makes sense.

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It does. I met a few travel nurses who explained that hourly thing to me. I know now for my next assignment. Thank you

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