Need Help With First Offer

I'm a RN student and can't help you but man oh man does that sound great!

in all honesty, you should have done much research before entering into any contract!!! you have to do your own homework sometimes. but enjoy the experience!!! :)

$1150 a week amounts to $31.94 base pay an hour for a 3-day/12 hour shift work week [color=#ffa07a]---or---- $28.75 base pay per hour for a 5-day/8 hour shift work week ($4,600 month). travel allowance seems low at $800 but i'm not sure what the distance is that you are traveling from (home base to wyoming) or if you will be utilizing a u-haul to carry any personal belongings. the $800 may need to be applied toward your initial sign up fee for your extended stay hotel rental. so check into the rates if you are not being given extended stay apartments to live in. $230 week for car rental amounts to $32.85 a day/7 days. if you have worked as a nurse, determine what the per diem nurses at facilities in the area are making. you can call the nurse recruiters at most your assigned hospital/area hospitals to find this out. based on their response, you will have a better idea of what you need to be expecting. i'm used to hearing my girlfriends who are travel nurses say that they make from $35 and above; but i don't know about casper, wyoming. don't know how many years of experience you have so you would have to take that into consideration also.

salaries

check this site for average salaries at top cities in the united states: click on the top cities tab the look at wyoming

registered nursing schools and training programs (rn schools) casper, wyoming appears to pay a little less than cheyenne, wyoming based on the statistics provided. information is from 2008.

state government nursing jobs in wyoming pay nurses as follows (search wyoming state government employment):

hourly rates of pay

based on an allnurses.com recent post regarding a wyoming nurse salary: a new nurse in cheyenne, wyoming wrote:

https://allnurses.com/registered-nurses-diploma/salary-comparison-685690-page4.html

so based on what the new nurse indicated above, a new grad/new nurse working nights with 12% shift differential would be at $28.00 per hour ($25.00 base plus 12% ($3.00) = $28.00 per hour base+shift diff). keep in mind, the facility referenced in the post/link above is on a 8-hour shifts per day/5-day per week schedule...if you are not a new nurse....and most travel agencies require at least 1 year of experience....and you are working nights....($28.75 hour using your weekly travel rate).... you are making only 25 cents ([color=#a52a2a]$25.50 base + $3.06 shift diff for nights = $28.56) more than the new grad!!...based upon your years of experience, you decide. i would think that you would be making more than this....more like $35-40+ per hour. but then again, she is in cheyenne, wyoming and you will be assigned to a facility in casper, wyoming.

i would do some research on the facility!! look for hospital employee reviews. is the facility in a remote, rural area?? seems as though it may be in an area that is hard to recruit or possibly has harsh working conditions (nurse:patient ratios). as a travel nurse/agency nurse, does your contract state what your maximum nurse:patient ratio will be??? when i was being recruited by an agency/travel, i asked and they specifically stated (in ink) that staff nurses at the facility could have a 1:7-8 ratio while i mine) would be maxed at a 1:5 ratio (keep in mind, i might only have 1-2-3 patients, but no more than 5 patients--no matter what!!) of course, i realized that i would probably be assigned the worst patients on the unit!!!!

apartment rentals

based upon the apartments.com website for casper, wyoming

casper apartments for rent | casper, wy - apartments.com

1 bedroom apartments rent from $625-860. also, you should check craigslist.org (enter casper into the rental search option) to see what apartment rentals might be going for.

car rental

i would suggest that you get a membership card for a couple of the rental car agencies. this way, with each use you gain points, discount $$$ for future use. in time, you will be able to get really cheap rates for you rental cars and you can bank the excess/unused money being given to you from the travel agency---to possibly put toward something else (food!, entertainment!). contact enterprise, avis, etc. in casper, wyoming to determine what their exact weekly fees are.

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well, this should help a little bit. if anything, you have some resources to look at when you make your next contract/assignment. remember....research, research, research....beforehand.....so you will have an idea as to what your requirements will be when preparing a travel contract.

enjoy your travels!!!

Oh wow that's horrible!!! Since its your first assignment they should take care of your housing and make it smooth for you. Sounds like your not getting a good deal.

i agree with hollywooddiva.

i provided ways for you to determine average costs (in each city you're assigned to work) in my original post but forgot to state the obvious. housing and auto rental are usually handled by the travel agency (with them giving you adequate funds to continue to pay each weeks' rental fees, once you get there). since it's not, you'll have to do your own homework (determine the best costs) as far as getting the most (best value) for the money. keep in mind, you will find differences with each agency you sign up with. so be aware of these differences with each assignment, each new contract.

it's your first assignment--a positive learning experience. :) just be ready to hit the floor running (whether paper or computer charting environment, etc.)!!! just know that your training/orientation with the facility will be a few days at most; then you're on your own. you'll enjoy casper, wyoming and each city where you are assigned to work. a new place, new people and activities. facility may not meet your expectation; but 13 weeks will pass by quickly. if you like the facility and want to do an additional 13 weeks, you can negotiate a better contract. :yelclap:

additionally, if it's allowed within your contract/agency, line up other agencies that you can work with once your 13 weeks are up. i have a friend who worked with 2 different agencies when she was in her "travel" mode. her last assignment put her in california and she's been there ever since. that was about 2 years ago! before that she traveled both coasts, got assigned in seattle, washington and ended up staying there for about 2 years after her travel assignment ended.

again, enjoy your travels and each assignment. :) you'll learn something from each 13-week experience. you'll be surprised at what a great (salary) negotiator you become with each new assignment.

I have actually done a lot of research but am very nervous as I am sure many first time travelers are. I thought the best advice would come from those who have been in my shoes before. I appreciate all your information.

I have actually done a lot of research but am very nervous as I am sure many first time travelers are. I thought the best advice would come from those who have been in my shoes before. I appreciate all your information.

I know you are just looking for general opinions.... I know as a first time traveler the companies try to use that for reduced pay, BUT, I don't think the offer is that bad for a first-timer. If the job and location sound like a good fit for YOU, then take it. Its not the greatest offer ever made but it is do-able. In my opinion the most important thing about the first assignment shouldn't the money, but rather the experience itself. Go for the money on the future assignments and take this one to get you started!

Sambo:

Don't know if you saw this in another link; but another poster provided it to assist with those who are new/curious about Travel Nursing:

You will receive responses from current travel nurses in time, just be patient. Additionally, as you travel, you will meet other travellers. Befriend them and find out who they are contracted with, what incentives/benefits are being provided to them, what their contract consists of (housing, auto, stipend, etc.) without getting into exact monetary amounts. You will learn alot from all those around you.

Once I get my youngest child into college next year, I plan to work as a travel nurse also. I already have agencies contacting me for assignments; but can't accept them. So I am building rapport with them until I am ready to start travelling.

Enjoy!!! :)