Military base contract - what was your experience?

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Specializes in ICU, Operating Room, CVOR.

I have been offered a "local" 12 month assignment at a military base hospital through Spectrum Healthcare Resources. I have never traveled but the compensation seems pretty good for a full time OR RN. Have any of you completed an assignment at a military base - what was it like? Also, any info on Spectrum?

Thanks in advance!

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Travel pay for OR nurses is really high in a lot of places right now. Where is the base, and what are you offered? Is it local to you? I don't think you have to be concerned about the agency at all for a military contract. Don't expect anything from them other than a correct paycheck and you won't be disappointed.

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Specializes in ICU, Operating Room, CVOR.

Thanks for the reply, NedRN. Colorado Springs, CO; local contract (I own a home here) at $40 per hour with a 12 month contract, $44 per hour if I decline benefits. Keep in mind it's about $10 more per hour than I would make as a staff nurse at one of the local hospitals. I could make more 75 miles away in Denver, but I don't want to do the daily drive and the traffic is a nightmare.

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Fair enough. Keep in mind that staff benefits may be worth more than $10 an hour. If you are interested in quick cash (travel), I recently saw a CVOR assignment on Facebook in WI for $85. Similar pay for some assignments in CA - I did reg OR for $80 and $100 on separate assignments last year. Indiana University had a ton of jobs last year for that much too.

Family? Then work local.

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Specializes in ICU, Operating Room, CVOR.
Keep in mind that staff benefits may be worth more than $10 an hour.

You are absolutely correct. Side-by-side comparison has a regular staff position as the better deal.

No family, I have a day dream of taking my VW Westfalia on the road as a travel nurse.

Thanks again for your input!

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You are welcome. Glad you did the math for yourself. The psychological temptation of $10 an hour more can be more deceptive than real.

Just for fun, I did a bit of Googling about benefits. A general rule of thumb for staff benefits appears to be 1.25 to 1.4 times pay. I found this link where someone went through the mechanics of running pay through a calculator and comparing with industry averages and found benefits were between $10,000 and $20,000 (and up) for a midwestern RN (similar pay to Colorado I believe). Or between $10 and $20 dollars an hour based on a 2,000 hour work year. I was in the right ballpark about benefits.

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Specializes in Peri-Op.

dont sell yourself short. You can make way more than that traveling, especially if you want to just stay in the westy and keep you travel stipend. I lived in my truck camper for 4 months last summer, fun just camping where ever I stopped on the beach or in the woods. join the "premium job board" on facebook. Recruiters with high paying jobs will respond if you post up what your looking for and where..... They drool over OR/CVOR, ED, L&D and ICU nurses....

You are absolutely correct. Side-by-side comparison has a regular staff position as the better deal.

No family, I have a day dream of taking my VW Westfalia on the road as a travel nurse.

Thanks again for your input!

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